I have spoken of Freecycle many times before and will continue to do so because I just love this group! I have been fortunate to be the recipient of many wonderful things for my garden. Some things include pickup trucks full of Stella de Oro, limestone blocks, concrete chunks, concrete pillars, irises, peonies, millstones like things, metal fencing, and bricks, to name just a few.
Adam recently posted on Freecycle "Offer: Bricks". I can tell you that caught my eye quickly! I LOVE bricks in my garden. All stone is good because it does not rot and fits right in. I can usually maneuver it easily and bricks are my favorite material to work with. It is so classic and fits into all landscapes. I responded right a way and was stunned I was chosen to pick up these beautiful bricks.
Adam said he had about 150 of them when he posted. When all was said and done on the sunny day I picked them up, there were 340! Adam worked very hard at digging them out of an old and established garden. The homeowner wants to remake her garden and she left the job in Adam's capable hands. I did ask Adam several times if he was sure he wanted to give all these bricks away and he assured me yes. He was planning to edge the new gardens with a more modern type of edging material. I know, I know-maybe bricks aren't modern but they sure are classic and I can't imagine not using them in my garden, but I am betting Adam will make this garden beautiful and perfect for the homeowner.
I convinced Adam to pose for a picture with the bricks for my trusty camera and he was okay with being posted on here. I want to say thanks Adam! And be sure to email me when you are have the rest out!
There is no guarantee you will get some great bricks, but I do guarantee you will not be disappointed with this worthy email group. If you have a good story to share about Freecycle or friends sharing with you-do let us know here at....
in the garden....
Adam, the election will be a very interesting thing and thanks for making my day with you kind comments about my email and blog! I hope I didn't disappoint. Glad to see this blog works!
Tina! You are so lucky to get those bricks for free! I can't believe it. We don't have anything like that around here, I am envious. Adam sounds like a super guy too, and he is a garden landscaper? Those bricks even came out of a garden? Do they have little moss on them? You are so lucky.
ReplyDeleteHow nice of him to not only give them to you but help you get them! I agree rock, brick, concrete does great in the garden because it's acustume to the elements, hard to come by.....
ReplyDeleteWow, I can't imagine not using bricks, they are classic, as you said! Well, it's a great find for you! Thanks for the reminder of freecycle! I always forget they are around here!
ReplyDeleteGail
What a great haul of bricks you got Tina. Thanks for the link, I found a group in my area. I will have to look & see what I can get for free too. :)
ReplyDeleteI am such a stone person--I am excited for you. What a great idea! Be sure and let us know what you do with the bricks.
ReplyDeleteHi Tina. Congratulations on your lucky find. I edged my beds in brick too. Now I'm doing what Adam is doing. Tearing many of them out. The ones I will keep, need to be reset. Big job.
ReplyDeleteMarnie
Wow, that's a nice find! Although if I were Adam I think I might have used them in my garden! How do you plan on using them? They'd make some great raised beds or a fire pit!
ReplyDeleteGood morning all!
ReplyDeleteFrances, Adam is a part time landscaper working for a lady who wants big changes in her yard. It is already a beautiful yard but she wants more flowers. The bricks used to edge her gardens and do have some moss on them. They are in great shape. I downloaded them all yesterday now my arm is so sore!:(
Dawn, I lucked out and he was a nice young man.
Gail, Yes, I hear Nashville has tons of bricks. Free! Just sign up so you can get the info.
PGL, An acquaintance told me of it more than one year ago. I wondered why I had never heard of it before. I try to pass on the favor. Freecycle's goal is to keep stuff out of the landfill. All must free. Let us know what you find too.
Meadowview Thymes, Now that is the problem. What do to with them? Some kind of patio for sure but not right now. I'll let you know:)
Marnie, So you are going to reset the brick? Not replace it? That is best. It IS a big job. I know Adam worked pretty hard getting all of these out. Good luck. Are you making the beds bigger or did the bricks move out of place? I am curious. I have many friends with bricks lining their beds. It is classic. I love the look.
Tina ~ Thanks for the reminder about Freecycle. I'll have to check them out more regularly. And thanks for the reminder about the bricks. There were some piles of brick around when we moved in and I mean it to edge my veggie garden and maybe a path. Now would be a good time to work on that :)
ReplyDeleteThat is really cool. Whenever I reply to something on freecycle it is already gone. I have gotten a few books but nothing as great as bricks!!! That is really awesome!!!
ReplyDeleteYou have gotten a lotta stuff off freecycle and I must go sign up for it as I keep putting it off. Christy got me 2 of the tall white column pedestals and some railroad ties from it this summer. It would only take a few mintues to check it each week to get some good stuff. Just what I need, more stuff!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Saint will not let me sign up for Freecycle. I think he fears I would turn the yard into Redneck City with my passion of free stuff! LOL... I tried to take a peek to see what our area has but you must sign up to see the fun stuff.. I have some stuff to pass along as well so it could be a win-win adventure for us.
ReplyDeleteI got a truck full of free bricks from a worksite (new housing development) while in Atlanta visiting with friends. I have pounded more bricks into the ground with my rubber mallet then I can say. But I love the brick border with pea-gravel pathways. I have done several projects with my free bricks and love them! I would like to have more!
What a blessing, the bricks..and Adam. I love to receive freebies like that!
ReplyDeleteLucky you! I agree with you, bricks are so nice, so many things we can do with them. When I moved to this house, there was a pile of bricks. All gone and I could use more. I will sign up for freecycle now. Maybe I will be lucky too!
ReplyDeleteDave, I haven't quite figured it out yet how I am going to use them. The last batch I got I put down on paths in the veggie garden and they work great. These I am not sure. It takes me some time but I'll get it. Not sure if Adam has a garden but if he did I think he would like the bricks there but for now just needed to get rid of them.
ReplyDeleteCindy, Piles of brick laying around? What a gift! Yes, do start laying them out by your gardens. The weather is moderating so it might not be so bad outside. Hopefully you all have gotten some much needed rain.
Cindee, I was so happy he chose me! I asked Adam why he chose me and he said he liked my email. It must've been the "I'll take them all no matter what they look like and I'll even dig them!" I get so much practice typing and talking on here that it must have come thru on my email to him as I was #25 out of about 30 responses in 20 minutes that he received. All I can say, is to keep trying for good stuff on Freecycle. Books are good too!
Mom, You DON'T need more stuff, but stuff for the garden like Christine got you doesn't hurt. It is outside and has a spot. That is the way I feel about it. Too much stuff inside is enough though. Soon I'm having a big yard sale to get rid of stuff-plants included!
Skeeter, This is how you need to work it with the Saint, tell you he can get FREE computers! Tons of them on there. Surely he would go for that? Then when he is happy, you can slip in some plants or bricks or what have you. Think it'll work? I remember those bricks you convinced yourself were calling your name. Good deal! Saved the builder from disposing of them and put them to good use too!
Darla, Welcome! I see you are in Florida. Hope you are drying out down there. We have a loyal reader not far from Palm Harbor who says they are pretty soggy still. Glad Ike has bypassed you all. Funny, up here we HOPE for hurricanes to get the rain but they keep bypassing us too. Not the same though, I know.
Gisele, It takes time to get the good stuff. Last summer there were SO many gardening related things posted on Freecycle but this summer it has been slow. Just stick with it and you too will get lucky. You are in East Tennessee? I would think there would be a good group there and it helps if your town is an older town. Building supplies and garden stuff are given away frequently.
Good grief Tina, you made a haul. That is fantastic. I'm so happy for you as I know you like brick, rocks & such.
ReplyDeleteI put old bricks {standing on end} in front of my shed to mimic the old flower beds of long ago. I really like those. Also I laid down some in front of concrete slab where my glider swing is. It looks like an extension {porch if you will}. They do need to be redone as some are moving. I set them in sand.
I will definitely have to check out this free cycle. Maybe I can get rid of some of these Spider plants that are choking out my A/C.
Hi again Tina. After a few years the bricks sink and are sort of over run by grass. They have to be lifted out, more sand poured in the channel, and reset. Not as bad as the original sod cutting. Some beds I've moved others enlarged.
ReplyDeleteDon't set your bricks too deep. That will add a few years to the life of a border. Then again, you might not have as much trouble because your freeze/thaw cycles aren't as bad.
Marnie
I mowed the grass and washed the car and now it is raining! Yeah, rain in Georgia! Not much but a hopefully a start. Weather man says one more week of hot stuff then a break from summer heat. Still in the mid 90's. argggg...
ReplyDeleteTina, the banana tree should like the rain! Small one not looking too good. Looks like it may have rotted. Big one hanging on... Cross fingers and toes for growth...
What a great find. I just love free things at are kept out of landfills. It's very generous of him to share too.
ReplyDeleteOMG, I am on late tonight.
ReplyDeleteLola, Yes! It was a haul and my body is feeling it now! I am not familiar with flower beds of old where bricks stood on end. Was this a Tennessee thing? Also, do advertise those spider plants, I am sure you'll have some takers.
Marnie, So that is the problem with them. The freeze/thaw and set a bit deep? I hope you get it fixed and it will surely be easier than sod cutting!
Skeeter, That nanner will love the rain! Those plants were funny. The smaller ones had no roots whereas the large ones had merely a few? It should still grow no problem. Just let it get settled in. If not we'll work something out in the spring when they are smaller. My friend noticed about 5 more babies! I have plenty for sure. I will be posting on them soon as they are quite magnificent. No a/c here. I feel a chill in the air.
Cinj, It was ever so nice of Adam to give the bricks away. I am not sure if it matters to him, but I can assure you and everyone else the bricks found a home with someone who appreciates them very much here. Keeping it out of landfills is good. Do you know how much good stuff folks throw away? Simply because it is easier?? It is amazing and disheartening.
Very cool Tina! I love brick. I've heard of Freecycle, but never checked it out. I can see I need to rectify that!
ReplyDelete