Utopia : Fantasy Gardening Magazine

THE GUIDEBOOK ISSUE

fantasy gardening DECEMBER 05, 2013

U T OP I A

HOW TO BUILD A

HOBBIT HOLE - A MINIATURE GARDEN IN A SHOE- RECYCLED GOODS AND MUCH MORE- FOR YOUR BACKYARD.

featured page 3-6

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ON

TENTS inspire page 7-8

discover page 1-2

found page 9

discover RAIN CHAIN Kusari dor

D

esign with the weather this summer in your backyard by introducing a rain chain. Beautiful and functional alternative to traditional, closed gutter downspouts. Guiding rain water visibly down chains or cups from the roof to the ground, rain chains transform a plain gutter downspout into a pleasing water feature.

From the soft tinkling of individual droplets to the soothing rush of white water, they are a treat to listen to. What originated in Japan hundreds of years ago, the kusari doi, or “chain gutter,� is a simple way to carry rain to the ground

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f you are a fan of The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, you are probably familiar with and fascinated by the underground homes where the hobbits live.

The best part is you don’t need to be a construction expert; this is a total do-it-yourself job by a complete amateur. So far, though, it is turning out rather nicely, I think.

A hobbit hole is a dug into the side of a hill and would make a great club house. It has the benefit of being much safer than a tree house, and if you build it using the right procedure, it will last for years. A hobbit-hole in my backyard? It may sound crazy, but I can tell you that my kids are ecstatic about it.

Since this is article is from a blog, the posts are in order from newest to oldest. You can find the online article with more details . Here is a step by step guide to build yours

When it is finished, it will be the coolest playhouse ever. On top of that, they can enjoy the grassy hill for sledding in winter and water sliding summer.

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feature BUILD YOUR OWN THINGS YOU WILL NEED

“Why build your kids a tree house, when you can make a Hobbit hole?”

Hob bi t

Ho le

Shovels Tape measure Metal mesh panels Plaster Wide putty knife Trowel Paint Sandpaper Paint roller Wood pallets Straw Chainsaw Treated lumber Hammer Nails Tarp Scissors Grass seed

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SKETCH A PLAN Sketch a rough plan on paper of the layout of the hobbit house and note the dimensions. Since this house is for kids, you won’t need to make it very large. The height of the entrance should be no more than 5 1/2 feet high and the interior doesn’t need to be any wider than 10 feet across.

Consider the location and make sure there are no underground utility lines.

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FLOOR THE HOLE Place wooden pallets on the floor and line the inside of the pallets with straw. Measure each area and cut pieces of treated lumber to fit into place. Hammer them to the pallets underneath and finish by sanding the floor.

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DIG A HOLE Dig into the side of a hill with a back hoe to the dimensions you want. You can use a shovel or get some friends with shovels to help you dig if you don’t have access to a back hoe. Start digging at the at the “roof” and hollow out the side of the hill. Keep the dirt off to the side (you’ll need it later) and dig out a hole for the entrance and a window round or half-round window.

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PUT A ROOF ON IT Cut some tree limbs with a chainsaw that are about 3 inches thick. Carve out a large notch in the center point on the top of the inside wall to anchor the ends of the limbs. Lay the tree limbs from this center point across to the top of the outside wall, like spokes on a wheel. Cover the end of the limbs in the notch you carved out with mud and pack it down.

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SECURE THE WALLS

Line the inside walls from top to bottom with metal mesh panels. Mix up some plaster by following the directions on the bag and apply a thin starting layer with a wide putty knife. Apply another thick layer with a trowel and sand it smooth with fine sandpaper after it dries. Apply one more thin layer and smooth it down. Paint the walls to protect the plaster.

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COVER IT UP Cut a tarp with a pair of scissors so that it fits over the roof without any corners hanging down.

Lay thin planks of treated lumber crossing the frame of the roof and cover the roof with the dirt that you had left over from digging the hole.

Lay down grass seed on the roof to help it blend in with the rest of the hill.

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inspire OUT IN THE YARD

Things Needed: large tree photo frames family photos mason jars

Creating an Art-Inspired Garden

Take family trees literally with this addition to your backyard. Simply hang family photographs on the bark of a broad tree.

Add flowers in jars.

Things Needed: old keys a stick string acrylic paint

FAMILY TREE

Recycling craft that will add melodious magic to your garden. Paint all the keys and tie them each to the stick. Hang the stick at your porch!

KEY WIND CHIMES

GLOW IN THE DARK LOG STOOLS Things Needed: glow in the dark paint logs / tree stumps brush dark / night time

MARBLE FENCE Things Needed: fence rubber mallet drill glass marbles It’s pretty simple, just drill a hole in your fence, and use the rubber mallet to pound in the marble. You want the marble to be snug as a bug.

A great way to light up your backyard colorfully at night. Paint the ridges of the log for the natural swirly design and leave them outdoors to dry and soak the daylight.

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SCENT 1. Olafur Eliasson’s Duft tunnel (Scent tunnel) The tunnel itself is an artwork with 2160 flower pots filled with wallflowers revolving around the visitor enfolding them in the flowers’ scent. In 2004 artist, Olafur Eliasson created a holistic sensory experience: from smell, to sight, to the experience of the moving space.

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SPIRAL 2. Spiral staircase at Kew’s Royal Botanic Garden With the world’s largest collection of living plants dotted throughout its grounds and classically styled greenhouses. The victorian spiral staircase at the Palm House, a very ornate iron and glass structure that was built to house tropical plants, is a highlight.

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SPILT 3. Don’t cry over spilled milk - garden accent An appropriate name for this unique flower bed that features white flowers and an overturned old milk can.

All you need to do is dig a flower bed in the shape that is shown in the picture.

Plant some low growing white flowers and add an old milk can at the end of the bed. Voila! “Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk”.

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SUSTAIN 4. Add a water feature with recycled items. Any water feature will support wildlife, and if you have a fountain or bubler, the soothing sound will temper road noise.

You can simply fill up a birdbath or use recyclable items as basin to create an ecofriendly water fountain.

Magic in ymmetry

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