Waiting For Me At The Side Of The Road

No, not a cool plant or a nifty pot or a bag of potting soil.  (All those would be nice, though).  What was waiting at the side of the road for a new home was a table.  There was an office chair, too, but it didn't have potential as a planter, so we left it behind.  My new potting bench.  It lacks any semblance of style or coolness.
Like this, for example:
Potting bench with ocean view photo miller4649_zpse913174e.jpg Or this: 
I've been shopping for a potting bench for years.  The ones for sale are overpriced, undersized flimsy junk held together with staples.  Or really, really expensive (and also flimsy). The best ones seem to be made or recycled from some other use, and are all styled up, a talent that escapes me.You know, like this:
 photo mlha3239.jpg
Or this:
 photo mlha3242.jpg Here is my non-style.  Hey, the bucket color matches the trowel and clipper handles!  Does that make me cool? 
 The fact of the matter is, though, that the table worked perfectly. 
 Speaking of work, rehabbing of the Pittosporums continues.  Progress was halted last week by an active Towhee nest in the Pitto at one end.  Yesterday, Mamma Towhee was leading around a couple of fat, healthy fledglings instead of screaming at me, so I was able to work a little more.
I cut out two 96 gallon bins of dead stuff.  At least now I can get to the drip line, which needs to be upgraded. 
That tuteur was originally planted with a rose and two clematis, briefly successful, before Eucalyptus litter helped to finish them off.  I was upset about this for a long time.  Now with more gardening experience, I can shrug and think with confidence:  oh, well, that didn't work--what will?  

Also in the experience department:  at the first sign of bunny damage, wire plant guards go on. I quickly discovered rabbits like Gazanias.  Several gardeners and garden bloggers in the area have been singing the praises of Gazanias, so I bought a couple. 
Loved by bloggers and rodents alike:
 The two bottom right flowers had their petals trimmed by Mr. Bunny. 
Ha, ha!  No more Gazania for you!
   Not that some of the barriers were appropriately sized...
...but like the table, they worked. 

Comments

  1. I think your table is great! I like it much better, in fact, than most commercial potting benches. Like you, I've been on the lookout for the "perfect" potting bench for years.

    Alan on It's Not Work It's Gardening told me recently that his gazanias get eaten by rabbits. I've never seen any rabbits here, so I count myself lucky.

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    1. The rabbits here would be happy to finish mine off. They have sampled the Arctotis but seem to leave them alone on the whole.

      My back sure liked the table!

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  2. Wow, what a great freebie! I've got a bunny that's taken up residence in my bean patch, he literally lives there. I'll catch him eating the tender shoots on the sweet potato vine an off he runs for the beans, it's a jungle in there. Everyone seems to be having bunny problems, feels a little better knowing I'm not the only one...the old 'misery loves company' thing.

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    1. No you are certainly not the only one! Don't get me started on the rats and the oranges, the squirrels and the oranges, the possums and the oranges....grrrr!!

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  3. You can always customise the table :) but yes more importantly it worked perfectly. The ergonomic value of a potting bench cannot be underestimated. I know because funny enough we don't have one and I have to do mine on the ground and you get achy legs and a back quite quickly...

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    1. Repotting plants was suddenly a pleasure. After you built your beautiful Ipe dining table/succulent planter, surely a potting bench will be easy?

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  4. Ha ha to the evil &*$@# rabbits! As to the table find to become your potting table, I bet you'll work to make that into something as cool as the others you showed. Agave pups or roses on it at times...

    "Tuteur" - now I know the proper name for these garden structures.

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    1. I dunno, I'm pretty clueless about that styling stuff. Maybe if I did a straight copy of one...

      I love the word "tuteur".

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  5. You rescued a table...very cool! The red theme does work and you can always paint the legs red to carry it further. Better the flowers in a cage than the bunny : )

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    1. Hey, red legs is a great idea! The bunnies have nice big green lawns next door and across the street to fill up on--why do they need Gazanias, too? Dessert?

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  6. Nice score Hoov ! My late husband built me a potting bench many years ago-we found plans on the internet. It is constructed from 4x4, 2x4 and 2x6 redwood. I don't recall what the wood cost , but I work for a lumber company so I got a reasonable price on quality wood. It was probably around 2000 he built this.I cherish it because it was made for me by him, and it is sturdy as hell. I use it almost every day unless it's raining. It's a gardeners kitchen counter. There are kits offered by Simpson Strong Tie consisting of joist hangers and plans to build potting benches , which I think they carry at home cheap-o . Mine is only slightly tarted up- a few potted succulents and collected driftwood. All stuff I like to look at while doing tasks...

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    1. That's a beautiful gift. I did not know you had lost him...

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  7. My daughter furnished her whole apartment in NY with things she found on the street. It's catching on, even here. I like your table better than all the frou frou fancy ones.

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    1. I hope your daughter's NY apartment is larger than my new table!

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  8. Congrats on your find! I know my table saved my aching back. Mine isn't fancy at all. It's a commercial grade fold up table covered with a picnic tablecloth. :) We need room for my little ones to ride their scooters/big wheels around so I have to be portable... For now. Though, truth be told, I haven't folded it up in two months. Hehe

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