What’s blooming at the South Carolina Botanical Garden this week!
05.07.2023 - 21:03 / hometalk.com
Garden obelisks are tall structures with pyramid tops used as garden decor and plant supports. They can create a dynamic arrangement in a seating area or courtyard garden, and they are perfect if you want to define the entrance to your garden. Obelisks can be used as a frame for climbing plants such as old fashioned roses, clematis, jasmine or honeysuckle. Want to learn how to build a garden obelisk?
My sweet husband has built a few of these for me in different sizes and heights inspired by a tutorial inSunset Magazine in 2009. A partial article is available online, but the rest is hard to find. I did track down an online version but here is an overview. To see more about the design of my garden, click here.
List of Materials
You’ll need the following materials to build the obelisk.
Getting Started
Pro tip from Sunset: The importance of pilot holes
Especially when you are working with ¼-inch lath, which splits easily, countersink your pilot holes. Pilot holes seem like a hassle, but are well worth the amount of time they require. Use a drill bit that is slightly narrower than the screw or nail. The pilot holes countersink the screws, so the heads sit perfectly flush with the board for a neater appearance.
Cutting the Tongue
Mark the cut post top for a tongue. The tongue should be 3 3/8 inches long and wider at its base than at its shoulders. Make it 1 inch wide at the base, tapering to 1/2 inch at the shoulders.
Set a circular saw to make a cut 1 1/2 inches deep, and cut the line at the top of the shoulder. Then set the saw to full depth and cut the other (tapered) line, taking care not to cut too far.
Attach the Legs
The tops of the legs are cut on a compound angle~this is, the saw blade is set at an angle, and it runs across
What’s blooming at the South Carolina Botanical Garden this week!
Garden Sprouts is a program I run at the South Carolina Botanical Garden that is designed for preschoolers and caregivers. This class takes place once a week for three months every spring and fall. The goal is to share age-appropriate nature-based activities with children, who are mostly three to five years old, but sometimes younger or older. Over time I have learned the caregivers also learn things they never knew, enjoy the activities immensely, and are able to connect more deeply to the natural world through this program. The structure of this hour-long program is three-fold, we begin inside with a book related to the theme of the day, a walk or outdoor activity, and finally a craft. In this blog, I would like to share some of the books, outdoor activities, and crafts we have done in this class.
What’s blooming at the South Carolina Botanical Garden This Week.
A recent visit to Maplewood Gardens in East Flat Rock, NC where there is an incredible collection of Japanese maples. The Mr. Maple nursery specializes in these beautiful maples.
“Never Underestimate the Healing Power of a Quiet Moment in the Garden.” ~Anonymous~
Come for a fall stroll in the beautiful South Carolina Botanical Gardens and see what’s blooming this week.
The “Jurassic Garden” at the South Carolina Botanical Garden represents plant groups that trace their lineage back to at least the late Jurassic/early Cretaceous — a place where you can see dinosaur tracks, fossil casts, and the plants.
Part 2: Art in the Garden-Add some interest to your landscape.
Can’t travel right now to see the Chihuahuan Desert in Mexico, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona? Come for a visit to the South Carolina Botanical Garden to see selection of the interesting native plants at the Chihuahuan Desert Garden Display.
It’s camellia time at the South Carolina Botanical Garden!
A winter’s day walk in the South Carolina Botanical Garden. Walk quietly and softly, and you’ll be amazed at what you see.
Come for a stroll in the beautiful South Carolina Botanical Garden.