Thursday, August 14, 2008

In Which I Make A Planter


Well, I didn't REALLY make a planter. I just took two planters and put them together.
The garden center had some healthy ficus benjaminas, but they were too short. The owner suggested I buy a tall pedestal urn, but I didn't need a pot--I have all kinds of pots, since I kill green things on a regular basis. So I bought the ficus and threw in some ivy, too.

I almost used the old gray urn, but it's pretty much an outdoor pot, since it leaks profoundly. In the backyard, I found two different sized, but "matched" pots on the back patio. A hornet had made a nest in the large pot, and extracting it was quite an adventure--so much so that I failed to photograph it!

A while later, after dispatching the hornets to another part of the yard, I repotted the ficus and added the ivy. There's just something so satisfying about digging in dirt. It's soothing--and good exercise.




Then, I turned a short, squatty planter upside-down and used it as the base.


The scale is much better than the Giant Tree, and best of all, it has head-room.

And after a bit of tinkering (wink):

35 comments:

  1. So now you have FiscII (?) A Pappa one and a Momma one. The two containers together do work. Very pretty.

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  2. you go girl! that looks wonderful! good use of things at home and the dirt digging made me proud! I love the dirt therapy! I bet your neighbors loved the hornet nest adventure! If it was anything like the wasp nest adventure we had here...it was like a comedy act! Your planter as a whole looks simply perfect for your space!

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  3. Now this is perfect! I love how you turned the bottom container over to make it just the right height. This balanced out the room just perfectly! Kristen

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  4. PERFECT - love the way you used the two plant containers.

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  5. Aren't you just the clever one! The scale of this tree looks so much better in this room. I love your base/pedestal. Although it was not the main focus of the photo, I have to say I love the bird cage with the maiden hair fern.

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  6. Who hauled that sucker into the house?

    P.S. looks great.

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  7. Wow, this is gorgeous! You're so clever. I love your birdcage with the plant inside too.

    How did you get rid of the hornets? They're very nasty little critters!

    Diane

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  8. Great Job. The scale is perfect. I love the room . vickydarnell

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  9. Well, you've done it again! That looks absolutely perfect there and I love the added ivy. ~ Robyn

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  10. Good morning Gollum :)

    You were missed yesterday!

    You know, I used to be scared to death of bees as a child, but after we moved to Virginia and was greeted by hornets everytime I walked outside, bees are just fine, thank you ;)

    The two pots are great together and gave you the perfect height. Well done!

    hugs,
    rue

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  11. Brilliant! I think that looks great! Jen R

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  12. The upside down container was just the right element added to the tree. The tree looks like it's always belonged there. Good eye gollum.
    :-)

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  13. how smart are you? Turning that base upside down. And I must say that ivy at the bottom, great touch. love J

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  14. Well, sweetheart...this is totally awesome. You are such a smart girl and so talented. You never cease to amaze me with your wonderful ideas!

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  15. Morning, ok, is there anything you can't do???? Love what you did here, is that a birdcage in the one photo? Your blog is so full of inspiration,keep it coming!! Chrissy

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  16. Oooh. Great idea! I love the planter that you used as a stand. I also like the touch of ivy. You have the midas touch. Very pretty. The room is gorgeous. I love all the tones and that ceiling!

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  17. Great choice on the new "Benji" tree. Looks great and when it "grows up" you can remove the bottom portion and still have head room.
    I forgot to relay a story of my own when you wrote about your Mom and the albatross tuna! (too funny!)... A new neighbor moved in next door to me, and she had always worked full time and never did much in the way of gardening. She came over one day and said, "you have such pretty bushes and flowers, would you come with me to the nursery and help me pick out something pretty for my back yard?". We ended up with a nice variety of plants and bushes; gardenias, camellias and hydrangeas. She kept asking me the names of each several times, so that she could memorize them. Well...one morning several weeks later, she calls me with such excitement in her voice and says, "you have to come over right away, my chlamydia is in full bloom!"

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  18. I love what you did with the tree, looks pefect! Connie

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  19. Hi Gollum,

    I'm waiting for the next group of house guest to get here, so I thought I'd spend a few minutes with you. ;)

    I did that same thing with the flower urns for our church. I have to be careful how much I spend, and I needed some height on the alter, so I put two pots together, much like you did, only the pots weren't as nice as yours.

    Where did that birdcage come from, I don't think I saw that before, and no comment on it???? The more I see of your house, the more I'm not satisfied with mine. :( You've ruined me......

    Hugs
    'D'

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  20. Hi Gollum,

    I'm waiting for the next group of house guest to get here, so I thought I'd spend a few minutes with you. ;)

    I did that same thing with the flower urns for our church. I have to be careful how much I spend, and I needed some height on the alter, so I put two pots together, much like you did, only the pots weren't as nice as yours.

    Where did that birdcage come from, I don't think I saw that before, and no comment on it???? The more I see of your house, the more I'm not satisfied with mine. :( You've ruined me......

    Hugs
    'D'

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  21. This is beautiful!! And such perfect scale with the room!

    Tomarie

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  22. Great idea...turning the planter upside down! Looks great! :-)
    Susan

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  23. Hi,
    I found you through Bella's blog. I love what you did with the planter! It looks great. I might have to 'copy' you!
    Diane

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  24. I was looking at your room, again, and I see you have put your pairs back together, and personally, I think it looks just great! It may be Noah's Ark Syndrome, but I received a book I had ordered by Charles Faudree, and he says he uses symmetry in all of his rooms. You know me with color, but I would like to see you put some accents in the color of the drapes in there. I know you don't want to go overboard with color the way I do(I can't help it, I have color , or red syndrome) But some would look so good IMHO. Connie

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  25. What a great idea to add the ivy...it just makes the whole thing so much more special. I love the planter base..gives it a classic look. And the size is perfect in this room. You always figure out the perfect thing to do.

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  26. gollum, Please don't put this or the last comment in your blog, I feel such a fool! I just realized you do have accents of that color in there. I see a pillow in the chairs the color of the drapes, and this view doesn't show the whole room, Don't pay any attention to me. You certainly know what you are doing, It's just that I crave color so badly! Connie

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  27. This turned out great! How creative! I loved your statement that you have plenty of pots laying around because you kill green things on a regular basis, lol. Are you sure you aren't my long lost sister? I swear I have such a brown thumb. My plants outside thrive because it has been raining on a regular basis.

    Omg, I laughed so hard at Santamaker's comment about the neighbor getting the name for camellias tragically wrong and exclaiming "my chlamydia is in full bloom!" Yikees! roflmao

    Kady

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  28. I guess I have been living under a rock...never been here! Glad to have found you though. Great inspiration. will def. be back to visit. cherry

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  29. Connie, I didn't delete your message, because you're right; this room needs color, among other things. I just move slowly. The little lamps on the burled chest are getting fringe, which will add texture, and I keep eating the plums (on the coffee table), robbing the room of accessories!
    Yes, I ate the knicknacks!
    I cut them up and put them in a big bowl of vanilla ice cream.

    But I'm not the only one who is slow. lol The pillows were supposed to be here this week, but they aren't ready. I'm ditching the ones that came with the sofa. The new ones are down, covered in the breakfast room fabric...with more fringe.

    I'm still waiting for Honey to help move the rug (and dismantle the DR table). His attitude is, Why keep dismanting the table if you are goign to buy another rug? Just do it all at once.
    He's got a point.lol

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  30. Hi Gollum, That is sooo funny, you eat the knicknacks haha. I love this room and all the colour accents, I really like what you did with the Ficus it looks great on the upside down planter but the addition of the ivy really makes it balanced and personal. I also like the birdcage and the little iron cage you have the fruit in and your cushions go lovely with your drapes. Glad you had a great night out with the girls. Kathy.

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  31. HI! I am so happy to be here at your WONDERFUL blog!!!! YOu are so inventive, creative, and inspiring!!! I will check this blog EVERY day now for ideas and help. YOu are truly gifted and such a wonderful PERSON!!!! Thanks from one of your admirers!!!:) Pinky from RMS

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  32. Hi, I happened upon your blog today. I have been looking at your pictures. You have an absolutely fabulous home! I love your decorating and the way you create things

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  33. Hi, I happened upon your blog today. I have been looking at your pictures. You have an absolutely fabulous home! I love your decorating and the way you create things

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