I recently stumbled across this unique succulent chair by Sandra Nelson, a fellow blogger at Art In The Garden. Susan found this retro style chair at a thrift store and was drawn to the shiny chrome frame. Although there are no before pictures, the photo shows Susan cut off the less-than-fabulous material and replaced the form with chicken wire.
As with any wire container, you must keep the soil from seeping through the holes by filling them with dampened sphagnum moss(note: don’t buy sphagnum peat moss). Be sure to press the pieces firmly into the holes and fill the spaces completely. Chicken wire and peat moss can be found at any local, full-service nursery or home improvement store. To limit messy leakage when watering, line the moss with a sheet of plastic, which also acts as a moisture barrier. Remember to cut one good drainage hole at the bottom of both the seat back and bottom.
Next, slit the plastic where you plan to insert the roots of your succulents. Sandra planted sedums, hens and chicks, and thyme. Buy the smallest plants available to make inserting the plants’ roots through the wire holes and plastic slits easier.
Fill the frame’s center with potting soil. Not just any soil but a free-draining potting mix with slow-release fertilizer. Firm the soil around the roots of the plants by pressing it down with your hands.
Ever so gently, water your self-acclaimed artwork thoroughly and keep the soil evenly moist until new growth appears. At that point, you only have to water when the soil becomes dry. You’re better off giving your container a good soaking, rather than just misting the top layer. TIP: If the plants start looking wilty, then you’ve waited too long.
Be prepared to learn from your mistakes because no one said this was an exact science.
Thanks Sandra for your creativity and best of luck to you! Imagine how fabulous this chair will look once the plants fill in. If you would like to see your project featured on my blog, please respond with your ideas or visit Have A Garden Question .
Landscaping with native plants is often referred to as Naturescaping. There are many benefits of using native plants, but one of the biggest in my book, is less maintenance. Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time in my garden but I have many other outdoor interests too.
With natives, you don’t have to worry about invasive plants or huge water bills. Translation: less chemicals and more money in your pocket. Many of these plants only need water to get established the first year then become drought tolerant. (note: drought tolerant DOES NOT mean “no water”, they still need an occasional soak).
Sometimes chemical weed control is necessary, but only when all other options have failed. Chemical runoff by rain has detrimental effects on fish habitats. See my Weed or Not To Weed post for more ideas on weed control without chemicals. Naturescaping preserves biodiversity, which is healthy for you and others.
Plant Native is an organization dedicated to moving native plants and naturescaping into mainstream landscaping practices. They are a great one-stop resource for finding native plants by state, region, or local nursery:
Tired of spending your summers watering your garden? If you don’t have the money to install an in-ground sprinkler system, consider choosing xeriscape perennialsfor your garden. There are so many benefits: drought tolerant, beautiful flowers, save money, easy to maintain, and attracts birds and pollinators. I can’t say enough about High Country Gardens (HCG) for ideas, planning, and garden know-how. HCG’s exclusive Xeriscape Flower Fan is a great tool to see perennial combinations by height, color, blooming season, soil preference, and water needs. Wherever you are Julie Fischer, “THANK YOU!
If you’re starting from scratch, HCG has a great article to help you analyze the various aspects of your yard like, weather, wind patterns, sun patterns, and SOIL. Soil is a big, I mean huge, element that most beginners overlook. I admit, I was gung-ho at first and I’m still paying the price for planting in poor soil. Many plant problems can be eliminated by putting plants in soil they like. Also, many synthetic pesticides and fertilizers won’t have to be used which helps save beneficial insects, the environment, and your money. For tips on making your own soil amendment, see Why Make Compost
I highly recommend beginners start by choosing plants that are suitable to your area’s USDA’s Plant Hardiness Zone. There’s a reason why plants from these zones are successful, so trust the map. Click here for how to use the map and find plants that are appropriate for your area.
Here’s a modern twist to the traditional window box from designer Michael Hilgers. This is a great way to add color and greenery to spaces that, well, have no space. The polyethylene pots are water-resistant and can rest on any railing up to 60mm thick. Read more on Container Garden Design.
The guys at TerraCycle were ingenious enough to construct a Rotary Composter from wine barrels on their way to the landfills. Oak wine barrels are used to age wine then thrown away after one use. Why compost you say? Making you own compost is the best way to improve your soil and rid your garden of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers forever. >>Read More…
Dr. Joe Willis gives a demonstration on how the composter is used:
Where have all the bees gone? Many farmers have managed regional problems for years, but now we are faced with bees disappearing in droves across the nation. The benefits of bees go way beyond the honey they produce. In the agriculture world, bees play an invaluable role in pollinating many of the fruits and vegetables we eat every day.
In a New York Times article, Cornell University estimated that bees pollinate up to $14 billion worth of seeds a year. According to Entrepreneur.com, honey bees are responsible for pollinating over 90 varieties of fruits and vegetables worldwide, especially blueberries and apples. Just think about how many bites of food we eat every day that depend on the pollination of bees.
There are many different theories as to why the bees are disappearing at such alarming rates, ranging from synthetic pesticides, poor nutrition, cold weather, mite infestations, diseases, or just pure exhaustion. Whether you are an avid gardener or just a consumer who likes to eat, we can all do our part to support local bee colonies. Here is some food for thought:
Eliminate the use of synthetic pesticides, especially when bees and other pollinators are hard at work. The residue left on plants, even when dry, can harm beneficial insects. Many pest and disease problems can be eliminated by improving soil quality and water practices. Prevention is the key to achieving a natural garden!
Choose spring and summer plants that pollinators love. Many of these plants are drought tolerant once established through regular watering during the first season. Some of my favorites include:
For a complete plant list, click Urban Bee Project. Please consult a local nursery to be sure the plants are not considered invasive in your area. Choosing native plants is a sure way to have a successful, low-maintenance, yet beautiful garden.
I finally have pictures of the steel cable trellis I completed over the holidays. The trellis supports climbing Star Jasmine, which is not a true jasmine by the way. I used 1/8″ galvanized steel cable for the supports.
TIP: measure the length of your future trellis and have a store associate cut the cable to length.
If you try to cut it at home, you’ll just end up mashing the cable and the ends will fray. I pre-drilled holes for the eye hooks (pic #2). First, I looped the cable through the top hooks, secured it with the recommended hardware, then pulled it taut with some pliers before looping through the bottom hooks. As you can see (pic #3), the vines cover up the hardware and hooks once they are attached back to the cable. I loosely attached the vines with bread ties, otherwise the heavier, mature vines slide down the cable. >>How-to Instructions
Good luck to all you do-it-yourselfers this season!
Want to save time this spring from weeding? For those of you not covered by snow, pull weeds before they flower and set seed. . . all over your yard. This is not the most fun part of gardening, but believe me, your back will thank you. Check out Weed Or Not To Weed, for some great tools to help you tackle those perennial weeds.
I recently stumbled across this unique succulent chair by Sandra Nelson, a fellow blogger at Art In The Garden. Susan found this retro style chair at a thrift store and was drawn to the shiny chrome frame. Although there are no before pictures, the photo shows Susan cut off the less-than-fabulous material and replaced the form with chicken wire.
and chicks, and thyme. Buy the smallest plants available to make inserting the plants’ roots through the wire holes and plastic slits easier.
Landscaping with native plants is often referred to as 
of the biggest in my book, is less maintenance. Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time in my garden but I have many other outdoor interests too. 
Where have all the bees gone? Many farmers have managed regional problems for years, but now we are faced with bees disappearing in droves across the nation. The benefits of bees go way beyond the honey they produce. In the agriculture world, bees play an invaluable role in pollinating many of the fruits and vegetables we eat every day.
