Bamboo-zled

Every (dry) day is getting a bit warmer and I’m SO ready to get this landscaping to the next level.  First, it was the cold temps…now, it’s the wet that’s impeding our progress. ARGH! In lieu of actually getting my bamboo and other plants in place…I give you a sampling of my dreams….

These 2 pages/images are from an issue of Garden Design YEARS ago…I had these posted on the wall at my LAST house.  Now that we live on a slope, I had really hoped we could do this for our new retaining walls in the back…BUT…too pricey for a pour that big and that far from the driveway.

via Mark Word Design….Cor-Ten!

Via Outdoor Stylist on Flickr

Via mymsmanager

via markfountain52 on Flickr

via John Merkl

Jack Merlo via Plastolux

DIARMUID!!!!  I could seriously fill a whole blog with his designs…this isn’t even the best…

Hausergarten via Plastolux….it’s all about those plants/planters/gravel. House, notsomuch.

Oh, how I lurv bamboo and gravel…it WILL be mine…..soon-ish…..

To Do: G(uan)o Bats**t

Because you know what I’m like..I’m already planning another project before I’ve finished the ten I’m currently working on.  Today may be rainy and cold, but the glorious Saturday that had us all out and lovin’ life, also had mosquitoes.  ALREADY.  I thought the harsher than usual winter would give us more time….but NOOOOOOOOO.

We needs bats.  Last year, the bloodsuckers got so bad I had to take some (technically illegal) action on the adjacent parkland.  There is a spillway that fills up in spring and becomes a stagnant mother of all breeding grounds.  It’s about 100 yards back in the woods from the mailbox, and last spring, while getting the mail, I was seriously swarmed.  I trotted out to the Depot immediately and bought a supersize pack of those floaters that kill the mosquito larvae and hiked back through there and hurled all of them in the “pond”.  That seemed to help, and I replenished again before summer dried out the area. We can do better.

If we build it, will they come?  I’ve found some good info here and here, and I think we can make a good looking bat house or 2 in a weekend…no?  I wonder if it’s better to have many smaller houses or one Batmansion like this?

photo via batroost.com

This pitifully plain looking thing can hold 300 bats and comes in a kit for $95.  Ouch!

If we really want to freak out the neighbors…and our own children for that matter….we can make one of these…..

photo via Greayer.com, via Gritty Kitty

A naval officer built this shrine to bats in Iraq.  Impressive.

Now this is what I call a wee bit extreme….

photo via ecotality

In the end…I envision a dark stained simple bat house…like so…

photo via bsdhome

If successful, we can build more.  Apparently there are about 15 species of bat living in this state, so which ones actually come will be interesting to see.  Their poo/guano can be used as fertilizer, but we’ll see about that.  They may be nasty looking things, but anything that can eat up to 1000 mosquitoes an hour will be my new best friend.

Progress + Igloo v. Acapulco

The new springlike weather has us trying to grab every dry and warm moment to spiffy up all the outdoor furniture.  I still have some more sandblasting to do, and some additional coats of paint on other pieces….but that’s what happens when every single piece you own is scavenged and worn.

I hope I don’t regret this, but I decided to hit my faux Salterini hoop chairs with a splash of orange.  All the other pieces are getting painted a dark bronze, and these needed something special.

Speaking of hoop chairs….On the copycat front….The new CB2 Igloo is certainly more affordable than those Acapulco chairs I’ve been wanting.  While certainly not as groovy, these could work.  Has anyone sat in them yet?  What’s the verdict?  No CB2 store in Nashvegas, so no test drive available for me.  $149 v. $400.

Where Do I Start?

Big weekend for ModFruGal.  I attended the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show, scored at the first decent estate sale in months, AND had nice weather, so the outdoor furniture painting extravaganza has begun.

First up was this pair of chairs I picked up for the booth.  They needed the lipstick.. some light peeling paint, but no rust and no sandblasting required…YAY. Recovered the seats with a staple gun and this project was done in a couple of hours.

I needed an injection of spring into the booth and I think these will do the trick.

To Do: Use These!

We need to build some storage, either flanking the fireplace or the french doors in the living room…and I’ve been waiting to use these.

They need replating, but I also like their worn appeal.  I’ve envisioned building something like this, from Barrie Benson’s fab house via the late Domino.

The pulls are really too small to pull off that effect, but it could possibly work.  Somehow, we will, we MUST use them in this house.

To Do: Outdoor Furniture

Well, in addition to finishing the gravel patio and staining the new deck/stairs.   All of which are STILL covered with ice/snow so I can’t make progress there until the temps are much warmer.  I CAN, however, put on a coat and use the sandblasting attachment to clean up and prep my collection of aging vintage patio furniture.  Once the weather cooperates, I’ll be ready to paint and can knock it out.

On a freakishly mild day before “snowmageddon”, I tested out a chair and was pleased with the results.  Sometimes the paint isn’t paint, but old, flaking powder coating and that’s tougher to deal with.  This just has lots of layers of paint.  Easy peasy.

Just a few passes with the sandblaster took that paint right off.  Now if it would just stop snowing, I can finish the set!!! (I never thought I’d say that living in Nashville.)

I’m also trying to find a deal on some swank outdoor fabric for these benches.

My HOPE was that when those fabulous Trina Turk fabrics came out last year, I could get them at a serious discount THIS year.  I’ve been trolling E-bay and I’ve come up empty thus far.  Has anyone used LA Design Concepts?   20% over wholesale sounds good….I’ve requested pricing, but I’m not holding my breath that it will still be affordable enough.

All 3 are Schumacher, bottom 2 are Trina Turk’s 2009 line.  Don’t you think that crazy Peacock is just meant for the Regal Beagle?  The CC also has that bit of welding he promised for our Woodard pieces….