Oh, that's fabulous. You've given me inspiration for what to do with some of my renegade MG's. Thanks...beautiful work.

Wow, that's going to look GREAT covered in flowers!

Donn, that's just beautiful.

Nice! That will be beautiful covered in MGs.

Karen

Good lookin tower!! I was too lazy and planted my MG seeds in the crook of a mulberry tree. :)

Great! One more thing to add to my to-do list. I'm way jealous!

Martha

Love, love, love your tower.
MG take over everything when they reseed, so I am
staying away from them from now on! lol

Mary

Gorgeous!! Wish I was so creative.

Deb

love it - that is going to be beautiful later this summer - will definitely need pictures later on .....

Lynne

what a great idea!!

It looks so nice! Plus those type of things can be expensive bought in the store and probably would not look as nice as yours.

Now, only if I could find some twigs long enough to make my own.... :)

Karen

LOVE IT!!

VERY nice!!! I am inspired to try to make an imitation immediately!! It looks terrific-especially love the willow. Maybe I can substitute grapevine we chopped out of the fence. Thanks so much for posting the photos; can't wait to see it in full bloom.

Beeyoooteefuul!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just stopped at Lowes and checked out the electrical conduit. They've got 8"x 1" diameter galvanized rigid pipe for just under $7 each. If I anchor those with rebar (sp?) pounded into the ground and tie them together with galvanized wire, that might work pretty well. It would be quick and portable, as well as durable. I'll have to give it a try.

Martha

Donn,
This is absolutely lovely!

Would you have any comments or how-tos on the cross bar at the top, perhaps how it is assembled? I would expect it goes to structure, but it is a nice ornamental touch as well.

My bamboo is 12 feet long, 2 inches in diameter and well cured. As such is has no flex to speak of. My rebar is the 3/4" green stuff used on highway projects.

Thanks for sharing such a beautiful project.

Thanks, everyone. It'll be some time before it's covered with MGs, since the seedlings still don't even have true leaves. Once the weather warms up, it'll take off like a rocket, and I'll shoot photos through the season.

Seedmama, the cross-piece at the top was drilled with two 1" holes, and it slides right down onto the top end of the stainless rails, and is held in place with two cable ties. Then the 4 bamboo uprights are fastened together and to the cross-piece with more cable ties.

Thanks, Donn. I now see the boat part in the middle. I don't happen to have one lying around the house, but your clear descriptions inspire me to use what I have. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

We sowed Morning Glories on the Solstice in remembrance of my husband's mother. This will make for a lovely tribute.

Thanks again.

Seedmama

That is absolutely lovely, donn, and very sturdy.

I built tepees with willow branches last year. They toppled over easily because I used only 3 legs, not 4 like yours.
Will promptly steal your idea, though won't be as sturdy since there is no way to pour concrete anywhere in my jungle of a yard. :-P

Love the willow. :-D

You should love the Willow, Mone...it's yours!

You can use concrete, even in your jungle. If you can dig a planting hole, you can use it.

Simply dig the hole, and drive the rebar into the middle of it. Pour the dry Sakrete as high as you want it in the hole, and pour the water over it. The Sakrete will only hold onto as much water as it needs, and the rest will drain away. A few hours later (or overnight for slow setting mixes) and it's ready to cover with soil.

One of these years, I'll try a living tower with Willow rods. Once they root, they'll have their own anchoring system.

Wow, Donn, that is really nice! I can't wait for you to post pics of it all covered in MGs!

For some reason, I can't get mine to sprout! I lost some in a cold snap and re-sowed... so far nothing!

"I'll try a living tower with Willow rods. Once they root, they'll have their own anchoring system."

Hey, that's a terrific idea. I haven't thought of that. Here I have been trying to finish a double arch for years and it's crooked because I always waited for the willow branches to dry for fear they would take roots. I'll to that this year! I have not trimmed my willow yet.

How tall have your willow grown, donn? Mine grows to about 20 ft. every year even after I copiced it every spring.

The longest rods I've gotten so far is about 12'. The rods from the curly Willows would be longer if they were straight, though.;>)

Wow, so beautiful! I made a tripod/tower this year too...I am growing sweet peas on mine but after seeing how great your morning glories look I might do those next year instead...so pretty! ;)

That is so beautiful, what a great idea. My Heavenly Blues aren't at their second leaf stage yet either, but they are very healthy looking. Last year I grew Mone's President Tyler, they were gorgeous, and they shaded the porch from the afternoon sun.

My MG pole that DH built for me a couple of years ago will be home to my pole beans again this year, I'm doing purple, Blue Lake, and Romano, much more than I need but I'll freeze the extras. The beans will have to do battle with the volunteer grape vine. Next year the pole will be the start of a grape arbor if I have a concord grape. It had best be a concord grape or I'll be ripping it's silly butt out of my garden.

Mary

Oh, wow, that is beautiful! I was just thinking about MGs and moonflowers and what to do with them, too. Please share more pics as the season progresses!

A month later, it's looking like I'll have enough MG volunteers to fill up the tower...if it ever gets warm enough.

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I am having the same problem trying to cover the area in front of my ugly ac unit :)

Maybe some warm sun will come and give the plants a boost?

Karen

Making progress:

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beautiful mine aren't even blooming yet!

WOW, that is so lovely!!! I would like to try it but I'm scared that our zone will just disappoint me. Has anyone tried them in zone 5a? Do they have strong fragrance? That's what I am looking for.

Thanks for sharing the pic. It gave me an idea how I will make the tower. :D

donn- could those leaves be arranged any more perfectly? Are you sure that's real? LOL!

Yes, Zone 5 is great for Morning Glories! I've never sniffed one, so can't tell you if they are fragrant or not.

Those look amazing on your new tower. I have a small arbour made of twigs and am very pleased with the progress so far. My mother has reseeded MG's with vines the width of my little finger. Sigh.

I am soooo jealous! Something always eats my seedlings, sometimes the vine makes it to a foot or so, then something chews it and it's done for. Do you fertilize your MG's Don? Such an amazing structure - please go on posting as it fills up (as I turn more and more green with envy!)

No ferts, Anna. Just a healthy top dressing of compost. I may hit it with some compost tea or fish emulsion if it starts looking sickly, but so far it looks really lush and healthy. I've only run the irrigation in that bed twice all year. Once back in May and just the other day. We had record rainfall in June, but temps and sun were way below average. July has been fairly warm and dry so far. If June had been warmer, to go with the rain, that critter would be over the top already.

I don't know if it has a scent or not. All the other stuff that's blooming has my nose in an uproar.

I love your tower Donn - makes a dramatic statement in the garden. We don't do the tower but have a pergola that we let the MG's scramble over. Ours does not reach its peak till the late summer/early fall but when it does it is fantastic. You have a lot to look forward to ........

Lynne

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