A Chandelier in the garden

Last year when our garden was featured on the local garden tour, this little number received about as many comments as the purple wall. It was Michael's idea, who has a knack for these things. The chandelier had been sitting in our basement for years. I had considered putting it inside the iron pergola in the secret garden but he told me he wanted to try something else. Just days before the tour (in fact, it may have been the day before!), he transformed the fixture into a hanging basket of sorts. The bottom portion of the chandelier was removed and a planter form was cut and fitted in. Potting soil and sphagnum moss was added and then, viola! A chain was added and draped over a branch and secured at the trunk of our massive pecan tree. It is very heavy so the only time I lower it is to replant it in the spring. It is watered with the spray from the hose and since it is hard to get to, I don't fertilize it.

I am still experimenting with plant materials. This year's planting of coleus, ivy and calibrachoa leaves a lot to be desired. The coleus has gotten way too large and the calibrachoa and ivy are puny. Last year I used New Guinea impatients and ivy which turned out nicer.