A Garden TransFIREmation!
We have always been a big fan of fire-pits. They are much more environmentally friendly than patio heaters and they are multi purpose – use them for BBQs, toasting marshmallows, lighting your sparklers and of course to keep cosy! And in current climates, with indoor socialising not allowed for many, being able to pop on the firepit and welcome friends around (remember to follow government guidelines!) for a socially distanced but cosy chat make it a must-have! So, we have collated our favourite outdoor fires so you can create your own garden transFIREmation!
The Bar Table
This is the ultimate in firepits! Integrated into a bar table, your friends won’t want to go back to the pub again! It uses propane gas, a green fuel and is available from Primrose, this isn’t a budget option but it would certainly add the WOW factor to your garden!
£2614.99
The ultimate transfiremation – a fire pit built into a bar table!
The Fire Bowl
You won’t go wrong with a simple fire bowl. They come in lots of sizes and materials. We love this one from All Things Brighton Beautiful (great name!) which comes in a heavy gauge raw steel which will age to a natural rusty finish.
£89.95
The classic beauty of a fire bowl
The “Heat & Grill”
This is so much more than just a fire pit. The Chesneys Heat & Grill can cook pizzas, smoke, be a wok or grill! It is also a beautiful looking outdoor stove. Available from Calido (who are lovely!) this one is an investment piece but worth it!
£1548
The Chesneys Heat & Grill ticks all the boxes
The Upcycled Washing Machine Drum
If you want to save the planet and save some pennies then you can’t beat an old washing machine drum. This is what we have for our own fire pit (well until I can negotiate an upgrade to a Chesneys!) and it has served us amazingly well through Lockdown. You just need to find someone local who can weld on some metal legs for you and off you go. It works a treat and looks cool too!
£0 (if you can find a helpful blacksmith like we did!)
Our firepit made from an old washing machine drum
So, stay safe and stay cosy this winter with a fire-pit to suit your garden style and budget.
All at Vialii
Prices correct at time of publication.
Vialii Garden Trends for 2020
We all know that gardening is not just for the retired. Trend setters everywhere are looking to create their own cool places to relax outdoors. They want to have their own home allotments to grow organic, healthy veg and do their bit for the environment. You can do that AND be on trend. So if you want to make your garden as trendy as your wardrobe here’s what you need to know with the Vialii Garden Trends for 2020…
Vertical Gardening
Vertical gardening has been round for many years now and will continue to be a strong trend for 2020. It’s a great way to soften a wall or to create extra gardening space in a small courtyard garden. Or you can also grow plants that don’t need deep roots (perfect for growing salads!) Even high end fashion stores are backing this trend with their own green walls in store. You can buy a bespoke system making it an easy way to give it a try this year.
The green wall in Anthrapologie
Pantene Colour of the Year 2020
We can reveal that the pantene colour for 2020 is Classic Blue 19-4052, perfect for gardens! From blousy ceanothus to towering delphiniums there are lots of beautiful planting to give cool, blue tones to your garden this year.
Upcycling
As we continue to have the Climate Crisis at the forefront of our minds, it’s important we consider every purchase and if it is really necessary. We love a bit of upcycling at Vialii and love rescuing old furniture and giving it a makeover or creating something new and beautiful from leftover materials. Take a rusty old table and chairs, and give them a makeover with some on-trend chartreuse paint for a new, cheap garden furniture set.
Upcycled bistro set
The Garden Kitchen
More and more clients are wanting to spend more time in their gardens and that includes cooking. Whilst the good old garden BBQ is still the most popular outdoor cooking option, more and more clients are looking for full on outdoor kitchens with grills, ovens, sinks and more! We can design the perfect kitchen to suit your outdoor space, get in touch to let us know what you are looking for.
Secluded Places
As we want to spend more time in our gardens, creating secluded, private areas where we can relax is becoming more important. Even in smaller gardens we can use clever design skills to create a secluded corner where you can get away from the outside world.
We created this wonderful oasis in a corner of a city garden
If you need some helping transforming your garden in 2020 get in touch to arrange a free garden design consultation. Make 2020 the year of the garden transformation!
Vialii
Make Your Own Bird Feeder
It’s been a busy start to 2018 for me as I turned 6 and started going to Beavers. On my very first week there we made a cool bird feeder from an old bottle which made me think I should show you how to make your own bird feeder using some things from around the house. It’s still really cold outside so our feathered friends need as much help as possible and it’s a great craft activity for half term!
You will need:
- A plastic water bottle
- Scissors
- Two old pencils or sticks
- Some string
- Bird food
Original image from Money Matters blog (www.sainsburysbank.co.uk/money-matters/ )
To make:
1. Carefully add 2 pairs of holes in the bottle where the pencils will be pushed through. Make sure that each pair of holes are the same height. You may need a grown up to help with making the holes as it can be tricky.
2. Push your pencils/sticks through to make perches for the birds.
3. Add some small holes above each perch so that the birds can access the bird food (not too big though or the seeds will fall out)
4. Tie string round the top which you will use to hang it up
5. Fill with bird seed and put your lid back on (to keep your seed dry)
6. Now it’s ready to hang outside!
We have ours hanging in our apple tree and can see it easily from the house and watch birds coming for their tea!
Enjoy making yours.
Lulu x
Are You Sitting Comfortably?
The good summers we’ve experienced recently means we’ve seen an increase in requests from clients to incorporate comfortable areas for outdoor seating and entertaining. That’s meant we’ve been drooling over some great designs for garden seats. As this week is National Gardening Week (13th-19th April) we thought we’d help you get comfortable to enjoy your garden too.
A well designed and comfortable seating area allows you to really appreciate your garden
Garden Seats: Points to consider
Before you buy new furniture you need to work out what you use your garden for. Is it for relaxing in the sunshine (with plenty of suncream on of course!), long weekend lunches with family or for more formal dining alfresco? Do you use it during the daytime or evening and at what time of year? Do you have storage space to move it inside in winter or do you need it to withstand all the elements of a UK winter (and summer!)? You can get outdoor furniture covers that may help. Is your decking or patio strong enough to take the weight of the furniture plus your guests? How big an area do you have for the furniture and how many people will be using it at any time?
What material?
Rattan effect
Good points: lightweight, available in wide range of colours, weather resistant and easy to clean.
Bad points may snag your clothes (less of an issue with modern rattan effect). Darker colours may get hot in sunshine.
Metal
Good points: comes in traditional and contemporary designs. Can have folding parts to ease storage, can be lightweight.
Bad points: Some designs can be quite heavy, can rust if not weatherproofed by manufacturer.
A metal bench in a garden we designed & built
Wooden
Good points: durable and strong. Can be stained or painted your choice of colour.
Bad points: heavier, can be harder to store. May need to be treated annually to prevent warping.
Plastic
Good points: affordable, lightweight, weather resistant and normally can stack for easy storage.
Bad points: can warp with prolonged sun exposure, strong winds can lead to plastic furniture being “relocated” around your garden!
Caring for your garden seats
Rattan effect: remove cushions and wipe with a damp cloth. May be fine to leave outside over winter (check with manufacturer).
Wooden: waxed woods should be cleaned with a soft, dry cloth. Hard woods can be scrubbed with warm soapy water. They may require annual treatments with oil or stain. It’s a good idea to keep in shade when not in use in summer to prevent the sunlight warping.
We built this garden room with a hidden rear storage area for the seat cushions
Metal: use warm soapy water but nothing abrasive to prevent scratches. Can be cleaned with a pressure washer on a low setting. Dry thoroughly to prevent water marks.
Plastic: use warm soapy water but nothing abrasive to prevent scratches. Can be cleaned with a pressure washer on a low setting. Good idea to keep it in the shade to prevent warping when not in use in summer.
Home made garden seats
At Vialii we are always keen to have a go at making our own. We’ve done some larger scale fixed seating areas like on these recent client projects:
Troughs for planting with integrated seating made for a multi-functional patio
We integrated a seat into the dry-stane dyke in this garden
Plus we’ve designed secluded areas perfect for a simple bench:
This bench is in the ideal area to watch the garden change with the seasons
And it just wouldn’t be a Vialii furniture blog if we didn’t mention some up-cycling would it? From a pallet seat to a stump stool there is plenty you can create.
Hopefully we’ve given you some inspiration to get your garden seats organised for maximum enjoyment this year. If you’d like to discuss your options for creating a bespoke seating area in your garden please get in touch.
Thanks for reading,
All at Vialii
Vialii Review of 2014…
The recent cold weather has given us plenty time to stay nice and warm inside and think over what a year 2014 was (aided by a cuppa or two!) Here is our Vialii Review of 2014 and what 2014 was the year of to us…
It’s great to see the community utilising the re-designed Provost’s Park
The year of even more up-cycling
You know us, we’re always on the look-out for ways to utilise items that would otherwise make their way into landfill. In the past we’ve even been known to create an outside lounge for a client, just to utilise a Victorian cast iron fireplace that was found in the house renovations! Back in April we blogged about some other up-cycling ideas we’d tried out at Vialii Towers. We used our old trailer wheels and tyres to make unusual planters. We made a quirky container to display potted plants and encouraged wildlife into the garden by making a bird table from left over timber. We also thought we’d give you step-by-step instructions on how to make your own planters out of pallets. The herbs we planted in ours were a great success last year.
Our bird table was made from left over wood
The year “Lulu’s Garden” grew it’s readership
Our 3 year old blogging daughter writes for our sister gardening company Vialii Garden Services on fun and informative aspects of growing your own veg and wildlife gardening. There were lots of outdoor activities and fun crafts featured in “Lulu’s Garden” in 2014 with the wonderful perk of getting a great array of tasty food to try and colourful decorations around the house and garden. Not to mention lovely Mother’s and Father’s day gifts! With our latest Vialii team member newly arrived (more on that later), Lulu has some help at present from her guest-blogging BFF Euan. As a growing 3 year old boy his focus is always switched on to food so you can be sure there are always children’s cooking and baking ideas to use up home grown produce.
Blogger Lulu getting inspiration
The year of weather extremes
Weather conditions made working in gardens last year challenging to say the least. 2014 had the hottest summer but was also the 4th wettest year on record. The hot weather didn’t affect us too much, we just had to take extra care ensuring new plants and lawns were well-watered (and of course use lots of sun cream and wear a hat!) The wet November however saw an already challenging sloped garden turn into a precarious working environment. Not sure the team really saw the free mud baths as a perk of the job though!
Lulu’s site inspection to check for muddy puddles
The completed patio and summerhouse
The year of a new look at Vialii Towers
Gardens of course never stay static. They are constantly evolving, be that naturally or with a little help. We gave our own garden a simple but effective revamp last year. When we first designed our garden we built troughs around the deck and painted them white. Last year we felt Michael wasn’t being exposed to enough girliness with just a wife and one daughter so we decided to add a bright splash of pink to the troughs in a quick and easy makeover. We also added new pink pots to the patio area and a bright teal coat of paint to our bird table. New upcycled planters added more colour around the garden. Reports that it has helped Michael get more in touch with his feminine side are yet to be confirmed!
Added colour transforms our deck area
The year that the refurbished Provost’s Park opened
The opening of Provost Park in Bridge of Allan by our daughter Lulu was the culmination of almost 4 years of discussion and planning. The design remit was to transform an underused space in the town centre that is situated immediately beside the public toilet into an inviting park that could be used by all. The space needed to be accessed by families, couples and the elderly so path widths and surfaces were important. It also needed to fit in with the Victorian spa town and be easy to maintain. We created a focal point with a cast iron gazebo in the centre of the formal gardens. This was surrounded by symmetrical planting and topiary- both favourites of Victorians. Metal laser-cut screens displaying iconic Bridge of Allan features such as the Allanwater Bridge, the local celebrity heron, the Paterson Clock and a church window help camouflage the toilet block as well as creating a great back drop to the garden.
The completed Provost’s Park was officially opened
The year we went through a kitchen
Whilst it was a relatively small project, the build of one garden in Stirling was challenging and memorable due to the only access being through their kitchen. I think it’s a first for Vialli that the team were carting through materials whilst the client made macaroni cheese for her family. It did seem to make them work even faster so they could get to their lunch though!
This was the only access to the garden
It was a particularly satisfying build because prior to finding Vialii the client had been told by another uninterested landscaper that “if you ever get anybody to do your garden for you then they will be cowboys”. This was a red rag to the proverbial bull and we were chuffed to deliver the family a beautiful garden of which they are delighted with. And not a cowboy in sight! Yee-ha!
The finished garden
The year of the staycation
We were lucky enough to have 2 family holidays in 2014. We headed to Northumberland and to Kingussie in the Scottish Highlands. That gave us great opportunity to visit some lovely gardens in the UK. Up in the Highlands we visited Blair Castle Gardens. The extensive grounds contain a wooded grove, a walled garden, a babbling burn (Banvie Burn), a ruined kirk, a sculpture trail and a red deer park.
The Banvie Burn is a gorgeous water feature!
The year of the “green extension” trend
With the summers of 2013 and 2014 being particularly good, a lot of our clients have been looking to make their gardens into an extension of their houses. They’ve been especially keen to ensure they had outdoor spaces where they could play, relax, entertain, dine and have fun. Summerhouses, offices, pergolas and large dining patios have all been created. All members of the family have been catered for with new lawns (both real and artificial) created for kids and pets to enjoy.
The pergola gives added privacy in this family garden
The year that Tilda joined Team Vialii
Our biggest highlight in our Review of 2014 has to be the arrival of baby daughter Tilda at Vialii Towers in November. Lulu’s proving to be a wonderful big sister and is looking forward to Tilda being able to get outside and start gardening. Keep your eyes peeled for a cute pic of all the family in their Vialii t-shirts coming to your screens soon 🙂
The youngest Vialii team members
We can’t wait to see what this year is going to bring…
Here’s to a wonderful 2015 everyone.
All at Vialii
Top Garden Trends for 2015
A new year often prompts us to think about the changes we’d like to make in our life and our gardens. Here we give you the top garden trends for 2015 that we think will have an impact on our green spaces.
Up-cycling and recycling
We’ve been into this for years and we don’t see the trend stopping. It’s all about sourcing old materials and using them in unique ways to add focal points and functional pieces to your garden. In 2015, rather than waiting for materials to be processed into a new form in the traditional meaning of re-cycling, more of a focus will be on immediate re-cycling. This means the use of existing structures in new ways, such as old sinks as planters and old machinery turned into water features.
A great way to prevent old tyres ending up in landfill
Shrubs
Shrubs are having a renaissance. Planting them alongside small trees or grasses gives interest year round rather than just a shot of colour when perennials are in season. Variable winters over recent years have meant that trends imported from overseas have not fulfilled their promise. Phormiums and cordylines often don’t flourish as hoped. In 2015 heathland planting incorporating shrubs such as the common gorse will be more popular. Indeed golden yellows are a colour trend in garden in 2015 with sunflowers also seeing their popularity increase. Dusty reds are another main colour trend for the coming year.
Outside rooms
With many of us choosing to extend our homes rather than move (including us at Vialii Towers!), an outside office or garden room becomes a real option. Vialii clients have embraced this trend for a couple of years – we always like to have our finger on the pulse!Budgets can vary enormously from custom built to designer ready made so there is sure to be one to suit you, your budget and your garden.
Be it a space to relax or work in, garden rooms can be an effective additional to any home
Intricate pathways
Functional driveways and paths are being giving a more intricate edge by a revival of older techniques, such as Portuguese pavement. This technique uses smaller blocks to create mosaic-like patterns or grids. It has the bonus of being great for drainage too. For more on intricate paving click here.
Small square paving blocks and gravel contrast well in these curving paths
Grow your own
Being able to produce your own fruit and veg will always be popular. However the bad weather in recent years has also affected that. This year easier to grow, low maintenance crops such as rhubarb and hardier patio suitable tomatoes (we recommend Losetto) will be popular. Another trend we see becoming more popular is straw bale planting which is ideal if you have a bad back and can’t bend easily, plus you don’t have to dig over the earth. The plants are incorporated into bales that you pre-treat with water and fertiliser. We’re hoping to be having a go…
Growing your own flowers for cutting is also on the increase. We were lucky enough to inherit a lovely iris bed within our garden and watching The Big Allotment Challenge has inspired us to grow other cut flowers too. It’s not only much better for the environment than buying imported flowers but a whole lot more satisfying too.
Getting younger generations involved
At Vialii we have no trouble doing that as our toddler Lulu has her very own blog on the subject. Trends such as electric daisies (Acmella oleracea) that can actually be eaten (their petals have a citrus taste combined with a mild jolt of electricity!) help to intrigue children and adults (try them in a cocktail!) Follow Lulu’s blog for regular posts on how to inspire children to get involved in gardening and lots of great projects to try.
Getting children involved in growing their own is a great way for them to learn where food comes from
What do you think or wish will be top garden trends for 2015?
If you want to commission us to bring any of these trends into your garden then please get in touch.
Thanks for reading.
All at Vialii
Beautiful Butterflies
I love butterflies (unlike my Auntie Kathleen!) They are so pretty and great for the garden too. This week we have been releasing butterflies at nursery which is great fun. In my latest blog I tell you some fluttery facts as well as three (yes three) cool butterfly related things I have been doing in my garden. Come on, join in…
Fluttery Facts
Now, we have all heard that butterflies are good for the garden and we should try and encourage them in. But do you know why?
- Like bees, butterflies are essential for pollination. The diet of adult butterflies consists mostly of nectar from flowers. While gathering nectar, the butterflies pick up pollen on their feet and wings and transfer it to neighbouring flowers and plants, continuing the life cycle of many plants that other animals depend on for survival.
- As caterpillars, some butterflies eat aphids in addition to leaves, removing the destructive aphids and helping to control their population. Some adult butterflies eat rotten fruit, helping to break it down and assisting in the composting process.
- They provide great pleasure to people in the garden which is an added bonus.
Upcycle Your Own Butterfly Garden
M&D love to do a bit of upcycling and I have decided to have a go myself. Daddy recently had to replace the wheels on his trailer. He used the old tyres to make this funky container for our deck:
The tyres were turned into a funky planter
So we were left with the wheel rims and I was sure we could do something cool with them too. We turned them upside down, found a pot which fitted perfectly in the hole in the middle and then filled the pot and the ridge of the wheel with compost.
We sowed butterfly seeds in the rims!
We got a packet of butterfly seeds and sowed these and waited for the magic to happen. We didn’t have to wait long – soon our wheels were filled with pretty flowers to attract both bees and butterflies!
Kabloom – Throw a Butterfly Bomb!
The wonderfully clever people at kabloom make really cool “seedboms”. Not only do you get to throw a bomb in your garden (that doesn’t happen every fay, does it?!) it is filled with lots of lovely seeds which grow into pretty flowers which attract butterflies.
Kabloom have a great range of different types of “bombs” and they make lovely gifts too. You can even buy a catapult to sling your bomb with – cooooool! I will be telling you more about the “Catnipbom” in a future blog.
Butterfly Clothes Pegs
Anyone who knows me knows I love a good ole craft project. And what better than to take advantage of this lovely summery weather and to make it in the garden. Here’s how:
You will need:
- A wooden clothes peg
- Paint & brushes
- Card
- A pencil
- Scissors
- Colouring in pens, sequins or whatever you want to use for decorating your butterfly
- Glue
- Googly eyes
- A pipe cleaner
Our pretty butterflies in the sunshine
So, have I persuaded you to love the butterfly yet Auntie Kathleen?…
Upcycled Garden Ideas
Regular readers are well aware that we love a bit of upcycling and are always turning unused items into wonderful new features in our garden. So far we have told you about our garden shed, pallet planters and a pallet sand pit and gate which grace our back garden. Here are some of our latest upcycled garden projects in our ever evolving garden…
The upcycled garden bird cage is a great place to display alpines
1. Upcycled garden bird table
We love attracting wildlife into our garden and we felt that our birds deserved a posh table to dine at. So Mr Vialii set about seeing what he could create from various left over pieces of timber. Once the main carcass was created the table was given a coat of lovely bright turquoise paint. The roof was clad in some cedar shingle samples which we were sent from a supplier and the house was finished off with some fancy lead flashing, courtesy of our next door neighbour who was clearing out her garage! If that doesn’t entice our local feathered friends then we don’t know what will!
The upcycled garden bird table has a cedar roof and lead flashing!
2. Upcycled trailer wheels
We had some old wheels from our trailer which had been replaced. Never ones to throw anything way we decided to put all parts to good use. The tyres were painted bright colours and stacked to create a contemporary planter for some cloud topiary.
Old tyres can become an eye catching garden feature
The wheels were filled with compost and our clever Lulu has sown some butterfly friendly flowers in them to create a colourful entrance to our veg patch soon. You could paint these funky colours too but we decided to go rusty at this end of the garden.
The old rims were planted with wildlife friendly flowers
3. Upcycled garden bird cage
We had acquired a vintage bird cage which looked beautiful in its own right. But we decided we could make it even more beautiful by adding some pots (a wonderful array, again donated by our neighbour during her clear out!) and a selection of alpines.
Some pretty pots and alpines give this pretty bird cage a new purpose in life
4. Upcycled cheese boxes
This was a lovely project which we did for Mother’s Day. To find out how to make your own, visit Lulu’s Garden Blog for a step by step guide…
Pansies in cheese boxes makes a lovely gift
We have a few more upcycling ideas up our sleeve which we will tell you all about soon.
If you want to commission us to make any of these upcycled garden features for you or would like to discuss how we can help you transform your garden using some upcycling tips then please get in touch.
Thanks for reading,
All at Vialii
An Upcycled Gift for Mummy’s Day
Hellllooooo everyone! I am sure you are all remembering that it’s Mother’s Day this Sunday. I certainly am ‘cos my Mummy is awesome and I will be spoiling her ALL day! In my experience (of which I have packed a lot into my whole two years!) mummies like handmade gifts which are made with love (and sparkly, expensive presents too but that’s not for this blog!) So, here is a great idea of a lovely gift you can make for this weekend. And the best bit is you have to eat some yummy cheese first!
Pansies in cheese boxes makes a lovely gift
Pansies in Cheese Boxes
You will need:
- Scrummy camembert in a wooden box
- Glue
- Some pansies
- Ribbon
To make:
1. Eat the yummy cheese!
2. To make the box a little deeper I took the top off the lid and glued the sides of the lid to the the sides of the bottom. I glued the leftover top to the bottom just to make it a little more robust (and to have a nicer finish.)
3. Ask a grown up to drill a few drainage holes in the bottom of your cheese box.
4. Fill with pansies and get your hands mucky!
5. Tie a pretty ribbon around the outside of the box.
Isn’t this the cutest gift?
Alpines such as sempervivum would also look lovely in this little handmade pot.
A big thank you to the lovely people at Kyle Books for sending me a copy of their Gifts from the Garden book by Debora Robertson which features this lovely project.
I hope you all have a lovely day with your mummies on Sunday.
Make Your Own Upcycled Pallet Planter
Upcycling is all the rage just now. Not only does it help save money, it can turn something old and unwanted into something new and unique. We love a bit of upcycling at Vialii, whether it be creating an upcycled garden for clients or simply adding a few new features into our own garden – from containers and sand pits to sheds and gates, pallets have been put to good use at Vialii Towers! It’s cheap, it’s easy, it’s fun and it’s hugely satisfying. In our latest blog we give you a step by step guide to make your own bespoke upcycled pallet planter…
Personalised, bespoke pallet planters
1. Deconstruct your pallet
Discard any pales which won’t be of use in the container you are building.
Deconstruct your pallet
2. Get cutting
Cut your pieces of pallet to size so that you can start to create your uprights and your end panels.
Start cutting down your pallet to size
3. Make your sides
Add pieces of pallet to make the sides of your upcycled pallet planter.
Make your sides
4. Make the bottom
Once you have your four uprights and sides secured you can create the bottom of your planter.
Make the bottom
5. Sand your planter
Your carcass of your container is now ready for sanding down.
Sand your planter
6. Personalise your planter
We like to add personalisation to our planters. We simply print the wording onto card then cut it out.
Personalise your planter
You can then use your template to spray the words onto your planter.
Spray your wording onto your planter
7. Line your planter
You need to line your planter with polythene to help protect your wood. Remember to add drainage holes at the bottom.
Line your planter
8. Add compost and plants to complete your upcycled pallet planter
Fill the planter with compost (and water retaining crystals if you wish) and then choose whatever plants you want to put in it.
Add compost and plants
And here’s the finished planter, perfect for growing herbs near the kitchen door.
The finished planter
There you have it. Our cheap and easy pallet containers. If you want more information on these containers, would like to commission us to make one or have any gardening queries please get in touch.
Best wishes
All at Vialii
Pallet Perfection
The landscaping side of our business gets a LOT of materials delivered on pallets. Lately we have been giving some thought to what we could use the leftover pallets for. Here are some of the items we have made from upcycled pallets so far:
Some old pallets being stripped ready for a new life
Planters
These pretty planters can be made to whatever size or shape suits your garden. We have made a few herb planters so far but we have a tray of alpines waiting to be re-homed into a brand new pallet planter at our front door. These can easily be personalised by spraying whatever words you want onto the front. To read how to make your own pallet planter click here. Or contact us to order your own bespoke planter.
Pallet planters
Gate
We have been meaning to add a gate to our back garden for a while now, to help keep our little one from escaping. We decided to make a unique gate out of pallets and used a vintage garden tool as a handle. We will be adding some suitable wording to the horizontal slat soon.
Pallet gate
Sand pit
Essentially, a large planter, the sand pit is proving to be a very popular addition to the range. Just make sure you sand down the pales well and you use a robust liner inside. Oh and add a lid so that local cats don’t use it as their very own outdoor litter tray! Again, this can be personalised and we have added a hole in one corner for a windmill 🙂
Pallet sand-pit
Shed
The main structure of our bespoke garden shed is made with some heavy duty pallets.
Pallets used to create the shed frame
These were then covered in slats on the outside and a living roof added on. It wouldn’t be us without the quirky handle, alternative down pipe and loveheart hole in the door!
The completed shed
Next we are thinking about trying out a children’s bench. If you have ideas of other items that could be made from upcycled pallets we would love to hear them. Or if you want more information on ordering any of these items please get in touch.
Thanks for reading,
All at Vialii