gardening
This project is a great way to add whimsy and fun to your garden—and at the same time use some of the thingamabobs and miscellany gathering dust in your junk drawers or garage. It’s also one of those “find a solution as you go” sort of projects. There are no strict rules or detailed instructions. There’s no wrong way of doing things; you just need to figure out how to permanently put stakes and toppers together. The project s can be a s simple a s g luing decorations to the top of a stake or you may want to create a masterpiece that requires using a drill or screws or sawing. Let your skill level, imagination and choice of materials be your guide. For the stakes, look for pieces of wood dowels, closet rods, shovel or broom handles, pipe (meta l or pla st ic), bamboo or even branches. Replacement handles for shovels, etc. work we l l . The se day s t hey ’re made of weatherproof f iberglass and often come in yellow or orange so you have instant color. A quick trip around my garage yielded a dried-out oil can, a metal funnel, a bag of corks, a 2-foot-long piece of metal pipe and some old doorknobs. I also found two pieces of PVC pipe left over from an irrigation project. The garden yielded a few small terra cotta pots and the laundry room pantry provided spray paint as well as some waterproof glue that is supposed to be foolproof at sticking various types of materials together. Sti l l, I felt I needed more. At the home improvement store, I bought finials and some small door corner trim pieces. I found assorted wooden beads, some stiff yet pliable wire, little birdhouses and bells at the craft store. Next, I’ll spray paint the wooden beads and birdhouses in bright colors: blue, yellow and Stake toppers bring whimsy to outdoor spaces Plant some
Story by Pat Rubin Photos by Fred Greaves
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January/February 2022
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