A Flea Market Gardening ‘My Big Project’ story!
Part 2 Creating a garden room of your own
Catch up on Part 1 Upcycling old windows and doors to make a garden dream come Part 3: A peek inside Ann’s Lady’s Lounge
With the coming of Spring, Ann Elias finally was able to finish work on her big project with help from her husband, Mike. Last Fall, the her garden room was left half finished until the weather improved enough this year to finish. We can imagine their impatience to begin, but Mother Nature sent loads of rain this Spring and Ann worked on a few detail projects while waiting for the weather to cooperate.
This is near the start of Ann’s project, transforming an old pergola.
Ann painted the door a clear watery turquoise
Ann says, “The Lady’s Lounge has a new pathway to it that actually leads to the door now…soil all tilled and ready to be landscaped. Oh, the watering cans still need to be painted and my Lady’s Lounge sign needs to be up there also. Then hubby is going to paint the shelf white. I have stones in the watering cans so they are very heavy.
I got the ‘circle’ thingies from a thrift store. Someone crocheted them on metal rings. I used suction cups to hang them up. Only $1.59 each…I thought…they looked “lady” like…”
“Mike got all the raised bed done.”
Raised beds, ready to plant
The door is outfitted with a new handle
Making the sign meant for the gable top
Ann tells us, “This sign will go in the ground in front of the “Lady Lounge” Now I just have to get the lettering from my enlargement onto the sign. There is always Sunday….” (Plans changed and the sign now sits above the door.)
Ann’s gorgeous ‘Lady Lounge’ sign
“I got the ‘circle’ thingies from a thrift store. Someone crocheted them on metal rings. I used suction cups to hang them up. Only $1.59 each…I thought…they looked “lady” like…”
Ann’s Lady Lounge….finished!
“The eaves and rain troughs and rain barrel still need to be added..and the weather vane that was on my hubby’s childhood home will be added to the top. There has not been a day that I have not sat in the Lady Lounge and relaxed!” Ann smiles.
Details
Ann’s plan for containers include tubs on feet!
Ann says, “I wanted to add some Galvanized Tubs in front of the Lady Lounge and I am hoping with adding some legs to them, that it will prolong their life. Real easy with some painters tape and chalk paint..all that is left is to plant them now.”
Ann’s fencepost lights edge the raised bed garden area
“I priced what end caps cost for the 4×4’s at the stores and I could not spend that much money on my mostly rescued fence. So I checked to see what I had on hand…and I found some glass light fixtures…They just sparkle in the sun…I hope I will be able to find some solar lights to fit inside of them for night time sparkle. I have not given up yet.
You can see what we did…we placed four small nails real tight against the base and just bend the nails tight against the light. I was surprised how secure that made them.” Ann explains.
Potting table construction from old doors
“Mike worked on my potting bench. He purchases a 125 gallon fish tank from someone on Craigslist and the two back doors came from a neighbor down the street. I have been looking for an old rake at the estate sales to use as a tool holder…and now that I want one…I can’t find one. I told Mike to leave the door handle on the door…so I could hang something off of it, and no luck in finding more of them.
What’s most satisfying is that the total cost so far for the potting table is under $20. The doors on the back and fish stand were free. We used a gallon of ‘oops’ paint from Home Depot, but had to purchase the shelf and side boards. The tile was found at Restore for 50 cents each and the doors on the side were $2 at the Restore also. I still have to buy the grout and adhesive..which that may be pricey…I have no idea of that cost. I was hoping to do the whole thing for under $50.”
The finished potting area
