kaseylib
Wisconsin
Posts: 1084
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 1:07 pm Post subject: Bottle bush and other weekend projects |
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It's still too cold here to do much gardening, but I had to get outside anyway this past weekend. Here are some of our weekend projects...
I saw this idea in a gardening magazine, and decided to do it as I already had a collection of blue bottles (thanks to our many friends who are wine-os!). I just bought some copper plumbing tubing to set them on. Not sure what I'll plant underneath and around them yet...any suggestions?
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Here's a new birdhouse we mounted at the top of a dead oak tree stump in our yard. Probably more decorative than useful, but maybe I'll get lucky and attract some purple martins.
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And here's our vulture now with a new home perched on our outhouse roof...should make people think twice before entering!!!
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Droopy
 Regular Plants Contributor
Western Norway
Posts: 9336
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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I love your bottle garden. At least you've got some colour in there now. Would you like something that climbs the pipes? Sweet peas? The birds must be daft not to move into such a luxurious home. That vulture would certainly deter me! 
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toni
Administrator
Plants Moderator
Regular Plants Contributor
North Texas, Zone 8a
Posts: 11714
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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What wonderful weekend projects!!!
Your bottle bush is a wonderful adaptation of the old southern traditional bottle tree, easier to find the copper pipes than a dead cedar tree.
I have a couple of fancy birdhouses that will someday be on the top of poles, no dead tree stumps to use.
And the vulture is just too cool!
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eileen
Forum Moderator
Scotland
Posts: 18528
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject: |
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Oh your bottle bush is fantastic!!! I'd plant poppies or impatiens around it if it were mine - wish it were!!! I'll keep my fingers crossed that the vulture doesn't put the purple martins off nesting in that great bird house.
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Wrennie
Catskill Mountains NY
Posts: 645
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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I would plant some sort of tall grass like plant under the bottles so they'd look like blooms coming out of the live greens. Maybe something like zebra grass? Or even roadside daylilies, the orange next to the blue would be a cool contrast.
Thats a really pretty birdhouse. Are the opening large enough for martins? Sparrows or wrens might move into a section too.
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Netty
Regular Plants Contributor
Southern Ontario zone 5a
Posts: 10320
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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I like your bottle tree Kaseylib! And it looks like your snow is finally melting...sure was a long winter this year wasn't it? I love your bird house too. We just lost a Maple tree and wanted to build a large bird house to sit up on the trunk.
That Vulture would make me think twice LOL I love the stone wall beside your outhouse...is there a garden along the top of it?
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glendann
Texas
Posts: 9282
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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I love the bottle bush .Your birdhouse is wonderful.The colors should attract lots of birds.
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Penny
Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1521
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 4:27 pm Post subject: |
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Loved the pics and the vulture.....yep, I'd think twice!
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Biita
Norway
Posts: 2048
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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I was thinking along the lines as Wrennie,, contrasting colors, and something tall, like the ornamental grasses. now that would be so pretty.
That birdhouse is a condo,,lol. thats great!
And the vulture,, way too cool, i love it! I think i would put a raven here since its the artic.
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kuntrygal
Texas ~ Zone 8
Posts: 3436
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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Love your bottle brush. Might have to adapt one for my garden from your idea! How about lirope or ornamental grass, or did you want more color?
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kaseylib
Wisconsin
Posts: 1084
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:13 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the comments, and I love the ornamental grass idea. I don't think liriope is hardy here in our Zone 4, though, but there are plenty other grasses for me to choose from.
The birdhouse is made for purple martins, but I do expect others to make it their home. We don't have as open an area as what the martins like (our property is pretty wooded with lots of tall pine trees). We don't have any sparrows here, but lots of finches who will probably take the house over.
Almost all of our snow is gone now, except for on the north side of buildings. There are a few green things popping up now...my delphiniums and poppies are making an appearance, along with the weeds!
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Sjoerd
West - Friesland
Posts: 7024
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:43 pm Post subject: |
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What a nifty idea. That colour of blue really catches one's eye, doesn't it? I sort of like Wrennie's idea about putting a grass plant under them. I can see possibilities in that.
That outhouse with the buzzard on it is pretty remarkable. Does that bird's head bob up and down by any chance, KL? hahaha.
...and finally, that bird house-pole.That is a good one! Are the holes in the various bird houses of different diameter?
Well, you really do have some nice things there...waiting for more pics now.
Thanks very much for posting these.
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kaseylib
Wisconsin
Posts: 1084
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:27 pm Post subject: |
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Yes Sjoerd, the vulture's head is always bobbing. I bought him years ago in Arizona where they have a lot of "desert" art and I just love him.
Yes Nettie, there are several perennials and shrubs planted at the top of the stone wall...arctic willows (they look great blowing in the breeze), spreading junipers and a climbing hydrangea (that cascade down and over the stones), sevevral types of viburnums, plus daylilies, peonies, and siberian irises. I can't wait to see them again this spring!
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Netty
Regular Plants Contributor
Southern Ontario zone 5a
Posts: 10320
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:07 am Post subject: |
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Sounds nice Kaseylib - you will share pictures later in the season, won't you?
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stratsmom
Southern Oregon
Posts: 2571
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:01 am Post subject: |
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LOVE THAT BOTTLE BUSH!!!
I like Wrennie's idea of orange daylilies with the blue bottles, or yellow day lilies too (can't have too many!)
Deanna
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