I had to clean out my studio the other day because someone was coming to stay, which meant all my unfinished (well, unstarted, actually) projects had to be stored in the garden shed.
The Partner demanded to know what I planned to do with the rotting cabin trunk I’d grabbed off a friend’s trailer when he was off to the dump. “I have plans for it,” I told him.
“The same plans as you have for the cane lounger that’s unravelling as we speak, the rotting rope, rusting chain and broken ceramic pots?” he asked. Yes, well.
In my defence, many items I salvage do eventually find a place in the garden. And doing anything in the garden that only takes half a day and provides something new to look at, sit on or dangle your feet in is worthwhile in my eyes.
FLASH FENCING
The fence (above right) was once a pretty awful fibro number, painted charcoal in an attempt to camouflage its worst points. The turning point was a bundle of garden stakes, nailed on. The result? Instant style. Any bits of treated timber will do and you can mix and match lengths and widths for a random look. We used the slats off a derelict futon for a similar job, and they looked better than they ever did on the bed.
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PLANT A PLANTER
Little planters are dead simple to make and fun whether you’re a child or a grown up. There are no skills involved and all you need is a container, a few cups of soil, some stones and a few succulents. Little ones make great table decorations and larger versions look very smart on the front steps. When you get bored, they lend themselves to a rearrangement of their elements. Very Zen.
BRUSH UP
Paint jobs don’t take much skill but they can give anything – a shed, a fence, a seat or the garage door – something to smile about. Choose your colours and slap on flat acrylic paint over whatever’s there. If the surface is already painted in enamel or stained, a quick sand and a coat of sealer is a good idea.
FLAG THAT
If the spent blooms of summer have left your garden looking a little colourless, have some fun with flags or bunting, especially if you’re planning an outdoor party. These strings of bright triangular or rectangular fabric pieces add plenty of cheer. To save sewing you could attach them to the string with pins, pegs or bulldog clips.
MOSAIC TIME
Scavenge broken tiles and crockery from friends or buy odd tiles from hardware shops and make a mosaic. You could even make one as the base for an outdoor shower.
SIT DOWN
And when you’re tired out from all these weekend projects, you need somewhere to sit. You can lift a nice old seat out of the ordinary by putting flagstones and pebbles beneath it. You’ll find that once you’ve turned it from just a seat on the grass to a special sitting place with paving and plants, you’ll be inclined to stop there much more often.
