Mine come from Walmart and look like antique acorns. So my suggestions are just my imagination, not personal experience.

I'm thinking you need something cylindrical with a metal rod in it. How about small secions of tree trunks (3-4" diameter)? Or fill a soup can or tennis ball with cement, insert the rod and once released, mosaic the outside?

Garden Junk will come up with tons more ideas for you.

4" PVC drain pipe has a sturdy wall thickness 1/4"?, and is inexpensive. You can get creative with the spherical cap ends. Drill a hole thru the top and mount finials. Paint them with the new plastic formulated sprays available.

I use giant staples made from broken spading forks.

Pound a piece of rebar into the ground and drop a somewhat taller piece of PVC pipe over it, or a section of bamboo. Decorate the top with anything you like.

Sue

I am a sculptor working in clay. My hose guides are made of clay in a variety of shapes and glazes. They are fun and compliment my various garden sculptures.

Pauline

In a book I recently read, (sorry, can't remember the title) the author suggested two 6-8" terra cotta flower pots turned bottom to bottom with a metal rod pushed into the ground through the drainage holes.

I've tried it, and it does work, but for a more permanent solution, I would adhere the pots together.

They look nice too!

I sink copper pipes and tap on a copper cap. They almost
dissapear with age...the patina turns brown/green.

My husband and I used old weights that came out of old windows,you know the ones that were on ropes that held the window up when lifted.They have holes in the tops so you could run rope chain etc. thru if you like.Ours are all banged up and rusty and look like they have been in the yard forever.
Sharyl

LinLee, I have seen those in magazines and thought they look BEAUTIFUL! I was wondering though, does the copper and verdigris affect the soil and the plants so that you'd notice? Are your plants right near them doing fine? I'd love to try that but when I priced it out at Home Despot it was expensive enough (for me ;>) that I want to be sure that it's the 'big buy' of the season and that I won't regret it!

Spy RI,
I only have a few spaced at strategic points so I don't decapitate any innocent plants.
Since copper can be an environmental problem I probably wouldn't use it to stake the
tomatoes. They're placed on the very fringes and corners of the garden beds and
I've seen no ill effects within the past 6 years.
LinLee

LinLee,

Are you talking about the copper plumbing pipe? I had that at my old house and found the hose often slipped up over the top.

Yes...regular 1" copper plumbing pipe with cap. I cut it into 2' lengths and sink
about 1'. It sets up higher than
the "real" hose guides, but it blends right in.

LinLee ... that is a great idea. Thanks!

I buy old fireplace tools, cut the shovels, etc off or most of them just screw of. Instant hose guides. And you already have a neat final on top.

I was just thinking what am I going to do for hose guides when the thread came up on GJ an dsomeone linked here. Don't you know we have a pile of sash weights in the cellar! Can't wait to try them out. Thanks Gimpytwiced!
I like the other ideas here and at GJ too, but its hard to beat free and available.
kathy

I am trying rebar with tops and will let you know how it turns out. I found several wooden tool handles for cheap at a garage sale, and have bought 2 ft rebar in size that fits snugly into the hole in the tool handle (which I painted a dark green).

I have also considered buying old tools, old crowbars, etc but have not found cheap enough. The trick in my yard seems to be getting something I can sink deep enough---into the rocky clay layer beneath the good soil--so they won't bend over when hose drags--and still have enough height for hose which may ride up a bit--which is why I am trying the 2-ft rebar. I plan to use some epoxy, but am still afraid the "tops" will pop off the rebar if the hose rides up.

I made these 4-5 years ago and they work great for me.
I was always running the hose through this flower bed
trying to water the side of the house.
I took an old 4x4 post.
Cut it into 4 pieces - each 2 foot long.
Burried 1/2 down in the ground.
Bought 4 squirrels down at the Family Dollar Store
and set them on top.
To keep the squirrel on top, I took large finish nail hammered it into the post
and drilled a small hole into the bottom of the squirrel.

I seen the other day they has cardinals,
dogs snail and squirrels.
...........cheryl

{{gwi:1700}}

Here is a link that might be useful: hose guides

I think an old glass door knob would make a wonderful finial on top of one of those posts. Not sure how you'd attach it (which makes my comment nearly useless - lol) but still it'd be pretty. =)

So cute cheryl! And violet I like your idea too, I'm sure where there's a will there's a way!
kathy

I use rocks, but Cheryl I love your hose guides.

for the Door knobs- great idea by the way- I just bought one of those double ended screws, the ones used in the decorative ceiling hooks at my local ace the other day, they come in different sizes you could take the knob in and try it out for size- one end is blunt the other end is a self tapping screw. Clear as mud?

I used an old metal curtain rod that I had planned on getting rid of. Realized before I did that If I took the rod apart I could drive it into the ground for a hose guard. Mine was a small rod but on a larger one you could cut off the excess. I loved the decorative finial and I just spray painted to make it colorful.

This is made from old balustrade that I picked up for about 50 cents. Drill a bole in the bottom and bang in a bit of rebar. Bit of paint and something interesting on top an voila!
I have another one I've done recently but can't find the photo