bunnings pecia!
F ra m e fo r p la n te r
The hanging vertical pots made of PVC pipe can be
put in a frame for support. This is easy to make and
similar frames can be built to support reed screening
(see pic, page 149). The frames are designed to
sit behind the deck and are fixed to it for stability.
This also hides the bottom turnbuckles.
>
GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES
■ Uprights (2) 90 x 45 x 21 70mm treated pine
Rails/fixing block (4) 90 x 45 x 1100mm treated pine
YOU’LL ALSO NEED
100m m treated pine screws; pigmented exterior
decking oil; 3mm galvanised wire rope (10m); small
turnbuckles (5); swage ferrules (22); 50mm zinc-
plated cup hooks (10); small washers, to suit wire
rope (12); swaging tool
HERE’S HOW
STEP 1
Screw uprights to ends of top and bottom rail,
then add a central rail with its underside 420m m from
bottom. Screw on bottom fixing block with its back
face flush with back of frame.
STEP 2
Paint frame with 2 coats of decking oil to match
rest of deck and planter. When dry, measure 150, 350,
550, 750 and 950mm across underside of top rail,
across top of middle rail and along inside face of fixing
block. Predrill holes in top rail and fixing block for cup
hooks that will hold wire rope. Screw in cup hooks.
Drill holes through middle rail of a diameter to allow
turnbuckles to just pass through.
STEP 3
Feed wire through PVC pots, with a washer
and swage ferrule under each washer between
pots, and washer and ferrule under bottom pot.
Form a loop at top of each rope and crimp together
permanently with a swage ferrule and swaging tool.
STEP 4
Measure length of rope between top and bottom
allowing for fully opened turnbuckle. Pass rope through
eye of turnbuckle, form a loop and crimp together.
Adjust height of swage points to hold top pots 100mm
down from top and give a 100mm gap between pots.
STEP 5
Feed each assembly onto top hook, and hook
bottom eye of turnbuckle on bottom hook, then turn
turnbuckle so wire rope is fairly taut.
1 5 0 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS, MAY 2011 bhg.com.au
P e r s o n a l i s e d
One of the secrets to personalising your garden is transforming
ordinary items into plant-growing containers. You can create these
quirky potted plants using birdbaths and a selection of succulents.
For project supplies,
see Stockists page
B ir d b a th g a r d e n
With its pedestal for height, a birdbath
makes a cute elevated plant container.
Being shallow, it’s best suited to smaller
plants such as succulents and annuals.
Here's how to adapt one.
GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES
■ Birdbath
■ Potting mix
■ Bonsai dressing pebbles
■ River pebbles
■ Dwarf plants (selection of succulents)
■ Drill, with masonry bits
D E For a lighter planter, mix in perlite
with the potting mix before planting.
HERE’S HOW
STEP 1
Remove bowl from pedestal and
drill drainage holes in base. To ensure
bowl doesn't crack, use a series of
different-sized drill bits, gradually
increasing their size.
STEP 2
Fill bowl with potting mix.
Remove succulents from their pots,
poke small holes in mix, then plant.
STEP 3
Once you’ve arranged your
plants, cover potting mix with
bonsai dressing pebbles.
STEP 4
To finish, arrange polished
river pebbles around plants, then
return bowl to pedestal base. ►
r
^ TRY THIS
N,
f
For a bonsai-style look, plant
a mix of small tubestock plants
in the bowl. Add a few weathered
rocks, then scatter brown
bonsai dressing pebbles
m
over the base.
.
Photography Phil Aynsley; styling Melissa Norton; diagrams Stephen Pollitt: project John Rae, Sam Proud. Darren Baensch
