Wednesday, May 16, 2007

sunbursts, rose trellises, etc

I found this sunburst last year and couldn't resist getting it. We put it by the streetside door (which most people would call the front door, but when you live on the lake, your lakeside door is your front door - so this is our back door).
I apologize for the quality of these photos - sometime I'm going to have to read the book or listen as Mark explains the camera to me - but for now, this is what you get. This is a totally bad photo, but wanted to show what the sunburst looks like by the back door. (Do you love my urn??) ((Do you see how I haven't done my containers yet???))
Our son and daughter-in-law brought me this little guy from Mexico a couple years ago. I think he's cute - but does he look a little too happy - or like the devil - or like he's on drugs... something about those eyes is just a little scary.

This is a smaller version of the one by the door. I liked it so much, I wanted one in every size!

And this one I picked up several years ago at Pier One. He's cute - but his eyes are just cut-outs, so sometimes he gets weird looking too, depending on what's behind him.
What started my little sunburst collection is a gorgeous copper sunburst we bought in Sedona, Arizona. I have it inside the house because I would be very sad if someone borrowed it. I'll get a photo of it sometime - but it's so pretty, I think it should be a good photo.

Mark whipped out a rose trellis for me this morning. He ended up doing these 3 arches (which I think look kind of like another sunburst) and attaching it to the top of the fence. He welded on two legs to add support. I have J.F.Quadra - a rosy-red climbing rose - planted here. It can use the fence for support until it gets too tall - and then this trellis should be perfect.

Another view. We are trying to screen some of the stuff on the other side of the fence. We like our neighbor just fine, but he's an older single guy who is much more interested in fishing than in cleaning up the homestead. And personally I say more power to him - but I'd rather look at climbing roses and vines etc than his stuff.
We had to replace this retaining wall 3 years ago - and they filled the edge of the yard with clay. It's taken me two years of adding compost to get soil that something will grow in. So I'm just starting to get this planted out. This year I put dahlias in part of it - hope they look cool.

This is an old copper fountain that I decided would be more useful as garden decoration. So today I planted it. It's pretty cool - the top bowl is still copper colored, but the rest of it has turned green.
I spent most of the day washing plastic tarps so we could get them put away until next fall. Ugh. At one point I had most of the fences covered with drying tarps. Tried to get a photo, but none turned out. Some people hang out their sheets to dry - I drape tarps on the fence.

7 comments:

Laurie and Chris said...

Your sun burst are really cute! I love the copper fountain. I was hoping to get in my garden today or tomorrow. today it rained most of the day and tomorrow it is only going to be 49. I think it will have to wait until saturday!

kris said...

Thanks! I hope you get a nice weekend. We could use the rain - but you can keep the 49, thank you!

Kitt said...

Nice sculptures! The trellis looks great.

Anonymous said...

I love the sunbursts! I have to plant a few flowers out front sometime today. I'm looking at begonias - they always look so pretty and fill in the space nicely. Think I'll do red this year.

Anonymous said...

I get your blog checked everyday - I just don't get to the comment section! I love the sunbursts! They would look good on some of our "sheds"! The flowers are gorgeous - I didn't end up w/much from the hill, but there is a lot of planting room in my corner.

Diana LaMarre said...

Kris,
You have so many interesting garden sculptures. I have always loved sunbursts. That one looks great on your back door. What are you going to plant in the urn?

Nice patina on the copper fountain.

I have one of those neighbors, too! They are nice people, but I hate looking at the junk they pile in the lot between us.

kris said...

Thanks Kitt - looks like your trip was wonderful - and your flowers are gorgeous!

Lynne - I love begonias - I have a bunch to plant this year too. Once they start blooming they just keep on bloomin' until it freezes.

Patti - hey girl! You could probably make sunbursts like the metal ones I have! I was thinking they'd look good on the fence peeking out from behind the flowers - but the more I look at them, the more I think they're just drawing the eye to the junk beyond. So maybe I'll have to build a shed to put them on!!

Thanks Zoey. Your gardens are looking really nice. I'm trying to figure out my containers. The urn by the door is hard because most of the day it's in shade, but it gets really hot late afternoon sun. It's making my head hurt thinking about my containers this year actually. But I will get them done!