Oh, I like that amber one. :) Being a bit obsessive/compulsive, I went to Council Bluffs/Omaha today and shopped 5 thrift stores. I think SA & GW are a bit crazy on their prices. I bought a bunch more trying to spend at most 1.99/piece and preferrably If I really get into this I'll have to watch for a antiques/household auction. DH & I used to go often for antiques and sometimes they end up selling tables of the cheaper glassware in big lots for a few bucks. Beings I also like antiques, I have to balance this garden junk vs collectible glass thing in my mind. One thing I paid 2.99 for today is a cake plate. I think its kinda too nice for the garden. BUT, its not like I don't spend bunches on my flower gardens already and after all, it is used glass. :-P Just keep thinking of my MIL whose every day dishes are a mismatched, chipped mess. Depression era mindset. I don't think she'd EVER consider putting a nice cake plate in the garden. lol And yes, to the dangers of dry stacking the totems. I stacked that one last night on the floor in front of the couch. And then the smaller of my 2 dogs took a flying leap off the sofa right between the totem and the coffee table. didn't take long for me to get it disassembled and packed away after that. A close one for sure.

Thanks for your kindness and encouragement everyone! I had fun doing them. :) Jane, the top of the second one is a ceramic artichoke. It was a salt shaker in a previous life. LOL I found it hanging out by itself at GW and decided it could look pretty in my garden as it's retirement home. I caulked the holes shut so hopefully it will remain dry inside. Now I need some colorful bugs made to add interest outside. Will be on the look-out for creative ideas from all of you!

Oy vey my seasons are terribly off this year! After having a baby I didn't do too much gardening, aside from a ladder I covered with morning glories. I planted some bulbs that didn't do a whole lot but hopefully will next year. Kathi - Thank you so much! The foxgloves seem to do really well here. The original plants are about bloomed out and I don't expect them to return next year. They have reseeded all over though and this spring I think had about 11 babies that bloomed from that original three foxgloves I planted. They are all white though, but I adore foxgloves and welcome any color baby that decides to grow in my garden. :) pippi - So sorry for taking literally MONTHS to respond! I have a now six month old that I pretty much devoted the summer to. Now it's fall and my mind is turning to winter sowing and I'm hoping to find the time to garden more next year. I have a 9 year old who will have to babysit so Mom can get some gardening done. Here it gets a bit too cold to plant seeds in the fall for next spring, but I do summer sow and plant small plants that go dormant and return larger the following year. All of the foxgloves except for one that I have now were sale plants I purchased from Walmart for a couple bucks after they were done. They returned beautifully, though I doubt those original plants will come back next year. They did leave lots of babies and I'm thrilled with that! I agree the yellow yarrow is pretty aggressive, actually ALL of the yarrow I have is pretty hardy and aggressive but managable. I love it and have divided it and put it all around my house and barns. Memo - Thank you so much! I am working on it. The Dames Rocket grows as a weed out here and my Mom sort of laughed at me when I actually PAID for it and put it in my garden!!! LOL* It is gorgeous though and one of my favorite things. I did not return this spring, I'm sad to say! It was outdone by some overzealous daisies and rudbeckia that I will be thinning out next spring. The goosneck while pretty is a real nightmare and I'm planning on pulling out all of that next year too.

Another thing to consider when patio growing is the 'heat sink' effect--how much extra hot may be coming from all the concrete, brick, etc? I have a townhome with a small enclosed backyard. The homes are brick, and I can get away with planting my basil a month earlier in containers next to the brick wall than I can out in my garden area. But, then, I have to move them when the heat sets in.