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My Growing Benches

Posted: June 7th, 2009, 12:26 pm
by kcpoole
Hi all

I was out photographing my Benches this week and thought I might post them here For all to Enjoy. I have stitched them all together using "Hugin" to make a panorama.

I have Several areas where I have benches setup, and the 2 main ones are on the Northern side of my back fence. These are in Full sun all day. One is under several tall Eucalypt trees, so get filtered shade in summer all day, and now in winter get full sun most of the day. My Maples love it there :-)
the benches are Old "Stramit" Roofing iron set up on Besser Blocks. I have a watering system of sprayers on them and the water drains back into some big drums for reuse.


My Posts are old Ceramic pipes set into concrete top and base. They can be moved around as needed. They are currently next to the pool fence until I can set up the permanent spot for them.

Ken

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 7th, 2009, 12:34 pm
by kcpoole
2 more pictures of another pole, and a small bench Beside my Back Patio

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 7th, 2009, 12:51 pm
by anttal63
yep ken, ya just as sick as the rest of us! 8-) great to see ya getting ya yard organised after the move. some good projects there by the looks of things. enjoy pal! :D

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 7th, 2009, 10:13 pm
by Steven
Great set up Ken!
Bet it looks even better in person but then I wouldn't know cause I haven't been invited round yet :cry:
S.

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 7th, 2009, 10:27 pm
by kcpoole
AusBonsai wrote:Great set up Ken!
Bet it looks even better in person but then I wouldn't know cause I haven't been invited round yet :cry:
S.
You are Welcome any time mate

Tell Ya what, When I get some Alleppo Pine Poking their heads thru, I will get you round for a celebratory ale :-)

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 8th, 2009, 1:36 am
by aaron_tas
great work ken,

love the semi-permanent/mobile monkey poles :!:

i have been trying to sketch up some ideas for this for a while now...

how much do they weigh each do you think :?: just a professional guesstimation will be fine :D

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 8th, 2009, 2:30 am
by kitoi
Like the individual stand idea, too bad I don't have enough space to allow for that or if I didn't have so many plants :mrgreen:

I made teared benches by using stair risers
Image

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 8th, 2009, 10:11 am
by kcpoole
aaron_tas wrote:great work ken,

love the semi-permanent/mobile monkey poles :!:

i have been trying to sketch up some ideas for this for a while now...

how much do they weigh each do you think :?: just a professional guesstimation will be fine :D
Thanks

1 person can move them if you do not have to go far, But with 2 people they are Verry easy,,, Maybe 30-40 Kg each
The top and bottom is about 400mm Square and contains 1 bag of Concrete mix each end

They were real easy to make too and have never looked like falling over.
I was origainally goin to paint them, but decided I like the rustic look and the mosses have given the concrete nice patina anyway

Ken

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 8th, 2009, 10:13 am
by kcpoole
kitoi wrote:Like the individual stand idea, too bad I don't have enough space to allow for that or if I didn't have so many plants :mrgreen:

I made teared benches by using stair risers
Image
Nice Kitoi
My Poles are only used to display the trees on and I swap them around a bit with the trees on the benches.

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 8th, 2009, 9:14 pm
by Asus101
KC is that blood grass I see on your bench??

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 8th, 2009, 9:36 pm
by Macros
Hey Guys,
Great pics KC, I thought about making monkey polls, but the next door neigbour breeds doves or some crap, and I fear that they would fossic through my mix. That and they shat on everything.
I protect mine with shade cloth and some well placed rubber snakes.

Here is a pic of my stands, allthoughh, like most of my trees, it still needs alot of work.
Bonsai area.JPG


Thanks,
Mac

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 8th, 2009, 11:01 pm
by kcpoole
Asus101 wrote:KC is that blood grass I see on your bench??
Why yes it as in fact, You have verry good eyes :-)

I use it as an accessory
I cut it back hard at the end of winter and repot some and it comes back really strong.

I also Have mini Mondo Grass ( green ) but i would like some black as well. Have to grab some of Rays one day :-)

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 8th, 2009, 11:04 pm
by kcpoole
Macros wrote:Hey Guys,
Great pics KC, I thought about making monkey polls, but the next door neigbour breeds doves or some crap, and I fear that they would fossic through my mix. That and they shat on everything.
I protect mine with shade cloth and some well placed rubber snakes.

Here is a pic of my stands, allthoughh, like most of my trees, it still needs alot of work.
Bonsai area.JPG


Thanks,
Mac
Nice spot Mac :-)
Be nice sitting out there with an ale or two to contemplate Life :-)

Is that a maple with the thick trunk on the back row? If so it looks verry nice. Can yo post some Closeups of it?
Ken

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 8th, 2009, 11:07 pm
by Bretts
I think I saw a corner you could put some more trees KC over in the back, oh hang on no thats taken :D
I had some blood grass but lost it in the frost. It had a bad start maybe I will try again it is very nice stuff.

Re: My Growing Benches

Posted: June 8th, 2009, 11:45 pm
by Asus101
A tip regarding Bloodgrass, it seems to be more of a reed than a grass, and does very well sat in water. When I got given mine it was looking a little down, but on that advice it has been sitting in the pond ever since. It was gone nuts and Ill repot it into a larger pot soon.