Showing posts with label stockade fence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stockade fence. Show all posts

Thursday, May 30, 2013

A focal point for the fence...

 Last fall we replaced our ancient 25 year-old, damaged rustic stockade fence with new panels. The old window box that was mounted on the old fence also needed to be replaced...

So a few weeks ago we got busy... The above is an "after" photo showing the old window, new window box, and my hanging cherub birdbath once again attached to the fence.

The fence panel next to the back yard gate is where the 'grouping' hangs, and it looked so naked before everything was hung!

I painted the flower boxes (three of them - one for the front fence, one for the tree house in the background, and one for the deck).

Then the window....

... and flower box were attached to the fence panel.

And then it was time to plant. I can't believe I forgot the vinca vine!

Now that's better!

These photos were taken a couple of weeks ago, right after we hung everything...

...and at that time, the bleeding heart was in full bloom.

As with all perennials, its bloom time has passed, but it was sure pretty while it was flowering!


Have a great weekend, everyone!

Donna

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Out with the Old, In with the New

I love weathered wood. It appeals to me much more than the look of brand spanking new wood.

But we couldn't turn a blind eye to our poor old fence any longer. These pictures were actually taken 3 summers ago (see all the broken pickets above the chairs?). Well, the fence has only continued to deteriorate these past three years, so you can imagine what it looked like this summer.

There are pickets missing everywhere, not to mention broken posts....

There are huge, gaping holes in some sections. Please ignore the landscaping fabric. Bark mulch is being budgeted for next summer (hopefully).

Our poor mulberry tree has sections of fence roped around it to keep them upright as the posts have rotted.

And then there are those sections where gusty winds have completely taken down a panel or two.

So as much as I hated to admit it, the poor old fence that we put up in the late 80's when our girls were oh-so-young was beyond repairing...

So hubby has begun the back breaking task of replacing the fence, section by section.

And while I know that a new fence is in order...

 I can't wait until it takes on the old grey weathered coloring of our old fence.

Have a good week, everyone...

Donna




Tuesday, June 16, 2009

A new garden sitting area...

...or "What My Family Did This Weekend"... Now if that title doesn't sound like an elementary school composition, I don't know what does!!

(click any photos to enlarge)

Please ignore any broken pickets you see in the photos... We (and by we I mean hubby) have obtained some weathered stockade fence so we (and by we I mean hubby) are in the process of replacing old and broken pickets...


These Adirondack chairs have replaced the old wooden bench that used to sit here (which hasn't been safe to sit on for years!)... I've always loved the look of adirondack chairs, but they're quite expensive!! The good ones are anyhow... (Actually, the not-so-good ones are, too, as I found out once I started looking! I got these two at Target - one was discounted, one was regular price.)


We (hubby) had problems with the first one since some of the pre-drilled holes didn't line up, but by chair #2 things were going much quicker... Hubby said it would sure be nice to be able to buy something high quality and pre-assembled for once, but then we wouldn't have had all that quality time in the blue air (only kidding, the air wasn't blue... well, maybe just a little teeny bit blue once or twice...)


All in all, though, they weren't too bad to assemble. The entire seat and chair backs with the individual slats were already assembled, so it was just attaching those pieces to the frames and arms.


Once the chairs were finished, the first order of business was to hang up a hummingbird feeder...

... Would you like to join me to watch for them? We'll have the best seats in the house!

But while we wait, I'll show you around a little bit... See the little birdbath that hangs between the flowerbox window and the chairs? It's one of my favorites. I got it years and years ago at Wal Mart....

There are three little cherubs that sit around the bath, which is a great size for the finches, chicadees, and sparrows (do wrens use birdbaths? I've never seen a single wren in any of my baths even though I have wrens on a regular basis!)

My windowbox flowers look nice and healthy, but they sure aren't growing very much...

Of course, as you can see from this photo, they only get a few late afternoon hours of filtered sun because the trees block this area (to me, this part of the yard feels a bit like a little secret garden, tucked in behind the crapapple trees and the weeping branches of the birch tree... I just love it!)... The bleeding heart (under the hanging birdbath) that I transplanted from the backyard a few years ago, is thriving in its new location. The flowers are done blooming, but the foliage is still gorgeous!!

See these purple flowers next to the chairs?


Back when the girls were little, one just popped up one summer. I looked through all my gardening books (that was long before I had the internet) and as best I can tell, they are spiderworts.

They've multiplied by themselves over the years and have even spread to a few different parts of the yard now (all in garden areas, too - thank you bumblebees!!)

They are absolutely the most beautiful shade of blue!!!


And if you peek through the trees from the chairs (see them back there?), you'll be able to see the gorgeous rose bush I planted last year.


It is doing SO good and has so many blossoms and buds! I honestly did not know how it would do since it's my very first rose bush!!!


It's called New Dawn, and it has just a blush of pink on the roses. I planted it next to our old corral fence. It's a climber/rambler and I believe it reaches close to 15-20'...


I plan to train it along the fence.. I've seen gorgeous magazine photos of climbing/rambling roses covering old fences and my dream is that someday you'll hardly be able to see the fence through the flowers! ha ha

So thank you for stopping by today!!! Now let's go plunk ourselves in those Adirondack chairs (which are VERY comfy) and watch for our little hummer friend(s)!!!
Donna