Upcycled Pallet Hanging Planter Box...

OH MY - I LOVE PALLETS!

Quite simply my mind went into overdrive when I acquired this lot - all for free!

(Mitre 10 is a great place to visit for free pallets).

In my imagination I created a few signs,a side table, a book shelf....

but first let's DIY an upcycled pallet hanging planter box.

I saw this idea in a cafe courtyard setting last year, and thought I must have one!

So this is how it was made:

Firstly dismantle the pallet using a long crow bar to lever off the wood.

 Take all the boards off except the last two.

 The pallet should look like this now...

 Cut the long pieces off...

 Check it's square with a measure, and push into shape if not. George agrees it is square.

 Nail another board on so your two becomes three...

 Like this...

This is the back of the planter.

Attach another piece of wood which is the bottom of the planter... 
(Sorry - photo topsy turvey!)

 Lay on back and place wood across front...

 Then a second piece flush against the first...

It should now look like this.
Use a metal rasp type file to smooth the edges.

Paint the planter in a colour of your choice.

Or leave natural wood if preferred.

 I painted mine 'Grey Friars'...

 Just because I'm loving grey right now!

Once dry, gather supplies of rope, wire, plants, potting mix.
Then add a rope hanger.

On each end nail two staple nails.

Leave them sticking up enough so you can thread the rope through.

Like this....

Then use some thin wire to bind the ends together.

Hang where you want it.
I hung mine over the pool fence upright.
(Oops - I might need to straighten that top cap!)

I recycled some old pots and got planting!
If you are wondering why I chose blue pots, the reason is that I have large blue pots in the area where this pallet hanger is going to be sited.

And this is the end result!
I can't wait for the plants to grow and cascade over the edge more.
Even still....I think it's pretty cute just like this!

This side is planted with a white iceplant, a green grass (seedling from the garden), and a red iceplant.

And this side has a Red Sweet William (root taken from the garden), a red toned grass (you guessed it - another self sown seedling from the garden), and a white iceplant.

The iceplants were the only plants I bought and I think they're a new favourite.
 Especially because they require less water than most plants, 
and may well survive the hot summer at Mia Bella Gardens!

#diy #upcycle #pallets #garden #planterbox

Let's Grow A Waterlily In A Pot...

The 'Let's grow a waterlily in a pot' project began in a few weeks into Spring... 

The temperatures in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand 
range from -3 degrees celsius in the winter to 27-32 degrees in the summer.

So the summer in my region is amply hot enough to grow water lilies.

The first thing to do is select a pot...
Plug the holes in the bottom with a waterproofing sealer.

As this pot was not glazed on the bottom, 

I used my gloved hands to spread the sealer covering the bottom in a thin layer.

Put aside for 24 hours to dry.

When completely dry seal the inside of the pot.

I used the same silicon sealer that I used on the bottom.
Leave for another 24 hours.

Fill the pot with water.

This is the cross your fingers bit.

Leave to stand for an hour to check there are no leaks!
If there is, find the leak points and seal again with sealer.
Leave to dry.

When the pot is watertight, 

move to the position where it will permanently live,
remember that the water lily will need at least 6 hours of sunlight a day.

Refill pot with water, 

Proceed to the next stage 

which is potting the waterlily.

I found a gorgeous tropical blue waterlily at Bunnings.

(Have you worked out I do a lot of shopping at Bunnings?)

The tropical blue water lily is my absolute favourite!

So I potted it up into heavy loam soil, 

and sunk the potted lily into the bottom of the pot,

It sat 12 inches exactly below the surface.
Within 3 days the  first leaf was floating on the surface.
After three weeks of leaf growth,
a bud...

That turned into a beautiful flower...
and then there was another bud....

Buds...

and flowers...

The photograph fails to show the true blue of this lilly...

But this one is probably the truest.

So PRETTY!!!!

And did you know that water lilies are perfect picking flowers?

The bud colour hues are intense...

That colour fades into a gorgeous soft blue mauve.

 Growing a waterlily in a pot was such a success
and you guessed it - 
incredibly SIMPLE!
So much so,
next season I may grow another...
Maybe in a pot twice as large as this...
A miniature water lily might be nice!

The summer sun was so bright by the end of the photoshoot,
the last photograph was completely unaltered by photoshop,
Snapped as is in the moment...
so here is a little water lily POP ART 
- just for you.

Carnation LOVE...

 What's not to love about old fashioned carnations...

 With a fragrance that is reminiscent of Grandmas garden...

 And a pop of colour amongst the garden green.

This carnation is called:

Dianthus Passion

It offers the garden gorgeously scented double red flowers

and attractive blue-green foliage that is compact in form

and fabulous for picking.

Mia Bella Gardens - Loving Spring!

 Gracie is loving Spring...

 Her favourite pastime is smelling flowers!

Deliciously warm Spring sunshine...

New growth, 

blossom and flowers in all shades and hues...

We're Loving Spring at 'Mia Bella Gardens'!

I'm In The Garden...

What have you got planned for today?

The weather here is suddenly Spring-like.
There is certainly a little gardening inspiration going on at Mia Bella,
and what a delicious warm fuzzy feeling that is!

 And that makes me feel so happy!

There is an eagerness to don those garden gloves,

so guess where I will be today?    :)