Garden DIY FYI

I went on the City of Tonawanda (CoT) Garden Walk this past weekend. Every few years I run across a garden, previously unknown to me, that is a revelation. This is one of those.

An Instagram follower, @jodybflogirl invited me to her garden as she was taking part in the CoT Garden Walk. I’ve seen her Ig feed, and it’s lots of photos of friends and family with Buffalo-positive imagery and garden shots here and there. I had no idea how awesome her garden was.

Her garden buzzes with crafty and creative DIY projects with mostly found and repurposed materials.

Rather than blather, I’ll take you on a visual tour of this DIY tour de force.

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  The way I entered the garden was through the driveway. The first sitting area, of vintage metal furniture (in great colors) welcomed you. A color-coordinated awning made it feel comfortable and room-like.

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  The entry to the garden from the driveway incorporated many different types of surface materials. You had to watch your step, mostly because the steps were so interesting – bricks, a railroad tie, and what looks like a branch. The branch here is actually the live root to a nearby tree they just incorporated into this little narrow walkway. That’s a creative way to solve the problem of large roots, make ’em work for you!

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  The centerpiece of the garden is this screened-in, isolated porch. It sits about smack-dab in the middle of the backyard. Jody said they built this first because otherwise the mosquitoes would have their way with you. Each side of this helps define different sections of the yard and each side is decorated on the exterior. I’ll show the inside of the porch later on. Her husband built it.

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  Opposite the screened porch entrance above is this bar-height table made from wooden pallets surrounded with vintage bar stools. The window frames help define this area as a room unto itself.

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  Here’s a wider view of the bar area. The screened-in porch is to the left, another sitting area is to the right. This living room area of the garden is slightly raised with a decked surface.

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  This living room area of the garden, with fire pit, has a different floor surface – large stone tiles. Probably best for fires.

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  The sofa they made themselves, again, from wooden pallets.

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  In the fire pit area/living room, a homemade sign.

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  Helping to define this area are two rope-wrapped posts. The cap? It’s not Ionic, Doric, or Corinthian. I think they’ve invented a new category of column architecture with repurposed wood and scraps. It turns out I took a photo of the wrong side – they’re birdhouses!

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  Old ladder repurposed. I think it would be funnier if all the plants were planted in old paint cans!

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  Another spot to sit and enjoy the garden. Not that I think they sit much.

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  A sculpture they built, I’m not sure of what those are.

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  The next side of the screened-in porch has a table. If Jody’s not a decorator, she should be! Is there such a thing as an exterior designer?

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  A closer up photo of the screened in porch facing the back of the property.

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  Along the back of the property is their storage shed. I believe she said the main structure of it was Amish designed and cut, and they assembled. Here too, they took advantage of three of its four sides for different purposes.

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  One side with an angled roof is for the bar.

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  And here is the bar room.

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  Opposite the bar.

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  Beyond the bar “room” is a potting bench and storage, and this wall of retired tools.

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  There are creative garden vignettes throughout the garden. I didn’t come close to capturing them all. This one is outside the bar.

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  Outside the shed.

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  Creative way to display a small collection of antique glass telephone pole insulators – on what looks like the top of a telephone pole!

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  Another garden “still life”.

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  In one corner, through an arbor is their version of a stumpery – a driftwood collection with plants and found objects.

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  They made a Victorian Wardian Case from old windows.

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  From the driveway, another garden entrance/exit.

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  No DIY garden is complete without a bottle tree…

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  Another garden still life…

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  Another still life of watering cans outside the screened-in porch.

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  The back side(s) of the screened porch. The decked path on the left there goes straight to their house.

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  The inside of the screened-in porch is done in vintage Adirondack chic.

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  They have a good eye for decorating – and a great roof inside this porch!

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  More Adirondack lodge charm…

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  Their collection of Adirondack “campy” items is swoon-worthy.