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Sunday 22 March 2015

Potting Benches ... hum ?

I have been mulling over potential and real projects, yet again ...
I seriously think we should take a year off of renovations and said "projects".
Some how they keep sneaking into my brain while "they" think I am watching TV and can not notice rouge brain cells forming a plan.

We have to get the deck coated and sealed this year ... so I began to think (I know .. a stretch, but it does happen occasionally) .. what about an outdoor potting bench in front of the shed ? ..
It would help me do up pots without bending or kneeling on hard surfaces, and I might just be able to actually see what I am doing properly ?
Ironically ? I have a potting bench inside the shed, but it is more a storage unit than a working potting bench ..
I am even so down to earth as to think ahead of time and the next UGH !! winter season, as to plan covering it with a tarp to save on it during bad weather ..
I better watch out for Grace and her random drive by tarp shootings !

So I started to scroll through quite a few of them on Pinterest and WOW !
They range from purely utilitarian, to pieces of garden art .. big ones ... but still gorgeous.
Mine will be practical ... a work horse ... strong silent type : ) PERFECT in other words ?
But maybe I might jazz it up a bit, when no one is looking,which is the glory of an eight foot fence.
BEST investment EVER !!!!

In any case .. here are some samples I found on Pinterest just to give you an idea ...
The last picture will be the one I am keen on ... fingers crossed it might just happen !

Is this gorgeous or what ? .. love the fret work and dark stain, plus the wash bowel cut out.

The extra shelving and lattice work at the back really make this  attractive .. how about those spouts?
This could make me want to collect small watering cans too !

Tap handles that serve as hooks for tools ... the wire back to put "S" hooks on to hang other what nots.
A hose attachment .. perfect !

Almost the same design but such a pretty colour .. lots of ideas working here !


So the one I have chosen is a very plain Jane, but terrific "bones" to work with.
I can add other bits and pieces later on but I am pretty sure this is "the one" for me ...
So I am moving on from the mulling over stage to "YES !!!" please !!! haha
We shall see how far I get when I already have so much to do as it is .. but I really think this would be the perfect helper with my garden missions  : )
How about you other gardeners .. do you have a potting bench or plan to have one ?

26 comments:

Marguerite said...

What amazing benches, some people really put a lot of effort into these. I have a much beloved potting bench, made by my husband. Rather plain jane like the one you've chosen but very functional. I have a magnet bar on the back of mine (Lee Valley, holds really well) and I stick my tools up using that.

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

I need one of those too. I am always potting up stuff on the ground. A lot of bending over! I do like the one you do too. It would be fine with me. I could add to it too(-: Actually anything would help(-: LOL

NanaDiana said...

I love all those potting benches! I have moved my own around from last year and really need a new one...we'll see if that happens.

You found some really great images. xo Diana

gittan said...

LOL! The Carpenter (my husband)have offered to make me a potting beche so many times and he almost succeed. But since I know that I´ll end upp on the ground, sitting on my knees with the pots and soil and plants all over the place I know that I´ll never use that benche no matter how good looking and practical it is :)

Linda said...

I have a potting bench made from reclaimed lumber from an old deck. Mine looks similar to the one you picked out. I get lots of use out of it and very often it is loaded up just like my inside desk. Can't wait to get back and use it again this year. I know you will love yours Joy.

Jean Campbell said...

I hope your potting bench appears very soon. I agree that the plainer version works very well. A galvanized tub on the bottom is great for holding potting soil.

rochefleuriegarden said...

I also think the last one is the best. It is going to age gratiously.

Victoria Williams said...

Ha ha, no, I don't have a potting bench. I sit/kneel on the hard surface, or sometimes on the grass or on a padded kneeler to get my potting done. Should have built one years ago...
Love your pics, they're all very pretty. I'll have to sick hubbie onto this project one of these days.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Marguerite girl .. yes I would think your hubby would have made you a perfect one and with that magnetic bar? how cool is that! .. so many different styles and finishes make them unique to each gardener .. I want mine to be functional but also a bit "pretty" since it truly is part of the garden/patio area .. fingers crossed !

Cindee girl I can just imagine how stylish you would make your own potting table .. it would be gorgeous!
Yes .. we are hard on ourselves with the bending over business .. we aren't doing ourselves any favors with that eh ? LOL

Hello gittan girl ! you know yourself too well eh ? .. are you absolutely sure though ? .. it could become almost garden art and yet useful in a moment of weakness ? haha think about it !!

Hey there Linda .. cold today (Tuesday) still WINTER here !
I have a feeling I will be loading mine up too but it will be more organized .. I think ! LOL

Jean girl that is a great idea ! Thank you ... I am going to keep an eye out for that type of tub .. low profile but large enough to mix soil in .. perfect !

Alain ... I bet it ages much better than I am doing ! haha .. but we both will be useful still ;-)

Victoria .. loved those knitting projects you have accomplished !
Yes .. I think you would find one of these useful too .. I should have done this years ago but it is only just now that the garden is coming together better and I have a better sense of space and what can happen.
Onwards and upwards !

Northern Beauty Seeker said...

I love all of them! I have one my hubby made me, albeit a bit too high for me (hubs is almost a foot taller than me!). Sadly, it is now in the garden as a storage place for gardening supplies and pots. So still kinda useful! And nice looking!

We have a fold up plastic banquet type table that we haul out to the back when we are potting. But I do yearn for a glass shed with a potting bench and shelves....sigh!

Jennifer said...

I have been wanting a potting bench for a while now. I have an old headboard that I was thinking of using to make the upper back...but I can't seem to decide. The headboard would also make a great garden bench. Where did you find your bench? It's may be plain Jane, but it wouldn't take much to give it that personal touch. I love some of the other inspiration in your post too.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello there Ms. S girl : )
How funny is it that when mine will be built, I will ask for it to be on the higher side (I'm a little tall) so it would be easier on me .. but I understand how it would be hard on a shorter person. That is why it is nice to have some one build it for you rather than a stock piece.
I understand the yearning for a little green house .. sadly I have no space in my garden for that .. but maybe some day you will have one !

Jennifer girl that sounds fantastic !
Absolutely unique to your beautiful garden too ... all the pictures I have used in the post actually came from Pinterest . but even a Google search will give you loads of ideas.
Make sure you take pictures once you make up your mind what you are going to do with that headboard !

Nadezda said...

Amazing potting benches, I love the most the first one, Joy. I have very similar one but it's not such clean as on the photos:((

Christine said...

I love all the "frilly" benches but when it comes down to it, I would pick the one you did too.
I have a potting bench in my greenhouse and it's so full of pots, tools, shards, etc., that there's no way I could pot anything on it so I end up on my knees on the ground!
I wonder if it's just a "gardener' thing? :-)

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Nadezda girl : )
That is what so great about potting benches .. we can do as much or as little to them as we want .. make them very individual is what I love!
I know most are always in a chaotic state as any true gardener will tell you though eh ? LOL

Christine girl hello there!
Yes the "frilly" one is my favorite in a perfect world .. I think it is the dark stain that I love too.
And YES ! they would always be filled with bits and pieces .. haha
I have spent years on my knees doing that too .. but now my left knee is really complaining so I have to try and do less of that .. gardeners should no grow old ! LOL

Hoover Boo said...

I dream of having a potting bench every time I find myself on my knees on the concrete driveway repotting something. Maybe someday...all the ones I've seen are so expensive! I think you made a great choice with yours: enjoy!

GRACE PETERSON said...

We must always have a project in the works. It's what keeps us looking ahead. I love them all.

RURAL said...

They are gorgeous Joy, you are going to love yours. Tarp or no tarp.

The only thing I would look out for is to make sure that if the work top is made of slats, give yourself enough room between them to have the pumice fall through. My Dad made me a darling one, but the slats are closer together, and everything gets stuck in them.

Pain in the trowel...lol.

Jen

RobinL said...

My potting bench is in the garage, but the problem with that is hubby thinks it is a storage area, not a work area. I have to constantly battle with the objects he places on it! One thing I recommend is having an area to pot up things so that the soil can fall through a grate or such into a bin.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Hover Boo !
Yes that kneeling down on hard surfaces really gets to be a pain .. fingers crossed I will get this project done eventually ? haha

Thanks Gracie .. but at some point I am going to have to have a period of time for just peace and pleasantries in the garden ? LOL

Jen girl .. very funny "pain in the trowel" I will keep that point in mind for sure ! .. might be some time .. we are still stuck in winter ..ugh!!

Thanks Robin girl .. point taken !
Yes I would get frustrated too with the encroachment of MY space .. that happens to me in our storage room ... his tools are over on the dry goods space .. ugh ! must be a man thing?

Anonymous said...

No potting bench here. I like them but not sure I'll ever have room for one at this house. That Pinterest can get you in trouble!! I'm always finding something I want on there!!! Hope you get one. I am trying to stay away from projects this year!!!

outlawgardener said...

Cool potting benches! What's this thinking thing you mentioned? I haven't done that in years. I just put together a potting bench of sorts which consists of a section of kitchen cupboards (found discarded after someone's kitchen remodel.) with a piece of wood nailed on top. It's not pretty but it works and it's out of sight in my greenhouse so potting and planting is possible year round. Much nicer than potting on the ground or on the kitchen counter top.

Casa Mariposa said...

I love all of these. :o) I don't have room for a potting bench because of our grill so I use our patio table and just hose it off. Don't tell! But most of my pots are so big I wouldn't use a bench anyway. I just scoot around the patio and pot things up in situ.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Kathleen girl .. was over to your place and LOVED those beautiful plant pictures you posted .. you are so lucky Spring has arrived at your place!
After last year .. we should really stay away from projects too .. but just a bit of tweaking has to go on ? LOL

Dear Mr. TOG .. I am still ramped up over your plant sale post ..BIG sigh!
You are too fortunate to have a greenhouse .. another jealousy I have with you (hahaha) .. god thinking on your part to re-purpose those cabinet doors ! .. I usually pot on the ground and crawl around until I can straighten up .. not a nice thing to see .. haha .. but with a potting table .. ahhhh ! that would be NICE!

Tammy I swear I won't mention the patio table thingy ! haha
Yes .. I have seen some of your pots and they are ginormous!! beautiful too. I'm not sure how or if this will turn out but I have my fingers crossed !!

Carolyn ♥ said...

Love how you think it all out in your post and then make a decision... what fun you are going have!

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Carolyn girl !
Your pictures of Spring arriving were beautiful !
Yes .. I have this on a back burner waiting to be created after we are able to do a few other chores .. winter still has a grip on us though so waiting is a BIG part of the process which drives me crazy !! LOL