Bob: My first job for the patio was to raise the fence. These are prefab fence sections installed on four-by-four posts, and whoever installed them set them directly on the concrete slab. After years of neglect, they were turning green with moisture from trapped leaves and dirt built up against them. One section got knocked down and trampled while this place was vacant, probably by the local teenagers looking for a clubhouse to hang out in. One of the very first things I did, even before our offer was accepted, was to nail this segment back up, quickie style, back in October of 2007. Now, I'm doing it a bit better, raising each section up on two-by-fours and driving new deck screws into the posts. Closest section here is still on the pad, farther ones have already been raised.
Nan: This is the total of our back yard, but we both love it. No mowing, and I can have my
gazebo without having to worry about bugs, bees and lack of privacy. I love this fence!
Bob: This is the section that lost some boards. I picked some up cheap at Lowe's, and spliced them in with little galvanized nails, using a two-by-four to raise them up level.
Nan: It's funny how time can be an equalizer. These already are turning the same
shade of cedar-gray as their companions.
Bob: The patio gate was quite sad, unfortified, dragging on the ground, its hinge post unsupported. I rebuilt it, using lots of deck screws to give it some strength. The hinge post on the right was married to the post on its right with a specially cut two-by-four and big lag screws. The compound angle was a bit tricky, but its really strong now. Hinges are the original ones.
Nan: Can't even tell it's a gate from the outside. We have two locks on it now, and keep
it locked unless we're out there. No teenage hidaways now!
Bob: This is a shot along the alley, and along the newly-raised fence. I like this view.
Nan: See the ladder in the background? It's my plant shelf. Just wait until you see it
in full bloom.
Bob: What do you do when you find an old ladder by the side of the road? Why, you turn it into a decorative plant stand, that's what! That plywood deck was also on the curb, down at the local nursery. It was a plant stand before, and now it is again, after a bit of rebuilding.
Nan: The ladder was laying on the curb on trash day. I asked Bob to stop and get it.
He looked at me like I'd gone nuts! The back legs were still attached, broken, and looking
pretty dismal. I told him to imagine it leaning against the fence with a lot of plants on it.
I don't think he could really envision it, but he stopped nonetheless, and voila, I have a
wonderful addition to our patio.
Bob: Here's a shot from later in the summer, showing some of Nan's beautiful flowers.
Nan: The flowers here speak for themselves. They are gorgeous.
Bob: This is another cute little iron stand from the side of the road. I made plywood shelves for it, and it serves admirably as another plant stand, here on the south side of the patio.
Nan: I just LOVE finding things along the roadside and repurposing them. Just think,
this is not in the landfill taking up valuable space; it has a new life on our patio.
Remember: reduce, reuse, recycle, and in this case, repurpose.
Bob: I might as well add this here. These flowers are on the side porch, outside the pantry. We grew them here all summer, in these oblong planters we got for free on the street! Why do people throw this stuff away?
Nan: I love the old-look of these planters. There is a third oblong planter behind
these that you can't see. It also was picked up from the street. I'll wager the people
who tossed them never figured anyone would want them. But I think they are charming!