Tuesday, August 10, 2010

A Succulent Old Chair for the Garden

“What???”… you may ask?? I turned an old chair with a worn out seat into a container for some of my favorite plants: Succulents.

A Succulent Old Chair. See??

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I’m going to pretend this is a real tutorial, but truth is, I did this a couple of months ago and didn’t take any before or during pics. I was inspired by a post I saw somewhere. I am 99% for certain it had something to do with Donna at Funky Junk Interiors, and perhaps some inspiration pics she posted on Facebook (although I can’t find it now!). I’ve always wanted a Succulent Wreath, but this Succulent Chair was much more doable. For me, anyway. It took only a few minutes to complete.

I began with an assortment of succulents from our local greenhouses. Our Lowes also had some different little cuties I threw in. I already had eyed an old chair with a worn out seat down at hubby & father-in-law’s machine shop. I had just enough potting soil left over for this project. And also a scrap of hardware cloth (from the big, huge Chickens 2010 project.. hehe), and burlap, plus a trusty staple gun.

I knocked out what was left of the seat. The hardware cloth was turned into a very crude bowl formation and placed in the area that was the seat . Gloves work well for that task as hardware cloth can be a little wicked to work with at times. The “bowl” was covered haphazardly with burlap, which I scrunched around and stapled to the chair here & there. Then the potting soil was added, the plants, and finally I threw on a little mulch & some pebbles.

Voila. An almost maintenance-free little garden, sitting in an old worn out chair.

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It takes very little water. I keep it under the shelter of a porch much of the time to protect it from the occasional torrential rains we’ve had this year.

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I simply can’t do a post without at least throwing in a little something “chicken-y” (since this is the year of the Chicken here…), so I must show you our big run, still in progress. We still need to add some boards along the sides, the cover (flight netting to protect from hawks), as well as some hardware cloth around the perimeter about two feet up (to protect from raccoon and cat’s paws). Special thanks to the Fiddler for helping on the Run project over the weekend. It has been incredibly hot here and it’s not pleasant to be out in very long!

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It is 97 degrees here at 5:30 pm and I’m headed back out to refresh the cool water for everyone. Almost makes me wish for Fall!

Hope your week is going well!

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p.s. Thanks for all the nice birthday wishes!!! :) :) :)

For the first time ever, I'm linking up with a party. My friend Andrea over at Rural Revival hosts Thrifty Thursday. Check it out! You won't believe the fabulous thrifty treasures! In Andrea's words - "Recycling, up-cycling, reusing, re-purposing. Whatever you want to call it, it's being thrifty and walking with a softer footprint."


37 comments:

Diana Ferguson said...

I'll second the beginnings of "FALL" talk.

Jackie said...

Hi Tammy! I love your chair. I would have never thought about putting succulents in a chair...great idea.

Hoping it cools down soon.

Jackie

Debbie said...

I just had to see what a 'succulent' chair looked like:D Now I want one! What a nice little garden you've created in it!

Elle Bee said...

That is a great idea for a sweet little chair!! I really love that!

Janet @ My Miniature Donkeys said...

Your succulent arrangement is quite artful -- you have a better eye than I.

Fascinated with the chicken (ongoing) project. We've thrown out the idea of adding chickens to the donkey mix, but not sure we're up for an expansive project. I guess it's a must if you want to be predator-free. Hmmm, more consideration needed.

Osage Bluff Quilter said...

Love the chair. It's an ouch chair. Because if anyone sits in it by mistake that is what they will be screaming!!!

Besides I bet you got a great deal at that Lowe's store !

Linda Stubbs said...

Now isn't that the cutest chair with the little plants growing? I am sending my friend over here so she can check it out. Cute cute cute!!!!! Everything you do Tammy, I want to copy you!!! I love your chickey fence!!!!! Very nice girlfriend. I still want to build one myself.

Thank you for coming over and seeing me! Blessings, Linda

Kritter Keeper at Farm Tails said...

cute chair! smart chicken run...so many do it the wrong way...the fencing you used is the correct type and inpervious to predators. looking forward in seeing the cloth you are putting up...good idea. you commented on darling deer. wondering if blogger put the wrong blog up...just posted today and it is not darling deer but summer on the farm...sometimes blogger messes up...

Tonia said...

Nice chicken pen. I always like the 2X4 wire but usually have to add 1"chicken wire along the bottom if I have chicks. Its miserably hot here too.. We were 2 degrees shy of 100* and it was like walking into an oven... The poor animals..
Cute Idea for the chair!!

Unknown said...

Your garden in the chair looks like a fairy garden! So cute! And happy belated birthday - how did I miss that!! I always recommend celebrating all week long.

The new coop is gorgeous!!! Love the checkered floor, red door, and star!! Your chicks will be quite chic!

Anonymous said...

What a fun chair and a fun project! Thanks for another wonderful idea. Stay cool!!! :)

Unknown said...

Tammy, I love your succulent chair, it's so...succulent! : ) And very thrifty too!

Rural Rambler said...

I like it Tammy! I like it! Very sweet, feels like country summers back when I was a kid at my GrandDad's. He was pretty creative about where he planted. The run looks great! Hopefully we will get a cool down in a few days :)

Down On The Farm said...

Oh, fall, I'm SO ready! Your chair looks GREAT! You are TOO HANDY!! And your chickens, well, they are STYLIN'!

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Lovely and so imaginative! You're very clever.

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Dang, think I had a brown out...clever girl to have such a great idea. Love the chair!

Staci@LifeAtCobbleHillFarm said...

The chair is a great idea! Especially since it requires little watering - gotta love that. I hope those little chickies are doing well in the heat - mine are panting away. I don't know if you use powdered electrolytes in their water at all, but I've found it to help during hot and/or humid times.
-Staci

Jayme Goffin, The Coop Keeper said...

I adore succulents! Love your chicken run too - looks almost just like mine! I'm almost ready for fall too. Almost - or at least the 80's again.

Melinda said...

Cool chair!!!

Great idea.

Happy Friday.

Melinda

Dandy said...

How did you even think of that?!

Dandy said...

Oh and I am ready for fall baking and fall veggies and fall scents.

The Urban Cowboy said...

Very creative, I would have used it to hold empty beer bottles.

Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal said...

I really like your garden chair! I love that you used burlap on the bottom. I'll have to try that next time.

Gracefully Vintage said...

Loveing your Chair..So cute, what a great idea..
YOu have such amzing ideas, and offer so much inspiration...
i might be givng that a try.
Karryann

Catherine said...

lovely idea! you have very good ideas! well here it's nearly fall, cold, rainy ...maybe you feel cooler now? Very cold for August! but i like it!!! hugs Catherine

Laurie at Turner Farm said...

I love this! What a great idea!

Carol............. said...

Great out door art! Right up my alley...and I may "steal" your idea.LOL

The Chicken Keepers said...

Soo cute!

Lois Christensen said...

Beautiful! Always wanted an old chair to do something like that! Hope it cools off soon for you!

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

I love your very succulent chair, it's jut too charming! Hopefully the heat will break and we can breathe a little easier. Meanwhile, mind if I swipe your wonderful idea....gotta go find me a great garden chair!

God bless ya and have a terrific day! :o)

Cheryl said...

What a lovely garden chair very pretty mix of plants and pebbles. My " ladies" love the chicken run, maybe they wouldn't get into soo much trouble if they had one!

McVal said...

What a cute idea for an old chair!

Kilauea Poetry said...

I tried to post this morning via my blackberry but couldn't (it's been a charm while in bed) ha..But seeing the chair on a wide screen does it justice! Did I catch a wish for Fall? lol)) This is so cool- I love the details..really creative Tammy!! I've transformed a few things and this is just inspirational and lovley! Glad you received some help from your son on the Run project too..I needed this as we have three Myna's and I'd like to make a big cage outside for them. They love water and enjoy bathing all day. Anyway, they also look forward to coming in in the afternoon, but could use the space to hop around and get more exercise while outdoors. Well, I enjoyed your update and unless I see another one- hope you have a wonderful weekend..my best~

Unknown said...

what a cleaver idea, i love it! what i don't like are those evenings when they are as hot as the day like you are having. hopeing for fall to get here quick! have a great weekend!

Callie Brady said...

The chair looks great! Wonderful old chair. I have some old wire chairs in the garden that are still waiting for me to do something like this.

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

That is so cute! I really wanted to do a tray of succlents this summer and just never got around to it.

Manuela

elvira pajarola said...

This is certainly the cutest and loveliest "exotic paradise in miniature" I have ever seen....!

Compliments; it is soooooooo special!!!!!!

All the best and a wonderful week!!!

ciao ciao elvira

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