Yard Art

I first published this post in July of 2011.  First of all, how crazy is it that I've been at this whole blogging thing for almost four years?!  Anyway, I came across it when I was trolling my Pinterest boards for garden inspiration.  It has a photo of that little corner area that I just revamped last week.  So you can see the little boxwood island that I converted into a bed.  A lot of the things have been changed, or rearranged, but its fun to look back at one version of summer in the yard, as well as how small some plants were just a few years ago.  Or how many I've yanked or moved to a new home since then.  Plus, all the "yard art" that has either met its demise (the yellow chair) or moved to a new location.  And, hopefully, my photo taking and editing skills have improved over the years.  ;)

First off, I wanted to let you know that our fun new metal project got rained out yesterday.  Grrrrr.  The Dad needed to cut a few more pieces and it just wasn't gonna happen in the pouring down rain.  I promise I will post pics of what it has become as soon as it's done.  I'm so anxious to see it finished!

In a comment to that post, I was asked to show some close-ups of my fence deco.  I kinda had to laugh a little, 'cause most of the stuff in my yard that isn't growing, either belongs in a garbage, or literally came out of one.  I seriously have a lot of junk in my garden.  Am I the only one who finds it nearly impossible to throw anything away?

Several of you also mentioned the deck area.  I've posted some before, but I took more pictures of how it looks today, as well as the patio.  Things have actually grown quite a bit, considering the worthless summer we've had so far.

So here goes....a visual tour of my yard art, aka, crap that should be in a dumpster.

My brother-in-law found this yellow chair on the side of the road.  

My mom and I fought over it.  

I won.

(tee hee)

 This is a metal window frame with sedum planted in it.

This crock always had a plant in it, but it froze and broke in half last winter.

So now it's just laying there.  With no purpose in life.

Here's the other half.

My mom made me this bird feeder.  

It's hanging next to a purple ladder I found on the side of the road.

Two of my clematis are currently fighting over it.

On the same fence is a bird feeder my brother-in-law made for The Girl for her birthday.

An old rusty, cracked candle holder.

The old gate we switched out when we extended the fence.

And the cot springs The Dad dug out of the dumpster at work for me.

On the other side of this pathway is the house.  

I've got planters hanging under all the windows and a pot hanging from the arbor over the gate.

Coming back around the corner to the backyard is another planter hanging off the house.

You can see it in the first yellow chair picture.

This one has a fuchsia in it.

All of the windows on the back of the house have planters under them as well.

In an attempt to corral the kid toys outside, I put an outdoor storage bench up against the fence.

One of my old windows, that I recently went after with the paint, is hanging above it.

I made a frame out of scraps of wood and stapled chicken wire behind it to hang from the side of the shed.

I planted a climbing hydrangea on it, in hopes that it would someday hide the ugly metal.

It's not movin' very fast.

The neighbor gave me the scraps he had cut off the ends of an old metal fence when he made our side gate.

I stuck them both in the ground by the hydrangea.

The mailbox is screwed to a 4x4 that I just buried deep enough to stabilize it.

It holds my hand tools.

No, this is not yard art.

This is proof that men leave their socks EVERYWHERE.

This is another one of my old windows.

And a bird feeder my sister gave me years ago. 

I keep meaning to plant a little sedum in it.

Wire baskets that I lined and planted.

A clock/thermometer.

Another framed piece of chicken wire.

This one has a clematis growing on it that my mom just gave me a piece of this spring.

This table top is the bottom of an old wine barrel that fell apart.

The feet came from a base of an old chiminea that fell apart years ago.

A giant ceramic ball and a bunny.

Both are tucked down into the big wooden planter on the the deck.

A bell from my mom and a broken finial off of a curtain rod.

(I told you I can't throw things away)

More hanging pots by the french doors on the patio.

A neighbor was throwing away this basket.

I, of course, brought it home and planted it.

The Dad made me this for Christmas two years ago.

I love it.

Random pot on a post.

Also on the patio is a bakers rack and a shelf made out of scraps.

And, of course, the bathroom cabinet that I still haven't gotten around to putting the legs on yet.

Here are a few pics of the whole patio, looking out from my bedroom door.

And from the deck.

And here's the deck.

Don't mind my woodaloo coffee table.

It's another thing I pulled from the neighbors junk pile and that one board warps every time it rains.

I've been talking about putting screws in it for months.

So there it is.  All my treasures.  

Okay, maybe not all of them.  

But I'm sure you didn't want to sit there all night.

By a show of hands, how many volunteers in the crowd would like to come haul it all in this fall?

Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller?  Bueller?