Monday, April 12, 2010

Cedar Post and an old Wash Tub....

As you might remember from a couple of years ago, we had to do something to protect the goldfish in our pond from the blue heron that fly over our yard. We never had a problem until we took trees down as the heron probably couldn't see the pond from the sky. As soon as the first tree came down, I lost all but 2 fish to a heron visit. The only thing we knew to do was put up green metal stakes with fishing line around them. I hated that look so much! Cindy, at My Corner of Katy, told me what I was hating was the metal stakes. She told me to find something more rustic as that is the look I really like in my garden.
I have tried to come up with an idea ever since Cindy put that bee in my bonnet..and found the perfect thing on our trip to the Hill Country in March. We stopped by a fence company and bought small cedar post. I hope you can see them in the picture. They are just what I have been looking for. Thanks so much Cindy for starting me thinking!
And remember the old wash tub we found on that same trip? It now has a home in the bed behind the pond. I planted it with a really big coleus, a few small coleus, and a sweet potato vine. That lime green vine really compliments the colors of the coleus. I went to Canton a few weeks ago and found the old window and the "Seeds" sign. Of course, I needed to plant some seeds, so I planted cosmos seeds all over the area. Can you see them? They were coming up in 3 days!
I am so pleased with the look. It's that old time in the garden memory I am always trying to achieve. Wish I had a clothes line with an old quilt hanging on it...hum....

21 comments:

Lola said...

Love it, love it. I adore that wash tub & stand. Have been looking for one for some time. Maybe one day.
The window just finishes it off.
Great find.

Anonymous said...

I really love the rustic touches in your garden. Good idea using those cedar posts, they blend in nicely. That washtub is a wonderful focal point, just think in a few more weeks those Cosmos will really fill in the area nicely. :)

Meadowview Thymes said...

Hi Racquel! Glad you like the rustic in my garden. Guess if I could, I would live in an old house with a big garden filled with old treasures! Yes, I can't wait until the cosmos are blooming!

Thank you Lola! So glad you like the little corner of country by the pond. I was so excited to find that old window. Trash to treausre! :)

tina said...

Love those cedar posts! What a great idea. The wash tub does look great with the window behind it. I notice the beautiful geranium too!

Nola said...

I love it! The look is perfect! You have a great eye for design; if I didn't know better, I'd swear I was looking at somebody's granny country garden. You should play with those photos and do them in sepia, they'd look like they were straight outta the depression. Once again, I LOVE IT!

Chandramouli S said...

I love the effect! I wish you had something blooming in the tub though. God! Why am I obsessed with blooms! Anyways, I agree with a clothesline - that would complete the scenery, with may be a cute Gnome near the Pond?

Meadowview Thymes said...

Thanks Tina--I am so pleased with the way it looks. My only concern is the cedar posts holding up. Hubby really secured them in the ground, but sometimes our storms are bad...hopefully they will be ok.

Glad you like the country corner too Nola. I like a cottage, hill country, rustic look in the garden for some reason...Can't wait till the cosmos bloom!

Chandramouli--yeah, I like blooms too. I thought about impatients in the washtub, but I have this thing about coleus..and saw this big pretty one, and you know..had to buy it! I'll have blooms with the cosmos. I planted red and yellow.

JenningsJunk said...

This has turned out so cute!! So glad you posted pictures.

misterreereeder said...

Always love "visiting" your backyard OASIS through your blog. I did again - GREAT PICS and explanation.

Anonymous said...

I love your old washtub planter! Did you poke holes in the bottom? I have an old tub, but I've been using it as my tiny little water garden/pond. I've been wanting to replace it with a stock tank from the local feed store, then I could turn it into a planter too!

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

Love the cedar poles too! That really does make it work for you! You don't notice them like the metal poles and hopefully the heron won't bother you again either! We have them here but I have never seen them in the yard. My pond is in a bathtub though so maybe thats to small for a heron to eat from(-: I did have to cover the top though to keep out the raccoons so thats why the sink is in the tub now. Actually two sinks one is the filter the big one holds spider plants.
The wash tub and stand are an awesome additon too! The coleus looks great with the potato vine. I love it and of course the window(-:
It has been raining here so I have been stuck inside working on things. I guess I should post something.(-: I have been hooked on Farmville on Facebook all week. Have a great weeek!!!!

Skeeter said...

Love, love, love it girl! I think you are achieving the look you are going for here! It is wonderful. Yep, the seeds are poking up their heads and heading to the sky. Cant wait to see them in full bloom this summer…

Anonymous said...

Now I know why you can hardly move!
Your yard is absolutely BEAUTIFUL and so worth all the hard work you put into it!
If you need a new project to work on you can come over to my house anytime.
Carol :-)

Meadowview Thymes said...

Glad you like it JJ! :)

MR--Oasis??? How kind are you! Thanks for that compliment. You know my little yard is my piece of heaven!

Hi Robin--yes, we drilled holes in the bottom. The spiket on the side works, but I needed better drainage. I love ponds using stock tanks. Have you seen Pam's at Digging? It is really cool!

Cindee--I thought of you when we hung the window. I thought that would be something you might like! I love the little corner..can't wait for cosmos blooms!

Skeeter, I think you are right. This is exactly the look I wanted--that hill country farmhouse rustic. Now, if I could just make my ranch style home look like an old farm house! :)

Thanks for the compliment Carol. Guess gardening is always a work in progress! One of the reasons I love it so much! :)

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

Great idea! We had a Heron discover our pond this winter. We've had the pond for many years, but for some reason no Herons until now. Most of our fish were eaten too :( I'm going to keep this idea in mind if it comes back.
I just found your blog and love it. You have a very similar style of garden to mine and I saw lots of great inspiration here.

Susie said...

Linda it looks great! Those cosmos are easy to grow from seed. I planted a few myself.

Meadowview Thymes said...

Hi Catherine--welcome to MeadvowviewThymes!
We continue to get visits from herons! We are kind of close to a lake, so guess we are on their flight path. So far, I think the fishing line has kept them away from the fish. We read about doing this on the internet.
I am off to work now, but look forward to visiting your blog.
Happy Gardening!

Thanks Susie. Cosmos do come up from seed well. I always have the yellow/orange variety, but in this bed I threw in some red. Can't wait to see if they bloom! (oh, I also planted some white cosmos in another bed--cosmos crazy this year I guess!) :)

Roses and Lilacs said...

Love the way your garden looks. That old washtub is so cute.

I like the look of a clothes line too but took mine down when everything I hung out got bird droppings on it.

Meadowview Thymes said...

Hi Roses and Lilacs---oh..love that name!! Yeah, I won't really hang a clothes line, but wish I had room for an old chair (in that same area) I could put a quilt on. No room though--glad you like the washtub. I just love it! :)

Cindy, MCOK said...

It all looks great! I'm so glad to have helped you figure out what you needed. The rustic look of those posts is much more visually pleasing. The window, washtub and sign combo is going to look even more wonderful when the cosmos start blooming!

Meadowview Thymes said...

I am glad you like it Cindy, and thanks so much for pointing me in the right direction. I hope the red cosmos I planted bloom along with the yellow. I think that would be really pretty! I can just picture the flowers blowing in the breeze!