Thursday, October 4, 2007

Whimsy in the Garden




Here is some whimsy in Skeeter's garden-just the kind I think makes people smile. This washing machine has been made into a neat cooler. Re-purposing items like the washing machine keep them out of the landfill, bring back nostalgic memories, and serve a functional purpose to boot! Notice the face on the tree to the right of the picture. The vine growing on the tree is Confederate Jasmine. This is a good example of integrating necessary utensils of everyday living into the garden while keeping it simple and easy to maintain.


in the garden....

3 comments:

  1. Ah what a pretty sight to my eyes today! Yep this washing machine, as my dad puts it, "washed many a diaper" in its day! Diapers to 4 babies to be exact! The memories are so vivid as if yesterday of my grandmother and I firing up that old tub to wash clothes. Then hang them on the line for a wonderful smell from the fresh air! In the winter months, mom my brothers and I would load them up in the little red wagon or in a “borrowed” grocery buggy and take them to the nearby Wishy Washy! I feel so fortunate to have my own washer and dryer in my house!

    Imagine my surprise when mom and dad approached me with giving the old thing to me! I thought what in the world would I do with that old thing. Then mom told me her idea. Use it as a beverage cooler when grilling. The tub could hold iced drinks and the hose could be let down to drain the melted ice water! What a wonderful idea, so we hauled the thing to Georgia from Clarksville as the Saint mumbled the entire way!

    I had been trying to get grass to grow in this shaded area for two years with no luck so I decided to take a different approach. I extended the ugly slab of concrete patio by adding a brick boarder. Then what I thought was pea gravel, turned into white gravel once dried! Oh well, it looks okay and now everyone compliments my white stone instead of brown peagravel look. I added the washer and put a small bed beside it breaking up the grill and patio areas but tying them together with the gravel and brick borders. I planted hostas in the bed, Oh and I collected large rocks from the lake to form that planter. The hostas did well until this past year. I suspect a mole and vole got the roots as they were very dwarf this year! Arggg…. Oh well, next year, I will plant more and some how vole proof them.

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  2. Such a nice story. I really like the white stones and it gives this area a touch of formality while maintaining the simplicity. I love the cooler and I know it is very special to you because of where it came from and the memories.

    Some people plant hostas in hardware cloth cages to protect them from voles. This seems like way too much work for me though because I think the hostas would outgrow the cages and then you would have a mess separating it all. I go around all winter and if I notice a problem I stomp down to bring the plants back into contact with the ground after the voles have had their meals. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Voles are a terrible problem and one I am well experienced with. I am surprised you have problems with them down there.

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  3. Oh my goodness, those little critters are a mess in our yard at times! We pretty much have them controlled in the grassy areas but not in the natural landscaping areas. Then last fall they got into my flower garden. This year I will pay closer attention and fight them as I see signs of the little buggars. I have a funny story to share on voles and will post it on the Pet People topic one day. You will get a kick out of it. I will let you know when I post it...

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