In an effort to use my overabundance of semps, I worked on semp craft projects all weekend.

Found this little metal nest with a bird attached. I lined it with sphagnum moss and planted semps.


Planted a plastic window box "trough". Drilled tons of holes in the bottom. On the left is Cotoneaster dammeri iStrieb's Findling', which grows 1" a year, toward the right is a 'Teeny Mugo Pine' which grows 1-2" per year.


Sawed a hole in an old chair, made a chicken wire basket that I stapled to the bottom. Lined with landscape fabric and put some sphagnum moss on the top to disguise the edges of the hole.


Planted a couple of pieces of wood with holes in them.

My big projects were planting an old fountain that doesn't work anymore.

Great ideas there, Chris. I think your chair qualifies as an example of "gardening on a table or flat surface". I'm planning the same with an old beat up plastic lawn chair that already has slots in the seat. It is so ugly, beat up and weather/sun worn that up I am considering getting out a can of spray paint before planting it.

Thanks! The chair had a crack right down the middle so it was headed for the garbage anyway.

Here is my last project that I've actually been working on for a couple of weeks. It's a bit of an oval, about 22" tall and 20" wide. It's planted all the way around with semps.

That's a lot nicer than what I do with my surplus - I toss them along the front fence where some root, and some don't.

I used to just throw mine in the field behind our house!

I throw mine in visitor's cars. Some times when they are not looking.

You have really been busy Chris. I love adding the slow growing shrubs/trees with the semps and sedum. In fact, you are the one that got me started doing it.
I love all of your new creative plantings. My favorite is the re-purposed fountain.

valleylynn said:I throw mine in visitor's cars. Some times when they are not looking.

I'll have to try that!

Works for me.

You are too funny, Lynn!

Chris, I love them all, but especially the chair and fountain. Can't wait to see their progress!

Are you dropping by Janice?

Love to!!!

Thanks. The fountain had a great big ball in the center where the water came out, but it took up too much room so I left it out....

Looking at these posting of wonderful creative ideas give me great patterns to follow.

I am not very artistic so will have to try to imitate to best I can.

On the fountain .. I planted one too... Am worried because there is no hole that things will rot in there, especially after our heavy rain and hail.

That could be a problem. I did drill holes in the bottom of mine for drainage.

Cast Iron, I don't think I can drill holes. I have a cloth stuffed in there over the side trying to absorb some of the water.

I may have to move them.

How many days before I should be concerned about rot?

It's clouding up to rain some more and I have covered it for now so should be OK until rain clears tomorrow at least.

Yup, kinda hard to drill cast iron! Depends on how wet it is already...if the mix is pretty saturated, I would try to get them out of there in a day or two.

Best remove them before they are showing signs of stress.

Loved all the containers.
I made two boxes to plant and was wondering about the soil. I have some sand we got from our little creek and I am going to mix it in with potting soil. Want to move The named ones from their shoes to the box...