Lovin' on Spring!

 Know what I love? Spring. Summer. Warm temperatures. Sunny Days. Blooming flowers. Tasty veggies. Fragrant herbs. Dirty hands. Clay pots. Patio furniture. Wind chimes. Chirping birds. Being outside on a warm sunny day, listening to the birds sing, getting my hands dirty, and potting plants.

The long winter seemed to have put Hubster and I in the mode to redo our two porches, (more on all of that in another blog!) We didn't do anything earth shattering - just rearranged the stuff that was already there, subtracted a few things that just didn't fit our mood this year and added re-purposed items from here & there. Here's a peek at the back porch - nearly completed. . .

This mini-make-over spread out on to the patio (which was our focus four summers ago - see it in progress here) as well. Not in a way that a person would necessarily notice (some of the furniture that was crowding the back porch found its way to the patio to create more of an outdoor - all weather -living room feel) but just enough. . .

To go along with all this rearranging and re-purposing, I created a space that I had been wanting for quite a long while. It's out of the way - but easy to access and definitely utilitarian - possibly even multi-purpose. I created a little potting area - just for me - right on the patio behind the social area :-)

It all rather started with this from friends at Six0one in Chanute

 Which led to this:

And being concerned about leaving my (precious) gardening tools exposed to the sun, and the wind, and the rain. . . I dropped a quick message to a self-proclaimed hoarder (of VERY cool stuff she's willing to share - I might add) about some vintage wooden plant trays she had. Three trays later - I added rope handles to one and it 'lives' here

protecting my tools when it's not in use as a

potting tray on a set of old washtubs a friend once unceremoniously (but quite generously) dumped on my front yard. The other tub holds my plastic container (that seals and is on wheels so it can be rolled to my barrel-planters when I need to add dirt. So much easier on the back than carrying!) with my potting soil. As I pot the plants, I can put the plant tabs and little plastic pots in the tub under the tray to re-use or throw away later. And the water hydrant is on the wall right behind me. Excellent!!

Another vintage wooden tray under the tubs is used to hold plants waiting to be potted

and pots waiting for plants.

I used several little mini-pots as legs so the tray itself wouldn't rest in water when it rains.

I thought about painting the washtubs, but, honestly? I kinda like them in their rough and rustic state. No fuss, no muss, and no maintenance. :-)

Overall, I'm extremely pleased with my potting area

which can also easily be converted to a mini-buffet station by filling the tubs with ice, snacks, and drinks, and using the tray to hold cups, napkins, plates, and whatever other essentials needed for a Patio Party.

And if I wash one of my garden shovels *really-really* well,  it could be used as an ice scoop.

That's what I call multi-tasking and repurposing!!!

Have a Mini-Makeover Kind of Day -

Robin Z