Bonsai Benches: No Tools Required!

[StoneCloud]

I will always need more Bonsai Benches

This kind of just fell in my lap. When it comes to landscape materials I've always found that waiting and watching the free section on Craig's List pays off. And this time it paid off more than I imagined!

Wall Stones for free were listed and they were 2 miles from my house. I called the lady immediately and told her I'd be over.

From the picture it looked like about 20 of them. I had no idea what I was going to do with them but figured, heck they're free, I'll find SOMETHING to make.

When I got there I saw the pile in the picture, and she then pointed and said "You can have all those around the palm trees too"

It ended up being 73 or so stones!!!!! So 2 trips and 1 and half hours later they are at my house:

I took a little break and then sat there and said "HMMMMM what should I do?"

"border wall and firepit" Was the first thing that came to mind. I wasn't even thinking benches b/c I had a whole other idea already planned out to make the benches. All from wood.

But the wife in passing saw them all and goes "You're gonna make benches right?"



So I went to HD and knew exactly what I wanted. Landscape lumber...it's cheap 3-4 bucks for 8 foot sections.

I took 4 of them, took them to the awesome guy that cuts the lumber for you and said "Just cut 'em all in half"

Here is the first pic of it coming together:


And here is the finished product..threw the closest things to me up there for color.....was excited that it was done.....More so that I didn't have to move anymore stones!
If you are curious what the plants are:
TOP L -R: Random empty blue bowl, Small fern seedlings, Juniper, Yaupon Holly
Bottom L-R: Wife's Herbs: Cilantro, Scallion, Rosemary.



I still haven't had a chance to put all the trees and plants I want up there just yet, but once I do I will post an updated pic.

This location faces south and I feel is already getting too much Sun. Very shortly I'm building either a Pergola here (such an odd word) or just a frame from the same Lumber to put in a shade cloth.

Also will run rubber tubing with a valve and misters under the cover. For the plants and for me when I sit out there in the summer!

Figured I'd share and maybe help someone with ideas, I've seen a lot of good set ups on here myself and I always love the displays. No two are the same!

 

[berobinson82]

Looking good and a great price. My impulse would be to powerwash ALL THE THINGS!

 

[StoneCloud]

@berobinson82 Yea in FL powerwashing can be a weekly task literally in the summer. Nothing you can do. There are times here when things in my backyard will not dry off for weeks LOL

 

[Vin]

Nice haul. I think those stones are a couple dollars each the box stores.

 

[StoneCloud]

Nice haul. I think those stones are a couple dollars each the box stores.

You're right! I would never have bought these. Too expensive. Could make a lot bigger and nicer benches out of wood for the same money. I didn't know how I would like it when done, but I like it now that it's finished. Still going to build more out of all would though!!

 

[Cadillactaste]

First thing I seen was the kids jungle gym...I was like...aallllright then. Then glanced further...seeing the stone. Lol SCORE! Looks great too...

Your Holly...now I'm not familiar with it. Is it waking from dormancy? Looks like it's either getting foliage...or is losing it.

 

[LanceMac10]

I see a "playhouse" and wood not fastened down perched atop your blocks.....

@WeeMac would topple that in a jiffy......

disregard if the playhouse is your spot....

 

[CWTurner]

Way to score some free stuff stonecloud.
I don't mean to criticize, but if you move the columns closer together, so that the ends of the landscape timber overhang the blocks, it will please the eye more, and you will still have the same amount of shelf space. See how much better the top shelf looks? Overhang the narrower shelf about 4-5" and the top shelf about 10" or so. See what you think. (although you are probably tired of moving these already)

Very shortly I'm building either a Pergola here (such an odd word)

@sorce refers to pergolas as "roofey things"
CW

 

[Random User]

Nice score... the really great thing about them is that during the next hurricane, you won't have to worry about them flying through the front window.

 

[sorce]

Nice bro!

Now I gotta push myself to one-up you!

That looks way cool.

Best looking benches I seen!

On the frizzle!

Sorce

 

[StoneCloud]

First thing I seen was the kids jungle gym...I was like...aallllright then. Then glanced further...seeing the stone. Lol SCORE! Looks great too...

Your Holly...now I'm not familiar with it. Is it waking from dormancy? Looks like it's either getting foliage...or is losing it.

HaHa!!! Yes the jungle gym I use for my Parkour (is that how you spell it?) antics!

The Holly is just getting foliage, I recently defoliated it. I like it a lot. This is Ilex Vomitoria (if you eat the berries you vomit..ironically the leaves make a great tea).
Not the most popular to Bonsai, very stiff..... hard to wire and bend unless the branches are fresh. So work is slower. Still needs a lot of work. Here is a closer before pic of it:

 

[StoneCloud]

@LanceMac10 Funny! Yes little one's can be a danger to plants, thankfully though, we've worked hard (at the expense of our sanity) to teach her to leave them alone. I do that by letting her water them and add soil etc. She also has her own little plants to keep her away from ours LOL!

Way to score some free stuff stonecloud.
I don't mean to criticize, but if you move the columns closer together, so that the ends of the landscape timber overhang the blocks, it will please the eye more, and you will still have the same amount of shelf space. See how much better the top shelf looks? Overhang the narrower shelf about 4-5" and the top shelf about 10" or so. See what you think. (although you are probably tired of moving these already)

@sorce refers to pergolas as "roofey things"
CW

No thank you! That is a good idea! I didn't think of it b/c I'm usually working under similar conditions of a Psych Ward with a yelling 1 1/2 yr old running out haha....

I'm going to over hang the lower shelf tonight. Going to try on the top shelf but with the way I have them staggered the fence post is supporting them. It's super stable this way, but I can work around that. Thank you for the idea!!!

Nice score... the really great thing about them is that during the next hurricane, you won't have to worry about them flying through the front window.

Thanks! Yea This is true! Unless it's some government engineered super storm

@sorce Thank you man! I may or may not copy you on my wooden benches lololol. On your benches did you secure them to the ground?

 

[Vin]

HaHa!!! Yes the jungle gym I use for my Parkour (is that how you spell it?) antics!

The Holly is just getting foliage, I recently defoliated it. I like it a lot. This is Ilex Vomitoria (if you eat the berries you vomit..ironically the leaves make a great tea).
Not the most popular to Bonsai, very stiff..... hard to wire and bend unless the branches are fresh. So work is slower. Still needs a lot of work. Here is a closer before pic of it:View attachment 138532

FWIW this is potted way to high in the pot. If you want the tree to regain vigor you should slip pot it into a deeper pot for the rest of the year. Next spring repot it and reduce the roots proportionately.

 

[StoneCloud]

FWIW this is potted way to high in the pot. If you want the tree to regain vigor you should slip pot it into a deeper pot for the rest of the year. Next spring repot it and reduce the roots proportionately.

Yes you are right and it is something that is irking me. When I took it out of the nursery pot and pruned the roots back I took off a lot about 80% to get it to where the roots are now. This was the deepest pot I had, and started the tree at 10pm....once I saw it was high I was stuck.

This is the first one of this species I have worked on and from what I was reading about the species it said not to take of more than 25% of the roots at a time..........I had no qualms however and cut the roots back anyway. I stopped because I almost had very few feeder roots left and they were coming from thick roots some of which you can see. Especially that one all the way in front.

Before potting it I knew it would be high, and I knew I didn't get enough of the roots pruned off. But if I cut more I thought I would lose the tree. Maybe I was wrong and could/should have gone more. Next Holly like this I will try and prune even more.

My plan was to leave it in this pot for a year let the roots develop and then finally be able to get it to the right height and placement. At least that is the plan.

 

[Vin]

I have quite a few Ilex. I take 50% off all the time and have never lost one.

 

[StoneCloud]

@Vin Thanks for all your input. After repotting this one and the insight you have given me I have much more confidence now. I am going to give another one a go soon

 

[Vin]

@Vin Thanks for all your input. After repotting this one and the insight you have given me I have much more confidence now. I am going to give another one a go soon

Just to clarify, I've done all my Ilex repotting in the Spring. We're still having some cool evenings up here so I could probably get away repotting and cutting back roots this late. I can't recommend doing such aggressive work in South Florida this time of year. Someone else is going to have to make that call.

 

[StoneCloud]

Just to clarify, I've done all my Ilex repotting in the Spring. We're still having some cool evenings up here so I could probably get away repotting and cutting back roots this late. I can't recommend doing such aggressive work in South Florida this time of year. Someone else is going to have to make that call.

Gotcha. I repotted this one earlier this month. I wasn't planning on another one until next year. Do they prefer shade giving them morning and evening sun?

 

[Vin]

Do they prefer shade giving them morning and evening sun?

After a repot they need shade for a couple weeks then they can handle full sun with no problem. However, if they go into a shallow pot you may need to water them twice a day.

 

[StoneCloud]

@Vin Awesome. I've been watering it twice a day so i'm glad to hear that. I figured b/c it naturally grows near water it should stay wet. They also drop all leaves if you let them dry out I've read. I'm wondering how long of being dry would it take to make them defoliate.