Saturday, May 15, 2010

My SEASHELL-Peeble Pavers OUCH Accents I Made for My LOST & FOUND Garden


I wanted to show you some completely impracticable concrete pavers I made years ago...I made them out of plain concrete pavers, I used some  mortar thin-set mastic tile compound on top of them , and pressed in some seashells I found on my walks at Edisto Beach in SC ...and also some pebbles that I bought in one of those large bags of pebbles that you can buy at Lowes. I made some of these square ones, and also bought some odd -sized ones to make a circle one as well. By the way, these babies are HEAVY once you get them loaded up , I move them around only every now and then. I had them in the back of my garden by my arbor, underneath it...but they were getting buried and covered up back there.
So I decided to move them.
Myself of course. My husband never seems to be handy when I come up with a great idea in my garden.


The funny thing about these, as they are hard to walk on, with shoes they are alright, but a big No-No-OUCH barefoot. So strictly decorative, could not use these as stepping stones, as I have tried and it is PAINFUL if you walk on them barefoot. They are fine with shoes on. I like to walk barefoot out in my garden sometimes though.
This large one I made, my oldest son mowed the grass around it ( when I had grass around it ), and went over the top and cut off all the beautiful shells.
I have put this in the front of a middle garden sitting spot, that no one sits at...and I decided to move the shell pavers to the front side of my garden, and plant monkey grass , 


And also I bought some ground cover called Spurge ?  Japanese spurge. I think that was the name as I have misplaced the little plastic tag. You can see that I did not bury these very deep, as I know that time will settle them.
I am also going to have more mulch on this pathway here in front soon.


 

I think this is something anyone can do, as most people go on some beach trips over the Summer, and this is a way to save some of the memories to your garden.
So I have my pavers, and then I dug up some monkey grass that I have all over the place, divided it , and planted it around the outside of the pavers.




I also bought the Spurge ( let me know if you guys think I should rip the spurge out as I read another blog saying it was an invasive bad plant after I planted it ) and planted that between the pavers, and also bought a Speedwell plant with pretty spiky flowers to go behind it,



I also have my wonderful blue plumbago which will be growing directly behind it.
Can't see that yet...but wait...it is already about a foot high.

I look at this from my steps, and I feel it does not blend in quite yet, but I also can use my imagination, and see that in time, they will be hidden more with the monkey grass, and they will also settle...so they will be what I want them to be...in time.


Before the monkey grass
 Water everything very good


Neat how monkey grass is immediately happy wherever you plant it.

 



 
And for the yard-lady with the patience of a gnat...it is an excellent growing tool for my patience quota.
At present , on a scale of 1-10...10 being the most patient....I have probably arrived at No. 3 by now.
after DECADES...
Maybe...that 's probably debatable. The part about reaching a number 3.

Here is some more shots...remember, use your imagination and projected vision that gardeners have !


 

 I love using seashells in my garden that I find, either just throwing them around the base of a statue or embedding  them in pavers, or in planters around flowers or plants.
 I can't sit still at the beach anyway, so I walk around all the time getting shells...and I needed to do something with them.
Here's who ( Maxine ) looks like took some of these photos, she loves to hang out with me in my garden,
Have a nice evening,

Gina

' Be devoted to one another in brotherly love , honor one another above yourselves. " Romans 12:10

6 comments:

  1. Gina ~ I love your shell pavers. It is a great way to preserve memories and little relics from the ocean. Enjoy your lovely gardens. They are inspiring me.

    FlowerLady

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  2. I don't get to the beach that often but when we have in the past I used to take some shells back with me and I've used them as a mulch in a container on the patio.

    Thats a great idea with the shells on the pavings - I especially like your circular one irrespective of some of the tops of the shells being missing - I never even noticed until you mentioned it.

    I love our gardeners imagination - yes I can see what you are trying to achieve. The monkey grass will really soften those edges of the paving giving the path a whipsy feeling - though I've never seen monkey grass in my life so I don't know how tall it will grow.

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  3. Thanks of you, monkey grass is lirope grass, just a side accent grass ( some consider it a weed in other parts of the country ), that grows like gangbusters here. I guess it grows about 7-9 ins. tall, not bad. thanks, Gina

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  4. Those are lovely! Reminds me of how many shells I have sitting in the studio waiting to be used in such a project, but first I must wade through all the others! So goes the life of any gardener.

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  5. Hi Gina, I love the idea of embedding pebbles, seashells, or other natural mementos into concrete pavers! This is definitely something i will do. I have baskets of things my boys collected over the years, and i think I can use some of it this way., Thanks!

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  6. Yes Ficurinia , too many projects...plus I need to clean my house and get out of the garden !

    Yes Deb, everytime I see my pavers I think of the beach trips with our family. You should do it, take care, Gina

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I love comments , please leave one if you like. I try to respond to comments,but if I'm running behind, please know that I read each one before they are published. Thanks much, Gina