Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Agave towers and the hazards of garden touring with dozens of camera toting friends...

Today we return to the Johnson/Miles garden (the subject of yesterday's post), so I can share a few photos of my favorite feature, these agave towers...

There was a trio

And they were AMAZING.

Repurposed, reused, upcycled, planted amazingness.

This type of thing (although smaller) is what I'll be selling at my "danger garden upcycle and plant" pop-up shop at Xera Plants on May 30th. I say "this type" of thing because if I were lucky enough to come up with something just like this I would be keeping it, not selling it.

I tried so hard to get a decent image of these towers that I could use in my book (without having to get a ton of people to sign photo-waivers) but had to just give up on that and snap photos for my own (and your) inspiration).

As near as I can tell these are made up of tall metal cylinders...

Fitted with a top and bottom piece with holes, through which they've run rebar to keep them upright.

The whole thing is topped off with a metal "basket" that flares outward.

Oh and agaves! We must not forget the agaves (I could never forget the agaves).

These were the highlight of the garden for me.

And perhaps others too...

There's Ms. Growing Obsession snapping a photo (read her post on this garden here).

Just a few more photos...

I won't be attending this year's Garden Bloggers Fling in Madison Wisconsin, so I am going to have to depend on these "camera toting friends" to take lots of photos of inspiring things like this that I'll be missing!

Weather Diary, Feb 10: Hi 52, Low 38/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2020 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

19 comments:

  1. Its amazing how some people see discarded rusted metal and imagine new - and improved - use for them.

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    1. Ya I would love to see how these came together, what they found first and the process of building them.

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  2. Very creative. The towers remind me of those at the Singapore Botanic Garden. I like how they used the tall alliums to enhance the rounded tops of the towers. So interesting to see how people individualize their gardens.

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    1. I thought that too (Singapore) or maybe the bougainvillea towers at the Getty, but on a residential scale.

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  3. These are very cool. The baskets look like lampshades with the fabric removed. I've got a few of those. I might have to see if I can make one with a few cement pillars I have. They're way cool. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. I agree the shape is reminiscent of a lampshade, but the metal was much heavier. I'd love to see what you come up with.

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  4. Right up your ally for sure! Are those variegated Agave americana? Caging them is a really good idea.

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  5. HOW COOL! Wonderful that you singled these out like this, as I was completely overtaken by overload at that point. Like you and others have mentioned above and yesterday, "what I wouldn't have given!" to be alone in that garden for a while. (Or even with a dozen people--anything better than what we had.) You've singled these out so well, I really can see them now. Brilliant use of pedestals, materials, creativity.

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    1. If we had more time there I think it would have worked to limit the people walking into the back garden, one out = one in. But then again I'm glad we got to see it and if that meant crowded conditions then oh well!

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  6. I can just imagine those in a few years when the agaves are bigger. They'll be AMAZING!

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  7. Two people go into a garden, photograph what they think is the whole garden. They compare photos and it is as if they were in two different gardens. Love this.

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    1. That's so true Janet, we all see gardens so differently!

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  8. Those are very cool. I love creative garden structures. Bummed you won't be at the fling this year.

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    1. Me too Karin, please take a lot of photos!

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  9. So good to see this garden again and very glad you persisted and got so many photos -- all those legs and knees can be very discouraging when taking photos!

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  10. There is an added benefit to working at the DBG... you get to meet the extraordinary artists that do garden art! I NEED and am lusting after those towers of beautiful rusted steel in my low desert garden spaces!

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  11. Very creative - and as mentioned above it does feel like the Singapore Botanic Garden structures. Do the tubes have dirt on the inside for the Agave - or will they be limited to their pots?

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