Outdoor Sink Repurposed
comments (5) July 20th, 2009 in blogs, gallery
Ruth Dobsevage, Web producer
5 users recommend
Okay, it's hideous, but neighbors haven't complained (at least not yet).
Photo: Ruth Dobsevage
What can I say? It's not a 50s convertible on blocks, but it's close.
This monster porcelain sink had languished behind my house for decades, a magnet for fallen leaves and other debris. But this summer the house is getting painted, and the sink simply had to be moved. So I cleared a space in a nearby garden bed and made a hasty "foundation." Two strong men moved the thing, I loaded it up with composted wood chips, and voilà, a new planter.
It's a two-sided sink with two drainholes, which I filled with small rocks so the soil wouldn't drain along with the water. In mid-July, there wasn't much of a selection of annuals at the local plant nursery, so I grabbed what I could (sweet potato vines and marigolds) and hoped for the best. In the foreground is another "found" planter, a box that was once part of a beehive.
Thankfully, the vines have started to advance and cover the white surfaces. In a little while, you might not even know it's a sink. And even if it's a total bust visually, there's always next year...
Update: 2010
Last year's planting was a deer buffet. They devoured the sweet potato vines one fine evening, leaving the marigolds alone. This year I have planted Thai hot peppers, which are every bit as decorative as traditional ornamentals and do fine unfenced. Apparently deer like their dinners on the bland side. I've posted a photo. These peppers proved to be incredibly hot.
posted in: The Gallery, containers
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