How do you edge your flowerbeds?

#Bestof2012

#itchingforspringOutdoorProjects

#BeforeandAfter

Our children are only children once, so why not go all out?

beds. It took my husband and I 3 days to complete this project. Here are some pictures of our construction process.

create this spool, which can stay cool during hot summer days and heated up on a cool evening. Add a waterfall and a gas fire pit and this place is party central! Read more about is project in HOUSE Magazine http://www.deckandpatio.com/DP_Blog/?p=1105 #Bestof2012

water at the farm yet. We had spent the previous year hauling all of the garden's water out from our house - and with the expanded garden -did not want to repeat that process again! It turned out to be the absolute best thing we could have done - and has carried us through this year's drought with all the water we needed. Best of all - it's using what Mother Nature gives us and cost zero to run. . Instead of directing the downspout into regular run off drains – the rainwater from the barn's metal roof is carried by a small diverter installed in the downspout to fill the water tanks.

Our system is really pretty basic and very simple. When both tanks are full – they hold 550 gallons of fresh water – enough to water our garden every day for nearly a 2 months if mother nature decides to stop sending the precious rain. We keep one tank at the top of the back hill above the garden hidden within the compost bin fence. The other tank is installed at the back corner of the barn. That tank is connected to the downspout to catch the rain water coming off the metal roof of the barn. A simple overflow tube is installed on the main rainwater tank that sends all excess water to the regular drains when the tanks become full. One inch of rain will nearly fill one tote completely.

only does it look great but it was very cost effective.

To learn how we did it visit my blog at http://www.tancamjenksfam.blogspot.com/2011/...

HOW IT'S MADE: Cut a piece of rebar the height of your tower plus 12 to 18 inches. Drill offset holes just larger than your rebar in your buckets near the sides. Drill a hole in the center of the bottom tub. Pound a piece of rebar in the ground and thread your buckets over it balancing the buckets on the edges. Be sure and pound the rebar in far enough to hide it with the top bucket and plants. You can pond it in a bit more once your buckets are placed. Place a terra cotta pot upside down in the tub for the bottom bucket to rest on so it doesn't sink into the soil in the tub. Fill the bottoms of each bucket with peanut packing for drainage and to make them lighter. Plant with wave petunias, asparagus fern, vinca and other trailing plants. Watering tip: Water slowly so the soil doesn't wash out of the tilted buckets so your soil doesn't wash out.