Summer has been and gone but our DIY outdoor garden art remains to brighten up the backyard any day of the week.
From our red wooden ladder that reaches up into the Kauri tree, the Witches Weather Vane that glistens in the setting sun, or the Time for Tea Tree, it’s been fun adding a breath of life back into the old and broken.
Have I gone completely nuts? That is debatable, and most Monday mornings I do need to take a long hard look in the mirror, but I think our garden deserved a bit of DIY fun over summer.
Where do I start? Sometimes garden art can come from unexpected corners.
The Ladder
If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say the old wooden ladder had been under the house for several decades. It was a proper builder’s ladder from days gone; solid bolts, an extension and solid as a rock. It would have seen a lot of action in its day whether reaching into the high-studded attic to building the garage.
We decided to officially retire it for good behaviour. It was upcycled into garden art, painted generously with exterior red paint and laid out to rest in the pasture, propped up by the Kauri tree.
Over summer it had solar lanterns dangling from it, the occasional cat climb up it and many monarchs rest upon it. Even as the autumn weather turns dreary, it’s a cheery reminder that a red ladder blaring at you through the kitchen window can make even mundane dish dunking a little special.
Witches Weather Vane
The weather vane may have also graced this garden for several decades! Once shiny black metal, over time had sadly rusted into a near state of disrepair. (I’m so glad it stayed with the house when we bought it just 18 months ago though, it’s wonderful and very much part of its character).
Out came a wire brush and a trusty can of Hammerite (from Mitre10) which paints-and-repairs at the same time, clever stuff! Several paint layers of ‘hammered copper’ later, a gleaming Witchy-Po was back on her broom and flying through the garden.
Time for Tea Tree
Sadly our old orange tree died over summer. Very old and riddled beyond salvation with citrus borer it just gave up giving. The branches turned brown and, even after a good prune, new growth mummified before our eyes. While we decided on what to do with it (most probably we’ll dig it out and replace it) we thought we would turn it into a natural bird feeder.
Out came the china cups and saucers from the Hospice Shop and we no-more-nailed them to the branches. Frequently we fill the cups with water and the saucers with seeds and occasionally, if we’re looking in that direction long enough, we spot a secret birdie social over the tea cups, literally.
And, I almost forgot.
Bamboozled Bamboo
These were actually painted in spring but it’s been fun to have colourful bamboo stakes and climbing poles throughout the summer month. While it was never expected to last paint-intact for years, it certainly has survived enough months to bring a smile to the dial when it comes to harvest time. Ahhhh.
Well that was this summer. I am sure winter will have a few make-over moments to come.
