When it came right down to it, I found myself questioning whether I really needed one. I had lived without one for so many years. Gardening for over 30 years without a potting bench is akin to lacking sufficient counter space in the kitchen. You make do. You improvise. You adjust. And you stay grateful for what you have. Somehow everything turns out for holidays and dinner parties anyway.
The driveway or the back patio or simply a pathway in the shade was my potting place. Squatting or sitting crossed-legged or on an over-turned bucket worked as I bent over pots and plants. That's how I started new seeds, potted up slips for rooting, divided rhizomes. I'm sure you can relate. A potting bench is not an essential for accomplishing a whole lot of successful gardening.
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| Completed pergola in December before the potting bench was added. |
But sometimes a fanciful dream just won't let go. Sometimes the timing is just right. Somewhat like
my new pergola. This lovely space is now the multi-purpose central station that it was intended to be for all my cuttings and seedlings and work. And it turned out to also be the perfect spot for my long-awaited potting bench.
As soon as the pergola was completed (last December) I painted a couple of ladders to
re-purpose as a temporary shelving unit. I utilized two different size ladders and painted some boards that fit between the rungs for shelving.
I've decided not to have permanent shelves built. The ladders add a whimsical touch and function just fine. The covered pergola allows me to control the amount of water and sunlight according to the needs of the particular varieties of cuttings and seedlings. It is also a place for all my hopeful new plants to be corralled in one place. This set-up is so much more convenient than trays of grow-pots scattered about and tucked under shrubs and even sometimes forgotten. That's how it seemed to go in my old garden.
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| I hired a very handy man I trusted to follow my precise directions for building my custom potting bench. He's done a lot of work for us in this house. |
For a while I hesitated to get started on the bench once the pergola was completed in December. I guess I had a fear of 'junking it up' with too much gardening stuff. It
is open to the back garden and in full view when you round the corner from the driveway/garage.
After looking at lots of photos and ideas (on Pinterest and Houzz) I came up with a combination of features to fit the space and one that would help me accomplish the tasks I had in mind,
The working top is 8' long, 22" deep and 36" high. It attaches to the back wall of the pergola which is actually the outside wall of the garage. See the slanted side braces? Those keep the entire structure off the ground which actually gives me more room. The bottom shelf is shorter leaving an open end as a parking garage for my garden wagon. It is only 20" deep so I don't knock my shins on it. The 4" wide boards that cover it are placed vertically (opposite of the horizontal 8" boards tightly fitted on top) and have a small space between them for easy cleaning. The shelving above has beadboard in the background and corbels underneath to give it a cozy, homey look and feel.
Somehow I got stuck with the painting job. I used the same color of stain we chose for the pergola. The beadboard is Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (Provence).
Electricity along with an outlet I can easily access and lamps on each post are additional helpful features to make the pergola an even more convenient and usable space.
Ta-Da! The reveal of the completed bench.
The bottom shelf has proven to be very handy. I left a foot of space all the way around the perimeter of the pavers to add rocks. They give me better drainage for watering plants.
Call me the bucket lady. I use lots of buckets while gardening. A bucket for weeds, a bucket for my hand tools, a bucket for soil, a bucket for whatever you need. Buckets are handy. Can't be without buckets.
It was easy to equip this area. I didn't have to purchase anything to make it look cozy. It was a matter of gathering things from around my house.
It's the same thing I do in my home. "Shop the house" I think it's called. Use what you have, re-purpose items, and move things around for a brand new look.
My bench is so convenient. The whole space has worked out so well for meeting my needs. I enjoy puttering in my work area in the cool of the day.
With the potting bench on the back wall it can be used as a side table for food and accessories when we eat outside. We do that a lot. The antique motel chairs are in just the right amount of shade mornings and evenings to enjoy a cup of coffee and a chit chat.
As the sun comes up this part of the garden is my favorite place to be. It's peaceful and relaxing to start my day here. We really enjoy the birds and butterflies and all the buzzing critters that come alive as the new day dawns.
My new garden is turning out to be a great source of strength and inspiration to me. I can hardly believe we have been here a year this month. I couldn't be happier and more contented. The long awaited potting bench is just one more piece in the puzzle.
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If you've just arrived to this page as a new gardening friend or perhaps missed the back story about how we moved from our home and garden of 30 years to the house next door you can catch up here... http://www.hoeandshovel.com/2014/07/a-new-journey-bitter-and-sweet.html
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