"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Monday, July 25, 2016

An archway made of bent metal rods and wire

sits in the middle of our circle driveway.........constructed and placed there by my husband
when we first moved out to our country home. Cactus and wild grass has grown under it and all around it...........although one year I tried to raise grapes to grow up the arbor......
but something ate them down. 

For years it has just stayed wild and un manicured until recently.......I have begun to clear the cactus and grass 

and I have been making cement path stones 

and decorating them with the natural elements

that is available all around me. 

Slowly.......very slowly.............cement work is very time consuming ..........I am making a good size 
path/floor for the floor under the archway.

I am also making cement pumpkins.........because I love pumpkins.....

and their cement leaves


and I have placed a row of them along one side of the archway.

Slowly, day by day, week by week......the ground floor is filling in

I gather colorful rocks to place between the cement  stones

and I am filling in the side places with the smooth egg shaped stones

and Homer is trying to fill a space.......

The plastic sheeting along the sides look terrible I know, but it is protecting the plants I have planted in long wood boxes from the harsh wind and heat that blows strong in this area

I wanted a plant that would climb and make shade for the archway ......
so I planted Loofah sponge plant.

It has leaves much like a grape or pumpkin and grows the long thick loofah sponge that one can find in beauty baskets.  
I also have a trumpet vine..........it got chewed down by a varmint........
however, I kept watering it and surrounded it with chicken wire and now it is growing back.  

I also have a cactus garden  on the pathway up to the archway
I find these lovely round cactus( Copiapoa echinoides) growing all over the wooded grounds and I  dig up a few to place in the garden or in pots like this large beauty. 



I am also making cement quail.........I hope to have a long string of them going throughout the garden

With the exception of the plastic sheeting........the archway is beginning to look
pretty.....or at least that is what I am hoping for. 
After the harsh summer days have died down, I can remove the plastic and hopefully the vines will be filled out and over the archway.
I think however, if the trumpet vine recovers completely that next year 
it will be cascading over the archway with no loofah sponge. 
So tell me.........do you have an area in your garden or grounds that you are working on ?
What kind of plants do you like best for climbing?
I would love to hear



14 comments:

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

This project is really taking shape, Kathleen, after much hard and dedicated work by you. Inhope that the cement pumpkins, leaves and stepping stones will withstand the heat. Also, that the vines will take hold and be a beautiful living addition.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

This project is obviously a labor of love because of all your hard work, Kathleen. I hope the vines will all survive and add to this unique space you are creating.

Nancy J said...

when all is done, this will be a wonderful work of beauty and time. love those pavers, and at the moment I don't have anything outside I am doing. A friend is coming to put a new roof on the gazebo, and then might have some big pots round it for colour.

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

Wow, your creative juices are definitely flowing! I love your cement pieces. With the trumpet vine covering the arch, it will all be wonderful! Then you'll need a seat or two to rest on.

I'm procrastinating on working on several garden areas that are overgrown. It's so hot and humid that I just keep to the bare minimum that I need to take care of.

Have a great week ~ FlowerLady

Sally said...

You are exceptionally multi-talented! I love everything you've done, Kathleen. I haven't done much to speak of. LOL

xoxo

lil red hen said...

Really, really nice work, Kathleen! You must stay busy all the time! After we had to take out the mulberry tree last year, we moved the fence out a bit and I've been working on a new flower bed. My greatest success with it so far has been sunflowers. There is also a big drift of four o'clocks with spider lilies. The trumpet vine is a pest in my bed, coming up from years of seeds dropping in this area. Good luck with yours!

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

Kathleen, you are truly an artist! You amaze me with your ideas and creativity. I love it all.

There are so many areas in our yard I'm working (?) on, but I'm so NOT wanting to get out in this heat that not a whole lot is getting done. I cleared some of the vegetable garden yesterday and pulled lots of weeds. There are still plenty left though#

Sue said...

It has been so hot and wet here with HIGH humidity I have done very little fun stuff outdoors at all! Trying to keep up with mowing several huge yards and picking and canning green beans keeps me very busy. Working with concrete looks like great therapy! I find riding a lawn mower my therapy, my husband just laughs!

Practical Parsimony said...

I love the archway and stones underneath. What do you use for a form? Since no two are alike, I am intrigued.

Connie said...

I love the path you are creating and all the objects made from concrete. This is going to look so fantastic when you are done. My favorite climbing plants are morning glories and clematis.

Granny Marigold said...

You've done so much work on your cement stepping stones; I really like the cement leaves too. I'm constantly working on my flower gardens but here, not so far from the coast, we have an easier climate. Only in July and August do we lack rainfall.

Debra said...

The cement work is so pretty-especially the pupkins (!) and leaves. I can't imagine having cactus just growing around my yard!!Kitty looks content to be a decoration too!

Carol said...

What a unique and lovely path you are creating. Are the forms something you could do sitting at a table?

letslearnembroidery said...

Really pretty!