Arbor

[sheepdog 10]

Well, it’s been over a year now but I have finally got the arbor finished that I started making last spring for my 2 clematis vines to grow on. Originally I had one of those little cheapie ones that I had bought at Big Lots, but it had finally broken down and was looking like junk, so I decided to build my own. I built half of one side last year, but then ran out of cedar. So I started making the top roof part too last year, and managed to get it all done. I made the top out of the cane polls I have been growing for the past few years, that my vet gave me a start of. I lashed them together with lightweight string to make a semi solid cover for it. It’s not a tight fitting top, but I think it’s better this way as it will let the wind blow threw and won’t tear the top up nearly as easy as if I’d put a solid top on it. Plus of course, I think the top made of natural cane looks a lot better too. And it is tight enough to make pretty good shade, in the event somebody wanted to sit there. It was a rather tedious job, knot tying is not one of my greatest strengths, but it didn’t turn out so bad once it was done. I kept it hung up in a building we aren’t using for much of anything except storage, (it was supposed to be my new kennel building, we just never got around to finishing it) That way I could work on it a few minutes at a time when I had some time to kill, like if I had given a dog a bath and was waiting for it to get dry, that sort of thing. I nagged and nagged at the old man to go cut me some more cedar, but that was a hopeless cause, he was whining about getting out there in the woods and getting ticks on him so he just wouldn’t do it. I finally got him to cut the rest of it early this spring before all the pesky critters came out for the new season. You would think that considering the main tool I used to make the arbor was a chain saw, that I could of cut my own cedar but my chain saw is electric, and there is just something about me and my complete lack of any ability to start any type of small gas engines that require a pull rope to start. Weed eaters are especially problematic, by the time I yank the rope enough times to start the stupid thing, I’m usually too tired to run it. Anyway, he finally did get me my cedar and I got busy putting it all together. Tools were very basic, my electric chain saw, a tape measure, and then the screwdriver to put the screws in to hold it all together. I made all the notches for the poles to fit together with the chain saw, then screwed them in to hold it permanently. It is a bit of a trick when you are using non dimensional lumber to get everything to come out even, a lot of it was just guessed at on my part. I did use a fence post leveler when we set the 2 sides up, but even with the post level it was still kind of tricky to get it all square and balanced out. Now that it’s up I decided it needs 2 more braces across the front and back, was hoping to keep it nice and open, but it needs to be more stable too. Now the trick seems to be getting my clematis to stay up on it, since it has been laying out on the ground for the past 2 seasons. One side is staying up pretty good but the other keeps falling back down. I’ve babied those 2 plants for so long it really bugs me to have to wallow them around, I’m afraid I’ll damage them, but they have to start growing up the arbor. Eventually it will anchor itself to the arbor, normally it grabs on to anything it gets near. Around the base of the arbor on the ground I have 3 separate sections of stone, the center section is almost all polished stone, and “pretty” rocks, pieces of rose quarts, agates, and other shiny stone, even a few colored glass marbles. The 2 sections on the outside is filled with red lava stone. I usually keep two flower boxes on top of the lava rock, but didn’t get around to planting them this year. Wanted to concentrate on figuring out a way to propagate the clematis vines. Just a few days ago I tried to layer 2 different branches, and I noticed today one of those has already died. Clematis is one tough plant to try to grow. I guess that’s why they are so expensive to purchase. But I’ll keep trying, and sooner or later I’ll hopefully get a few new plants started.

[jlhaslip 4]

Sounds like you have done a great job on the arbor.When will we get some pictures to look at?

[sheepdog 10]

Hey jlhaslip how are ya? Haven't seen you post in awhile. Miss visiting with you. I had actually planed on taking pictures and adding them when I made this post, but got side tracked and just never got to it. Too bad I didn't take them a week or so ago when the clematis was blooming. They are really beautiful plants when in bloom. I think now before I take the pictures I'll go ahead and finish the bench and get it set up the way I want it. I have a little child size park bench with zoo animals in cast iron for the back, I've had it several years and it needs redone. Yesterday I stained and watersealed the wood parts of it after a good scrubbing and bleaching of the wood, now I just have to take a wire brush to the metal parts and clean them all up and repaint them.

[jlhaslip 4]

Yeah, I've been busy with life the last little while, but things are calming down for me, so expect to see me around more often. (again)The stain and finish will enhance the wood a lot and should make the grain come alive.Rustoleum paint (or similar) is a good product to use on the cast metal parts. It needs no primer, so it is cheaper than other paints that you need to prime under since you don't need to buy the primer. |Gloss black might be good for this application, but whatever suits your fancy is fine, too.Another vine that would look good on your Arbor is Hops. During a sunny day, you can practically watch it grow. A friend used it on an arbor and it looks great.I, for one, am looking forward to seeing the picures, so hurry up and get working... LOL.