Sunday, July 18, 2010

Free yard art!

Here's an idea for a piece of art for a piece of yard art made entirely from recycled goods.

I don't know about the rest of the country, but here on the West coast, half wine barrels are commonly sold at garden stores for use as planters.

princess flower 001 Even tho' they are made of good wood......when you add soil and water it doesn't take long for the bottom of the barrel to deteriorate and the barrel staves to fall out.

So, when the one I had fell apart I saved the metal rings, that hold the staves together, and tossed the wood.  I had the hubby line up all three rings, drill a hole and bolt them together.  Repeat on the opposite side of the rings.  Then, simply, separate the rings into equal spaces.

Voila'!...... Free yard art, with an armillary look!

yard 2048I had a rusty old bell that I wired, to the center, where the rings are bolted together.  I used large rocks to stabilize it and added smaller rocks to finish it off.

princess flower 006 

I like the round shape, the organic nature of rusty metal and the PRICE!  Free is a very good price!

One more thing, before I go, I'm a pretty casual gardener.  I don't baby plants.....I plant good plants, I water them, I even fertilize occasionally....but I don't baby......with one EXCEPTION...........................

princess flower 003princess flower 002My beloved Princess Flower (Tibouchina urvilleana) a zone 10-11 plant, not really suited for living outdoors year round in Oregon's zone 7..........so she grows in a pot. I LOVE the royal purple, looks-like-velvet flowers, so I'm willing to go the extra mile for this lassie.  The green leaves are soft and furry with a red edge.

I over-winter her in the garage and so far, so good.  I have heard that some people have had success planting it in the ground, in our climate, but I haven't wanted to chance it.

In California, it becomes a rather large bush, mine is more like a four foot tall small tree.

cline famil 003As, I look at this photo, I'm thinking I should cut it back a little more in the spring, when I first bring it outside, that might help it bush out a little more.  Also, it likes heat and our cool spring, probably, didn't help it get off to a good start.

Thanks for visiting, I hope you enjoyed!  Please come again and I appreciate your comments and LOVE followers.

Please join me at the following fun blog parties Blue Monday, Bloomin' Tuesday, Tabletop Tuesday and Oregon Cottage GardenMetamorphasis Monday     last but not least Outdoor Wednesday .  These are all great parties, you're not going to want to miss a one!

28 comments:

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Your garden is beautiful. Using the keg stays to create yard art is ingenius. I love it. Such a great idea and it looks fabulous. Thanks so much for following my blog and I really look forward to your future posts. Hugs, Marty

Katie Olthoff said...

I love your armillary thingy ma bobber! Gorgeous!

Atticmag said...

Nice ornament. It looks very good where you've placed it. Hope you'll stop by and see my garden project. Jane F.

Anonymous said...

Great use of found objects.

Michele @ HomeSweetProgress said...

Very cool. Wish Mr. Buzzkill would do that for me. I shall keep this in mind for the next time I see an old dilapidated barrel. I can remember my parents having this happen years ago. Armillary--I shall add that word to my decorating vocab. Thanks for the fab idea!

Unknown said...

Hi Jan, Around the Cincinnati are we use barrels all the time LOl we are close to the Segrams plant, all the best beer used to be made here in the Cincy area being of German descent, and with Ky so close all the Bourbon..Jack Daniels...plants, barelks are plentiful;)
Your garden is gorgeous! I also wanted to invite you to come over to the Etsy Cottage Style Blog where I host the Vintage Alphabet Party for them. This month's party is brought to us by the letters L and M. I'ts fun to see everyones vintage catagory for the monthly given letters. If you'd like to join the party, just post about your vintage L and M pieces. If you're hard pressed for some vintage ideas, how about showing off your Lusterware, Mochaware, Lincoln Log collection, Melamine dishes, Linens (of Course), Moustache Cups, old Library Books, Men's Cuff Links, Loving Cups, your Madge Doll, Limoge, and Memorabilia. I am sure you have some wonderful collections I didn't even think of. This is a week long party so if you decide to join in, you have plenty of time. Or, just pop over to see all the participants vintage alphabet posts! Any questions just e-mail me
melody@brownginghamcreations.com
Hope you can stop by,
Melody
Brown Gingham Creations

Barbara said...

Just lovely!

SouthernGal said...

Love your idea for the barrel recycling. It looks great in your garden! Very pretty flowers all around.

All That Glitters said...

I love it!!! Right up my alley!
~Jennifer

SmilingSally said...

I like that metal "sculpture" Jan. I see a touch of blue in the door.

Happy Blue Monday.

Angela said...

That is the best metamorphosis I've seen in a long time. Great creativity! Now I'm on the hunt for an old wine barrel. Thanks for sharing.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

very smart take.

Teresa said...

cool sculpture and the price is right!

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I love that yard art from the whiskey barrel. I wonder what happened to that part of the one we had that my husband laid the wood slats down in a flower bed from. I'm thinking it was one of the old smaller ones. I'll have to ask him.

I can see why you pamper that pretty bloom. I don't think I've seen that flower before.

Diana LaMarre said...

What a great idea! I have saved a set of rings from a barrel for the past five years. At least I think I still have them. I remember thinking I should throw them away because I had no use for them. If I have them I am going to make that garden art....I love it!

I can see why you pamper the Princess Flower -- she is beautiful.

Darla said...

Great idea on the 'free' yard art! We all have special plants that we baby more than others...your is pretty.

Sandy said...

Your "Princess Flower" is such a beautiful color.. love your 'art' in the garden!
Sandy
thewondersofdoing@blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

What a great idea to repurpose those metal rings for garden art! Clever you! :)

Suzanne said...

I love your refurbished yard art. It is gorgeous tucked in that flowerbed!

Jean said...

I can see why you take good care of the Princess Flower, it's lovely. I absolutely love your garden art! It has all the characteristics I like best, recycled, rusty and free!! Jean

Ann @ makethebestofthings said...

I love this! It adds such graphic interest in your gorgeous, beautiful, "oh I wish my yard looked like that" garden! Now I have to go check my planters for bottom deterioration so I can plunder their metal bands. ;0)

Athena at Minerva's Garden said...

What a fantastic idea for the wine barrel staves--thank you for showing us! My husband got me a half barrel they couldn't sell at a hardware store, and we had a leftover large piece of flagstone from a pergola flooring project, so we put the flagstone on top of the half barrel, and now we have a great side table for when we barbecue and eat outside! I have never seen your spectacular plant, and I sure do like it.

Unknown said...

Awesome!!!! I have a ton of those metal rings. I shaped some into hearts to hang on the fence but your idea is great. I too am a fan of garden art, rusty, and free!!!Loved the idea. Thanks! Meg

Lynn said...

I love your yard art idea! My barrel is hanging in there pretty well so far, but this is a fun idea!

Ott, A. said...

What a creative idea to use the metal from the wine barrel. My parents have had a wine barrel planter for several years now. i like it a lot but I think they might be harder to find in Indiana. :)
a Latte with Ott, A

Jami @ An Oregon Cottage said...

I love recycled ideas like this- thanks so much for sharing at the Tuesday Garden Party

Susan said...

We've got citrus trees in our wine barrel planters. I love your art - I think that would add a fantastic accent to our yard too! Thanks for sharing!

Heather said...

I love your barrel idea! It really looks terrific.

I missed that you lived in Oregon on my last visit... hello neighbor:)

visiting from tgp