Potager pictures--new fence! (Picture heavy)

13 years ago

Hey everyone!

Well, my long-awaited fence was installed over the weekend. I'm mostly pleased, although the fence guy short cut one thing that really impacted the overall design. I'm trying not to fixate on it!

Here it is:

I'm so grateful for this forum. The support has been fantastic. I'm also so glad you encouraged me to get the taller obelisks. I think it works really well and shorter ones would not have had the same impact. Mao_tse_mom (I think that's your screen name!), thank you for the observation about the golden ratio! Brilliant.

Besides the look of the obelisks, look at the beans and tomatoes....

And here's a shot of my herb bed and little cafe set. I didn't do it intentionally, but I really think that Lavender Lass gave me a theme. I hadn't been consciously thinking "Provence" but after she posted about that, I started thinking about the fact that my potager really has a bit of the feel of Provencal fabrics. I found a nice set of cushions for the chairs with that look.

Still lots of planting to do in the perennial beds that border the raised stone beds. I have lots of perennials in pots that need to go in the ground when we have a break in this heat wave. Poor things! I thought I'd have them in the ground long before this.

I also had the fence guy leave the western side fence posts high so I can plant climbing roses or vines there. I'm also creating beds outside the fence (both in front and on the western side).

Blah, blah, blah...thank heavens for this forum because you are the only people I can drone on and on to about this stuff! Thanks for looking and reading.

Lisa

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Comments (20)

gldno1
13 years ago
Lisa, I am just amazed at the difference you have made! Great job and congratulations. I love all the additions you have made.
marynj
13 years ago
Wow---beautiful job, Lisa! I love it!
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Yep, that's the same info I have read before, celticgarden. Definitely going to try Hidcote this year in pots, and maybe even try to overwinter them indoors . I'm still working on incorporating more flowers into my potager plans--so far I've given up a few precious veggie square feet to Roman Chamomile (said to be a great pest deterrent, we'll see!), plenty of marigolds of course, and some nasturtiums. I think the rest of the space in my raised beds will be used for true edibles though, from herbs to veg, asparagus (own bed) and strawberries (own bed). The rest of my flowers are going to end up going directly in-ground in several places, with a few in pots for some height and added interest. I kind of feel like I need more color, but then again I am planting a bunch of interestingly colored edibles...purple queen bush beans, a few different peppers, 4 types of heirloom tomatoes of different colors, both red and green cabbages in a checkerboard, several colored mesclun green mixes including an all-red one I'm really excited about (Valentine), and of course the lovely textures and colors of an all-herb bed.
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It is so easy to get overwhelmed. Afterall, I have a full time job, and when I get home at night I have dinner to cook and housework to catch up on, and I do want so relaxation time... But I find that I get a renewed burst of energy when I have half an hour to garden. Here are my little tricks for staying on top of gardening.... 1. Prep Time. When dinner is simmering on the stove, I pour a glass of wine and go to the garden for 10 minutes to pull a couple of weeds, plant a pack of seeds, or pick a few veggies... as the season demands. This is when I notice what needs doing most after dinner. 2. After Dinner Drink. When the dishes are done, I set aside half an hour for watering or another project like pruning, digging in compost or planting something I bought on the drive home. 3. Rescue. I always keep a watering can full of water nearby for quick rescues on the way to work, or when I first arrive home and find the eggplants wilting. 4. Prioritize. If I can fit a bigger project into one evening, I make sure I have supplies and a list of priorities handy. This means you have to plan ahead to have a bale of peat moss etc. but when there are 10 things that needs to be done yesterday, keeping a list helps get me started quickly when I have a moment instead of wandering aimlessly thinking how hopeless it all is! 5. Procrastinate. Save big projects like fencing, freezing/canning or major weeding for the weekend. You just won't get them done in one evening, so use that time for something else. So... for the most part, gardening can be handled in 30-45 minutes a day plus 4 hours each weekend. If things still get out of control, They do sell veggies at farmstands and you can always use your efforts for compost!!!
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I wonder if that store just started carrying them. Cuz it sure didn't show up in any of the searches I did. Not that it would have mattered. It's just like the store I bought them from. I wanted to find that Oregon sculptor and buy directly from her at a lesser price. Or find something similar at a fraction of the price! But your friend is very good at internet searching!!!
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Donna
13 years ago
Positively adoreable. I dearly love the color you painted your shed. Do you know the name of your super tall daylilies? They are great.
woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
13 years ago
Wonderful! The rock walls and the obelisks are the things that really grab me.
ali-b
13 years ago
Wow! Your potager looks terrific. I love the metal gate with the wood fence, the obelisks, the stone, the center pot. It looks so inviting!! What a great vision put into reality.
merindah
13 years ago
Looks so terrific. May I ask where you got the obelisks from?
girlgroupgirl
13 years ago
It turned out perfectly! I love that you used an iron, fence, it looks so great with the oblisks. I'd like to know where you got those too. Lovely!
ali-b
13 years ago
Wow! Your potager looks terrific. I love the metal gate with the wood fence, the obelisks, the stone, the center pot. It looks so inviting!! What a great vision put into reality.
lynnencfan
13 years ago
Just beautiful and so inviting - I can see sitting and having a glass of wine in the evening and coffee in the morning - you did a fantastic job ......

Lynne
hurlee
13 years ago
oh my goodness Lisa, you have created a fantasitc space! I love the color of the shed, window box and shutters! The garden is adorable, love the fence, so CUTE! I'm sure it was a lot of work but how worth it! awesome job!
kathi_mdgd
13 years ago
I love it all,and the shed color is one of my favorite colors.Will you paint the picket fence?? You've done a great job,enjoy and TFS.
kathi
lisa33
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks so much for the kind words. This project has been the most fun of all. To answer some questions, the daylilies are just common "ditch" lilies. I absolutely adore them, though! They were in that location before I built the potager since I planted them last fall.

I got the obelisks from Plow & Hearth. There was a 30% off coupon that I found, which helped with the price. I got two 8' obelisks and four 7' ones. Happy birthday to me! I know it was a bit of an extravagance, but I really wanted the space to be as much about its ornamental value as its productivity. So far, they are working out really well. I expect to enjoy them for many years.

I'd really love input on whether or not to stain or paint the fence. Part of me wants to let the cedar weather. When I first had some portions of the fence installed last fall (I had to gate off some sections at the corners of the property), I bought a gallon of opaque white stain. I haven't used it. Part of the reason I hesitate is that the entire opposing length of fence on the other side of my yard is natural wood and will stay that way since it belongs to the neighbor on that side. I've also been checking out a couple of different fences around my town and have admired one stained a grayish-blue and another a grayish-green. Going with a color stain like that would be less of a contrast between the neighbor's natural wood fence and mine. I dunno. Any thoughts? Picking colors always scares me.

Thank you so much again. It's so nice to be able to share this space with people who understand.

Lisa
hosenemesis
13 years ago
No stain. Natural cedar with your stone- wow.
Renee
lily51
13 years ago
What a wonderful garden! Everything about it says, "Welcome". I love the combinations of color(blue is always a favorite garden color for me), materials and plants. Well done!
gwenb
13 years ago
It has turned out to be amazing. I bet you are SO happy with it.

Re color on the pickets. Definitely not paint, but maybe stain. I have a similar situation to you and am going with letting the wood age to grey, which I actually really like the look of. I do not think a blue/grey stain would look bad, but why go to the trouble when weathered grey would look fabulous as well.

I think bright color on the fence will compete with all the plants, ornamentals, and garden art. I would not want my eye distracted from all the other great stuff you've got going on.
tishtoshnm Zone 6/NM
13 years ago
I would consider painting or staining the posts that the gate is attached to (perhaps even the blue of the potting shed) which would draw the eyes to the gate more but allow the rest of the fence to weather.
gwenb
13 years ago
I like the idea of painting the two posts the gate is attached to!
nancyjane_gardener
13 years ago
Something you might consider doing if you want the silvery weathered look, is to mix some cement with a lot of water and use that as a stain.It will make it look like aged wood and match the neighbor's fence. It will also protect the wood.
My DH used to use this on his carved redwood furniture, until someone got a rash from a bench! LOL. They even called it a silvery weathered finish!
Fine on fences, not the best on benches/chairs that people sit on! Nancy
t-bird
13 years ago
Hi Lisa,

I don't think the reddish wood enhances your designed by when it greys, I think it will work nicely with the shed color.

It looks like your main posts are treated wood? They won't weather the same way if they are....

I was looking longingly at those obelisks. Have you tried them with tomatoes? Wondering if they have the width for it.

I was comparing the obelisks to the texas tomato cages, and price wise - they are only about twice the price. The width on the tomato cages is 18 or 24, whereas the obelisks are 11 or 14. The 8 foot obelisks are a the only 14 inch one and are pricier......don't know about plow and hearths shipping costs either...But they are certainly lovely!
kathers
13 years ago
Beautiful garden! I would love to have it-- what is inside the shed? Can we see pics, maybe?

There is an eco-friendly paint/stain I found at Ecohaus.com that I am planning to use our fences-- shared with neighbor on one-side only. Maybe she will agree to paint/stain hers too-- I like to protect the wood as we live in the So. Cal. desert.

Potager pictures--new fence! (Picture heavy)

Comments (20)

gldno1

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Potager pictures--new fence! (Picture heavy)

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lisa33Original Author

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