The old Projects Thread was getting pretty long so I thought it would be nice to have a new one. This is for all projects both large and small so please show us what new project you are working on. They can be in the planning stage, unfinished or finished. Please let us know what you have in the works.
Little hard to see what is going on here but the Driveway/utility area that Ric has been working on is going thru another stage taking us towards our finished dream. He has gotten quite a bit of the brick down there is much more of that to do. But we really needed to get the big old wisteria up off the driveway area. It has been sprawling over the driveway for years taking up about half of it. We need to either get it up or cut it back so we can get the arbor in place and the Wisteria up on it. Ric is going to try and pull it up and pull it over the arbor once it is in place with as little cutting as possible. Not sure how much of it we will be able to save and in the end we might just cut it back and let it regrow. Here is the first step of getting it up. This is in preparation of starting the Arbor. This area that he is trying to lift is just a bit larger than 9ft X 12ft.
That looks like a massive wrestling match, though I'm sure Ric will be its match. That being said, I'd vote for cutting it back and letting it re-grow, just to avoid the tussle.
So far. Wisteria - 0. Ric - 1/2.
Ric, Ric, he's our man
If he can't do it, no one can!!!
LOL,
The second step is raising it another 4' to assemble the frame and the third step may require the tractor. I'll save as much of 30 years of growth as possible. That way it'll look old in a couple of years, after all the brick is nearly a century old.
Good luck!
cool project!
Here is a better picture just imagine the wisteria up on a big arbor with a lovely brick floor.
There is also another small project going on. We picked up a FREE kidney shaped preformed pond liner it's small but nice size approx 5ft long X 2ft wide and we are going to add it to the small pond feature that we installed last year.
oh I get it- now I see where the wisteria was. that will be so nice!
Pond- gosh you guys have all the best roadside junk- and the creativity and skill to use them- WTG!!
What kind of wisteria? How thick is main trunk? Cutting back or pruning does increase blooms. Don't envy you your heavy lifting of that tangled mass of vine! It will be nice to have it up where you can see what youv'e got and where you want it to go! My agressive type (Chinese?) took down two 'perogalas' so now I only let the light weight new vines grow up . You'd think it would be strong enough to 'stand up on its own', but no, silly vine.
One site suggests twice a year cutting back to 3-6 buds!
http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/pruning-wisteria.aspx?id=87448
Was in a nursery the other day that was offering Virginia Creeper trained to a trellis.
As you all could guess, most of my projects will be the culling of plants and things and all those treasured odds and ends that are potential project raw materials. Wonder if I should make a rule not to stop for roadside treasures til I settle somewhere else...
Sounds like a good rule Coleup. LOL It's very old variety pretty sure it is the Chinese aggressive type, too.
I spent a couple of hours out under the wisteria cleaning up the debris and roots that have snaked out under it. There is an old rotted stump that I use to sit plants on, a also rotted pallet tons of leaves and some really big roots that had free rain growing under there. I have it almost all cleaned up and raked out ready for Ric to lay more bricks when ever he gets the urge.
He has also ordered the wire for the new Chicken Coop so there will be three projects going on at one time.
Only three Holly?? ROFL
I have never had Wisteria and never intend to LOL, but I can see where the thick old trunk would be impressive. Longwood has those tree-form trained ones...
I've thought about trying to train a tree sculpture wisteria, but one to deal with is enough. My GM had an old wisteria on the end of their house. They cut it out to build an addition, and I'll bet it was almost 10 years later she had me crawling out the crawl space yet again to put weed killer on the sprouts.
Wellll there are a few other little things to do. LOL But they all come in after these first three. Ric is out there doing some repair work on the raised brick patio. He is using some of the stone from the driveway to fill in along the edge where there has been some issues.
It's up! Well 90% up any way. Don't have much perspective but the top edge of the lower board is as high as my eyes.
Here are a couple of pics and one from the yard side where you can see how he has it tied off to keep it up.
Whew!!! Looking forward to seeing the finished area with the brick. And the other projects, too.
Mark and I made a faux stone trough a few weeks ago. Coated a foam cooler with Quikwall. It seems very durable, is lighter than hypertufa that size , and holds water.
That looks good Sally, and would be light.
Sally: What do you plan to use it for? I'm wondering how permanent it will be -- will the concrete crack? I really like it.
We used Quikwall which had fiberglass in it and it's what rcn used for here spheres. I will empty it before freezeing but the stuff is supposed to be very durable and flexible.
I kind of just did this to test the technique- I might need a larger one to actually grow a small water lily or something. THis is from a Omaha Steaks cooler that was about 15 by 12 by 8.
I will have an article on it.
Sally--
I have one of those large, steel galvanized metal tubs with handles. it is VERY old!
Just measured it--20" diam. and 10 1/2" high.
How old--I do not know. It has rusted a lot and leaks.
I am, mostly, using it to put under things that would take up space anyway--
like my big, round trash can--and, currently, I just put the bale of Faffard Pro Mix
in it--just to get it out of the way.
I have 2 newer, square ones--from Franks Nursery Days...
Would you like to have it to coat it with hypertufa and make a small water garden
or a Lg. planter out of it? Kind of shallow for a Water garden--don't you think?
Looks like this--just really old.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/king-metalworks-28-gal-galvanized-metal-tub
Gita
Looks really good Sally, Aren't they fun to do? I can see you with a whole group of them with water lilies filling them.
Sally--
Could you use Totes as well? They come in all sizes and are not all that $$$.
They would, certainly, be deeper.
How about the large, round trash cans? Cut down to the depth you wanted.
May be a good way to recycle some old ones. I know mine all have holes in the
corners from dragging them around. Critters can get into the trash with all the holes.
Just wondering........G.
Interesting ideas, Gita-- my problem would be the time to explore them all!
Holly, yes, again given the time I could make four more and a interesting arrangement.
Finally got a picture of the new flagstone path that Mike's brother Lowell and I did in the hillside shade garden. I really love how this turned out.
WOW, aspenhill, do you live by a lake? What a wonderful view.
I need to set a flagstone path as well. It's just kind of sitting on the dirt right now so it's a tripping hazard.
What you see in the background is a pond. It is about 1 1/2 acres and was constructed by Mike and a few of his friends in the summer of 2001. I've had those flagstones for years - originally intended for another project that never quite got off the ground. With just setting them in the ground (no concrete or stone dust), it only took us an afternoon to do it.
gorgeous view, so enticing!
Looks really good. Love that angel. Your place is just so lovely and such a relaxing feeling when you are there.
YES! Teri--YOU HAVE TO hold another Swap--so all these new people
can see how beautiful a place you have.....It is a fairy tale of a place...
Maybe--next year--the spring or fall Swap? I vote for the fall Swap--
the weather will be nicer...
G.
Looks great, Teri!!
You probably think I am going to show you a few pics of a finished project after all we do have 4 different projects going right now so you would think I would finish one of them........Yeah Right
I have started a new one, the brick edging that I was talking about at the spring swap. This is along the side of the house in the Secret Garden. I will have more pics as I continue working on this and also the one area where I will add the blue bottles to the brick edging. Boy am I glad I moved all those bricks over to this area last month.
The sun has come out on that side of the house so I have been taking more breaks. I decided that the easiest way to get it level and glued into place was to do the back upright bricks first then put in the front flat bricks later. I have about 1/2 of the back bricks glued into place and I will get back out there shortly. My goal is to have the whole run done by tomorrow. Then I can start on the section of raised bed that will have the blue glass bottles. I have been setting and leveling 4-6 bricks at a time and then lifting them out and laying them in front of where they go. Then applying the glue to the ends and placing them back where they were.
Ric's been working on the chicken coop so that project is moving forward.
Oops forgot the pics.
These cool mornings are great for getting going on these stalled projects.
Yes! They are....
NOW--I have to get busy and do the corner bed that you Guys, so kindly,
came here so Ric could cut the old RR tie in half...
Not going to post any thoughts yet as to how i will do it--but I have ideas...
It is only about 5'. but to me--that is a BIG project.
Stay tuned! Gita
Oh Holly, that Secret Garden brickwork is so so pretty!!!!! I'm guessing that you are outside working on it now as I type... can't WAIT to see more pics of it!! ... Ahem... AND the arbor with the Wisteria!! ;)
And Aspen, OH MY GOSH, your work on the flagstone walkway is fantastic!!! Such a gorgeous view, and the walk down there is so inviting... BRAVO!
Holly: I can't wait to see how your brick edging project turns out. So you have concluded that the glue is sufficient to hold it in place?
