Digdauberza: they are texas tomato cages. Expensive but so worth it because we threw the garden together pretty quickly. This is my first year and my husband made 2 raised beds, a compost bin, and had to do all the hard labor since I am over 8 months pregnant. We were going to make CRW cages but we ran out of time. We are really happy with our texas tomato cages. They are strong and best of all fold up flat so during the winter they will hang up in the garage. The cages showing are only 1/2 height they will be. We will probably attach the top part of the cages next weekend. In addition they also sell extensions if you have very tall plants.

LOL tenderlee, sometimes our DH's need a bit of a gentle push in a certain directions, don't they! Here's the link to my album where I'm posting pics as things get done. It's taking longer than expected, but then that's life, isn't it? ;-) We're retired so have lots of things going on and don't usually work 8+ hour days anymore. Also the temps have been beastly for here - nothing like in the south, but today was 90â, which is hot for here. We're not used to much over low 80's. DH still worked out there for several hours but nothing that shows on pics today. Thanks to everyone for their well-wishes and interest in this project. Here is a link that might be useful: garden house album

Thank you so much Christin. If I had the money, I would be going to that junk store every weekday. Not so many people there during the week day, so more to myself. The lady who owns it was so nice. She took the time to show me how easy it was to take that arbor apart and put back together. Then she and I (and her three-year old daughter) put everything into the truck. I also got that arch behind the statue in the garden. The little three year old was so precious and beautiful. Such a sweet child too, and so cute. She followed me everywhere and "helped" me carry things out to the truck, just chattering away. I had to go home to get the truck after making my purchases, and when I came back two hours later, she ran to greet me, her head of blonde curls bouncing with each step and blowing in the breeze. She hugged me and began following again, conversing about anything and everything. I enjoyed her very much. I sure hope the Empress settee is still there on my next visit. Our house was built in 1930. It is a very small Bungalow - too small in fact, and there is now storage - none. The original owner was the village doctor - Doc Davis. There were originally 160 adjoining acres. He didn't farm it, but leased it out to ranchers for grazing and growing wheat, so I've been told. We had the option of also buying the remaining 70 acres. Wish I could have talked "The Heathen " into that. But, we got 3 acres and that is nice enough...for now. Several of the old-timers here have told me so many interesting stories about having their broken arm set here, getting "stitched up", or some such. One man in town lived on the place as a child. His father was the caretaker/maintenance man - he lit the coal furnace for the Misses, and that sort of thing. There was a smaller cottage on the north side of the property where they lived. Just the foundation remains. I am gleaning the old red Iron stones that are loose from the remaining foundation. I had thought of planting spring bulbs inside it. Still would like to do that. It is in heavy shade in summertime, but has enough sun in the spring for flowering bulbs. Would be so pretty. Right now, it is a snake pit - Copperheads. Me no likey that! The house itself is very unique in the sense that it is solid brick, not veneer applied to wood frame. The outside walls are also the inside walls, only coated in plaster. No lath-work underneath, just plaster. And, we have a full basement - not common in Oklahoma on account of the terrible problem with the ground shifting - not safe at all. But this house has stood the years and made it through many tornadoes too. I have visions of it collapsing one day and falling into the basement, especially since we have had some pretty hefty Earthquakes that shook the house and rattled the windows for 15 minutes and longer. Yikes! There was no garden at all when we bought the place. Only a few native trees, and the two woodland areas on the hill above, and a smattering of old daylilies against the northside of the house. Everything else, including trees, I planted. Sometimes when out int the garden working, I think on it, and am amazed at how much I have done to this place. The vines on the house are English Ivy and Virginia Creeper. I planted it the first year in 1996. I love the colorful leaves and blue berries in the fall of the Virginia Creeper, and the English Ivy adds the charm and greenery I love to the cottage. It is not only charming, but it also insulates the house in winter and summer. Birds love to nest in the ivy and creeper, especially the Lesser Flycatcher. Those tiny birds eat thousands of mosquitoes every day and flies as well. The vines and birds lure snakes, but they don't bother us. Our cats and dogs see to that. I did a lot of research to come up with the right type of garden that would look best with the house, and decided upon the Cottage Garden as best choice. I will be keeping a close watch on the junk store - they are struggling to keep it going. So sorry to hear that. Just another family on the brink of failure and ruin in the country. (Grrrrr...) But, if they do end up going out of business, I want to make their closing sale for certain. In the meantime, I am saving my pennies in jars so I can go back to get that settee and the Birdcage gazebo - at least. You ought to see all the lovelies INSIDE their store! ~Annie

Hrm, that might work for my beds built out of wood, but 5 of my beds are built out of recycled plastic timbers - I'll have to figure out a better way than nails to attach those ones. As far as the seedlings, I found that instead of cutting an X like you do for transplants, I made a circle (3 inches in diameter or so) and then put little rocks around the seedling on the black plastic, it kept the plastic from flapping and damaging the seedlings. This does allow for a "couple" weeds to grow, but it's almost non existent, and still gives you the benefits of warming the soil, water retention, etc.. No matter how "tight" you get the plastic across the bed, when you cut those X's they are going to flap in the wind, so you need something localized to hold them down. Thanks for the ideas, I'll have to think about how I will secure them, as I really love the plastic.