Unique Garden Products - March 2011 - Phoenix Home & Garden

Unique Garden Products - March 2011

Author: Nancy Erdmann

Issue: March, 2011, Page 134

HYDRO GARDENGrowbottles™ from Potting Shed Creations make it easy to cultivate fresh herbs indoors without an ounce of dirt. Handcrafted from recycled wine bottles, they provide the perfect environment for germinating seeds. The 8"H reusable vessels are sold individually and come with clay pebbles, plant nutrients and a choice of organic/heirloom seeds. Find them at pottingshedcreations.com.

NIGHT LIGHTAdd Southwest flavor to your home or garden with this “blooming” ceramic barrel cactus. Cave Creek, Ariz., artist Fernando Villalobos creates a variety of desert plant designs, then glazes the one-of-a-kind pieces by hand. Each is perforated and open at the bottom to surround a votive or tea light for a soft glow. Find them at The Spur Cross Gallery, (480) 488-3668.

RAZOR SHARPSharp blades can make all the difference in how well garden tools perform. To keep yours in tip-top shape, consider Chestnut Tools’ Universal Sharpener. Its carbide blade shaves steel rather than abrading it. This action helps achieve a smooth finish without much force. The sharpener can be used on everything from axes to fishhooks, and its slim tip makes it easy to access blades with curves, such as pruners. To order, log on to leevalley.com.

REUSE ITIn The Revolutionary Yardscape: Ideas for Repurposing Local Materials to Create Containers, Pathways, Lighting, and More (Timber Press), Matthew Levesque recommends that we change the way we think about the materials we use in the garden.

The author describes various artful techniques for repurposing everyday items. One idea is creating garden lights from discarded indoor fixtures. Another is filling gabions—mesh wire cages that have become an alternative design for walls and fencing—with stones, branches or cork. He also shows how tumbled shards of dishes can be used as a creative substitute for gravel.—Lindsay Norman