Handmade garden projects is what we do here at Flea Market Gardening, so I was glad to discover this book, Handmade Garden Projects, written by Lorene Edwards Forkner and published by Timber Press.
A Flea Market Gardening Book Review:
Take the example in the book, Handmade Garden Projects and you’ll find that with a few simple tools and materials you may already have, will transform your garden in a unique personal way.
With more than 30 clever projects never before seen on Flea market Gardening, all with simple instructions, you can put all your own creativity to work and recycle at the same time.
Handmade Garden Projects: Step-by-Step Instructions for Creative Garden Features, Containers, Lighting & More is the full title.
It’s a high quality, mid sized paperback book of 221 pages… with a load of color photos at a price of$19.95. At Amazon, it’s priced at $13.31.
The contents include:
- Pathways and pavers
- Trellises, and wire plant supports
- Fountains and fire pits
- Stacked herb tower, hypertufa troughs, and a unique woven metal and cedar planter
- Plant markers and hose guides
My favorite project was an unusual chandelier of wire fencing and vintage glass porch light covers.
Another favorite, very unique project was the delightful fireflies made with magnets, lithium coin batteries and led bulbs!
“Dazzle evening garden party guests with a fanciful flight of homemade fireflies. By day the informal cluster of shepherd’s crook–style hooks studded with craft magnets looks like a piece of metal garden art, echoing the rusty color of nearby plantings. But after dusk it’s pure magic. I position LED (light emitting diode) bulbs and lithium coin batteries at each magnet along the hooks and fireflies appear to float above grasses and groundcovers along the edge of my front walkway.
You can purchase the metal hooks at most garden centers. Shop around for a good price on 3V lithium coin batteries which are typically required for watches, keyless locks, and small electronics; you’ll save a bundle buying in bulk online or at discount electronics store. Any small craft magnet will do.
Order extra bright, white 10mm LED bulbs online; a package of fifty bulbs only set me back about twenty dollars, plus shipping. Diffused-lens bulbs cast light in every direction, while non-diffuse bulbs have a less-satisfying targeted beam. Each LED bulb has a life-span of several hundred hours; I’ve had bulbs that have lasted continuously for months needing only to have their battery replaced as the charge dims. Maintain the longest battery life by storing magnets separately from lithium coins to avoid prematurely draining their charge.
MATERIALS
- 36-inch metal shepherd’s crook–style garden hooks
- 1/2-inch craft magnets
- 3V CR2032 lithium coin batteries
- Extra bright, diffused-lens, white 10mm LED bulbs
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Set hooks in place. Arrange the hooks in the garden at staggering heights, into a suitably informal but pleasing cluster. Stick a small craft magnet at the tip of each hook, adding more magnets along the shaft if you want.
2. “Light” your fireflies. Slot a lithium coin battery between the terminals of a LED bulb placing the slightly longer terminal on the “+” side.
3. Place fireflies on hooks. Position one LED bulb and battery at each magnet, taking care to sandwich the wire terminal securely between the magnet and the battery to ensure that the bulb remains lit.
More books by Lorene Edwards-Forkner:
