PHOTO: Courtesy of Lenore Erickson
whimsical frame planter
Some paintings look so real they seem to burst from the frame. Here’s something that really does! This project looks tough but it isn’t. First you screw 1x4s together to make a box (This one’s pine, but you could also use treated wood). Then you staple 16-gauge wire onto it in a grid pattern and attach an old picture frame. Click on the photo to see how to assemble the pieces.
Once you have the planting box assembled and the wire grid stapled in place, lay the box face down and pack a layer of moistened long-fiber sphagnum moss over the grid. Fill the box with potting mix and nail or screw the plywood back on. Flip it over and attach the frame to the box with L-brackets. Then plant a flat of Wizard™ mix coleus through the grid.
Water with a gentle spray from the hose. Or use drip irrigation by drilling two 1/4-in. holes in the top of the box and inserting an emitter into each one. Display your artwork on a sturdy easel or lean it against a wall for a colorful show all summer.
For step-by-step instructions and more container designs, see our Web extra.
For dozens of beautiful container recipes and in-depth information, check out Garden Gate‘s Containers Made Easy! Volume 3 at right.
