this is the one where Deb turns a folding patio bar into a potting bench!
I use everyday items in ways
I use everyday items in ways
that no person in their right mind would ever think of or attempt...
this is no exception to that rule.
this is no exception to that rule.
last weekend, my mom was struggling to pot up some plants for her backyard
on her glass patio table. Not the optimum surface for messy work.
and for my mom, still recovering from back surgery, not the optimum height, either.
not five feet away from her, against the house, stood a folding outdoor bar.
[sitting there, unused, except for large parties once or twice a year.]
only I didn't SEE a bar. I saw a Potting Bench!
not five feet away from her, against the house, stood a folding outdoor bar.
[sitting there, unused, except for large parties once or twice a year.]
only I didn't SEE a bar. I saw a Potting Bench!
i quickly dragged it over to the edge of the patio, against a shady vine wall,
set it up, gathered a few accessories and gardening staples,
set it up, gathered a few accessories and gardening staples,
and the 'Garden Bar' was born:
the metal and mesh folding bar is the perfect height for Mom to work at,
with the bar stool being a perfect resting spot for her - or a potted plant.
when it came to finding storage containers and accessories,
i just went with the theme and found things that tie into the 'bar' idea...
assorted galvanized buckets and pails hold potting soil, gravel, and flower vases.
wood wine crates provide more storage for unused pots and hand tools.
inside the bar, items are stored mostly on the right side -
wood wine crates provide more storage for unused pots and hand tools.
inside the bar, items are stored mostly on the right side -
so that on the left, dirt falls straight through the wire shelves to the ground for easy cleanup.
behind the bar, a small trellis adds visual interest and a place to hang accessories,
like a small lantern and buckets to hold seed packets.
a burlap wine bag with 3 separated compartments inside
is perfect for transporting a garden kneeling pad, a spade, and gloves anywhere in the garden.
on top of the bar, items used for beverage service are pressed into action for garden chores:
a silver ice bucket holds watering containers,
including a martini shaker for mixing up crystalized Miracle Gro fertilizer,
an old soda bottle with a vintage sprinkler spout for watering tiny garden specimens,
and empty wine bottles...
the wine bottles are a simple way to water your plants slowly -
an old soda bottle with a vintage sprinkler spout for watering tiny garden specimens,
and empty wine bottles...
the wine bottles are a simple way to water your plants slowly -
just fill bottle with water, invert into the soil, and gravity will do the rest as the plant soil dries out.
not to be forgotten, stemless wine glasses serve double-duty as mini-cloches over small potted plants.
if you buy the plastic versions of these, they'll fare well outdoors all year long!
[ I shared the glass-as-cloche idea HERE last spring ]
if you buy the plastic versions of these, they'll fare well outdoors all year long!
[ I shared the glass-as-cloche idea HERE last spring ]
.. and last but not least, used wine corks make excellent pot-fillers - so save them!
[ find instructions for making my Seed Packet Tin Can Vases HERE ]
Mom watched me do all of this with great interest for half an hour.
when I was done arranging everything,
she asked if I was going to create a 'signature cocktail' for the Garden Bar.
actually, I hadn't thought of that...
seems like it needs to be made with Godiva liqueur and crushed Oreos so it looks like dirt,
or perhaps something citrus-y with basil from the garden.
i guess I'll have to spend some time at the Garden Bar to figure it out!
