I have something to show you that I think you’re going to like. Why do I think that?
Because who doesn’t like easy, fun projects that give you a good bang for your buck?
This is one of those.
Plus it’s cute.
And, it involves a perennial favorite garden accent, a birdhouse.
Do I have your attention yet?
I love birdhouses, and I get bonus points because I happened to have the perfect kind for this project: one with a cedar roof. The only thing I was missing was the right kind of tray, but I picked one up last weekend at a tag sale for $1 (wait till you see what else I got!).
Here’s what I used to put this together:
- Birdhouse
- 2″ long nails
- sheet moss
- spanish moss
- u-shaped florist’s picks
- 4 six pack of plants
- 1 3″ pot of ivy
- tray, 2″ high
- potting mix
- paint for tray
- wood to raise the birdhouse
- wood glue
I also used a hammer, plastic gloves, water and a bucket.
*If you don’t have a birdhouse with cedar or asphalt shingles, you will need to purchase about 15-20 or either type and use finishing nails to secure them.*
You’ll notice my birdhouse just happened to have moss attached to it already. Throw some more of the extra bonus points my way!
Let’s get started…
Paint your tray if desired. I also painted the wood that went under the birdhouse but that was totally not necessary. I just like to waste paint. Glue your wood, positioning it in the center of the tray. Let dry, then glue your birdhouse to the wood and let dry.
This is a fairly messy project, so you may want to consider doing it outside. I threw a sheet over a workbench I had been using to cut a board earlier in the day (I’ll show you that another time) and used that as my work surface.
I hammered the nails into the roof shingles, staggering them and making sure they stuck up at least 1″ so I could attach the moss.
I soaked the moss thoroughly in a bucket of water, squeezed out most of the water and attached it to the roof by slipping it over the nails.
I removed the plants from their containers and soaked them in the bucket (I added some fertilizer to the water but this is optional). I then attached them to the nails, pushing the root ball firmly and using the hammer to secure the floral picks to keep the root ball in place. I then added some potting mix around the roots of the plants. Meanwhile I soaked the sheet moss in water and used that to cover the bare soil and again, used my trusty floral picks to secure it.
I then filled the base with potting mix and placed plants along the front, sides and back of the house. After I was done with all the plants, I checked for any bare spots and used either the sheet moss or spanish moss to fill it in. This gives a decorative finish and also helps to keep the root balls from drying out.
I wish I had thought of this project a couple of months ago. This time of year the only plants I could find in 6 packs were Gazania. They’re fine, but I would imagine this would look awesome with impatiens, or any plant with a little more color.
If you do this project, you will need to keep this in a part sun/part shade spot to avoid the drying effects of the sun and make sure to keep it moist with daily, light watering.
The possibilities are endless for creativity with this project, depending on the size of your birdhouse and tray and the plants you use. I can even picture making this into a little fairy garden :).
In other news…
It’s been beautiful lately, and a few days ago we went to a very large reservoir known as Quabbin Reservoir. I believe I read that it supplies water for 40% of Massachusetts residents!
This next picture looks like Hawaii to me. Pretty, yes? We took our bikes but I got my butt kicked to the curb with the hills!
Oh, and here’s what else I got at the tag sale. Two vintage yard chairs that are a LOT more comfortable than they look (they rock) for $20 and three wood benches for free.
Free is good.
Question: should I remove the rust on the bottom of the chairs? I’m thinking no. What say you?
Sharing At
Thoughts of Home
Emily says
The birdhouse is so pretty, love the moss and flowers. Yes, would have been easier in the spring when plant selection is better. That is a great way to make a fairy house too, love your project!
What a gorgeous area to visit and bike. Yes, if you are not accustom to biking hills will turn your legs into noodles, LOL! Your chairs will be great with your cabin. If you aren’t going to use the chairs for seating leave the rust, if you plan to actually use them you may want to remove it so as not ruin clothes.
Happy weekendβ¦β¦.
Rita C at Panoply says
Great project, love the finished product. The chairs are great, and I can’t believe you got those benches for free! Yes, I would try to sand and refinish the bases of your chairs; otherwise, I think you’ll regret when they have to be thrown away prematurely. They look really comfortable!
Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow says
The birdhouse is just adorable!! I could picture fairies or gnomes settling right in there!
Me, I’d just enjoy the chairs as they are right now and deal with rust the next season if it gets worse.
Cecilia says
Goodness, Doreen, that birdhouse is too cute! Yes, I can see it as a fairy garden. Maybe I’ll attempt one in September – it’s too blinking hot right now. I love your chairs and benches! As long as the rust isn’t damaging the chairs, leave it. The scenery is so pretty! I’d love to ride my bike there too! Have a wonderful weekend!
Hugs,
Cecilia
Kris @ Junk Chic Cottage says
Love this Doreen. The birdhouse is fabulous. Those pics do look like Hawaii. So beautiful.
Kris
Brenda Kula-Pruitt says
That is so clever and downright adorable! The birds should love it because it looks so natural.
Brenda
kim says
What a neat project, Doreen! I never could have imagined it would turn out so cute.
Beautiful reservoir area too. Your benches will work perfect for around a campfire.
Debbie from MountainMama says
You are just a creative genius, my friend!! I love the birdhouse – just awesome! Great finds at the sale, nice job!
Pinky says
How creative and beautiful! I love it! The chairs are great too and I think I would wait til next year to see how they are. If the rust is on the UNDERSIDE that is! So as to not ruin clothing:) have a great weekend.
Cindy says
WOW, pretty awesome GF. You’re right impatience would be gorgeous. You’ll have to go through the mess again next year. I can envision the mess. Spanish moss and the other is a nightmare.
Cindy
Marilyn @ Pink Paper Cottage says
That is such a sweet little birdhouse. I have one just laying around but not a cedar roof.. but is wood. Hum….. what a great idea! Now I need to look for some sort of tray for it. We have alot of thrift stores around here. Your bench find is awesome! I can picture ALOT of uses for them! along a fence, or along the house, with plants on them.. or inside the house along a wall. I’ve been looking for one like that but shorter in length and a little narrower, but put along my long bare wall in the bathroom. I should go to more yard sales, but I buy too much and don’t need it! except for a bench… and a tray…. and a cute little wood chair.. sigh….. those photos are beautiful and what a neat place to ride your bike!
tammy j says
I love your projects. it’s simply beautiful and so lush!
two things crossed my mind… if little birds should actually be tempted to use it…
i’d be sure the nails used were short enough not to protrude into the inside of the house and hurt little feathered bodies!
don’t know why that even crossed my mind! maybe they’re BIG birds! LOLOL!
and
I would set it on a large flat stone in the middle of a bird bath. that way they would have their house and a lovely pool! π
it would look like a house on an island or something. can you tell i’m yearning for WATER!!! the pictures of the lakes… gorgeous.
LOVE the chairs. and they look plenty comfortable to me.
Mary-the boondocks blog says
Doreen that birdhouse is absolutely adorable. I like how you were able to add the plants and completely transform it. As for the rust on the bottom of the chairs, yes I would remove them. I like the bright cheery colors of the chairs and I think that you can go for a 50’s vibe with those colors. I don’t think they lend themselves to the shabby rusty look. Beautiful photos of your bike ride.
Linda says
Doreen,
That is the cutest little birdhouse! I was looking at a bunch of wooden ones on clearance the other day and wondering what creative thing I could do with them……this is a really cute idea!
I love Quabbin! We have not been there in quite a while but my husband and I were just talking last week about taking my parents there….and maybe a quick trip to the fish hatchery too! Such a pretty part of Massachusetts!
Love the chairs and benches!!! I’ve really got to start looking for freebies! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Linda
Dewena says
Doreen, I’ll tell Zack that I have a friend with good roofing skills as he’s looking to hire! Very clever, it reminds me of some of the chicken coops I’ve seen online that have grass and gardens planted on the roof. And wow, I love those chairs, and the benches of course.
Poppy says
Who needs Hawaii when you’ve got such heavenly water right in your ‘hood! Gorgeous! Next time, skip the butt breaking bike hike and bring those comfy chairs to chill in!
The birdhouse is beautiful!
xx
Poppy
kelly says
What a cute and unique bird house for the garden! I have never seen one that you can plant real plants on top of.
Vashti Q says
I love the bird house! I want to go out and make one right now! It’s gorgeous. The pictures of the reservoir are so scenic.
You got those benches for free? Wow! That’s some good luck. π xx
Vera says
Doreen,
I absolutely adore your living birdhouse! Moss, flowers, love it – and so would our crazy city squirrel so I will just have to enjoy yours through your pretty photographs.
Noodle legs, lol. We have vintage French Velosolexs which are mopeds. So I guess we are lazy old farts! You go girl with your bike riding.
Very much looks like Hawaii.
xoxo,
Vera
Red Rose Alley says
Doreen, what a cute birdhouse. It kind of looks like a fairy birdhouse. That Spanish moss is really IN right now. I see it all over in the craft shops. Quabbin Reservoir looks beautiful. What a sight it must have been to ride your bike around it. You always take the most wonderful pictures.
~Sheri
ps I am showing some pics of the wedding tomorrow if you want to see them. : )
Amy says
You have taken birdhouses to a new level, Doreen! It’s a beauty! I always love seeing the scenery from your neck of the woods – so different from where I live! My vote is to always take the easy route, so I say, leave the rust!
Red Rose Alley says
I just read your “just between us” post, but there was nowhere for me to comment so thought I’d come back here. Oh Doreen, I wish I had your energy, and the pictures you took are gorgeous, especially that waterfall. I think I could look at that and take pictures of it for an hour. It’s good that you have many things to do in your area. Right now, I’m just winding down after months of planning a wedding. : ) I need to take a ride in the country. Your pictures are not just pretty, they are interesting and filled with wonder.
~Sheri
Carrie@northwoods scrapbook says
Oh get out of here you precious Girl! Your projects keep going straight to my heart! How adorable is that birdhouse!?!!! I LOVE the idea of something like that with real plants and moss in it – and it would be perfection for a fairy garden!! Genius and downright adorbs!! π
Your bike ride looked gorgoues! What a beautiful area. And are you going to be painting those chairs? If you are then maybe you could spray on a base coat sealer and then just paint what color you want. Either way – great bargains Lady!
xoxo
Stacey Keeling says
Doreen, your birdhouse planter is wonderful! I love combinations like that.
Thank you so much for joining Thoughts of Home. I love your new blog!! It took me a little bit to figure out what you had done. π
Magali@TheLittleWhiteHouse says
This is such a cute project! And next spring, you’ll be able to put whatever flower you want on your birdhouse.