Every Thursday we like to post a picture of something we've found online that inspires us to do something similar at the farm.
Sort of our own blog bulletin board so that we can eventually look back and someday, hopefully anyway, recreate it...enjoy!
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| Under the tree deck, image courtesy of SunsetLiving.com |
2nd Man and I have been looking at options for underneath "Barnabas" (our party tree at the side of the house). It's one of those spots where we WILL have a dinner table for outdoor dining. It's close to the house and it's under an awesome old mesquite tree. But at times it's wet. There are weeds and grass that grow under it and when they are reduced, then it gets muddy if it's wet and you walk around under it. It would take some work to keep it up.
Then we stumbled across this and it got us to thinking. It might make more sense to build a deck around and under the tree. It would actually make it into more of the outdoor room that we originally envisioned. Of course this is an added expense of materials and labor to help us build it but it's one thing we are considering. I will start cleaning out the area under the tree this Spring/Summer and we'll see what we can make happen.
Be inspired!
Sounds and would look wonderful.
ReplyDeletePlans for a floating deck: http://blog.homedepot.com/tips-and-ideas-on-how-to-build-a-floating-deck/
Thank you for this link (as always!!!). It does look not overly complicated but we might need some help. And now we have a name, a floating deck!!! Yay!
DeleteSounds like a great plan.
ReplyDeleteThanks, we're discussing moving it up the list. It would be nice to get a new "outdoor room" sooner rather than later.
DeleteAnd a deck will keep the soil from becoming compacted. Spaces between the boards will allow rain and granular weed killer to pass through. Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! Even if the area did not get boggy, the deck will make the area more useful even if the ground is just damp. Make it extra large so people like me won't back off it.
DeleteThanks, and a good reminder to put a bit of space between the boards for rain. Thanks!!!
DeleteParsimony, I am obsessing about this idea now, ha, and yep, I thought about making it even bigger than just around the tree for some more space. And so people don't fall off, we have to think about it being crowded for dinner and having room for people to walk around.
DeleteWith it being wet, is there a mosquito problem? If so, with decking over the top, it might be an issue hard to resolve. Perhaps instead of decking boards, a thick layer of stones (for drainage and easy access) might work. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't stay standing water wet and it drains well. We've thought about gravel too, we're going to see how much we can get done on clearing around the tree so we see just how much space we have. 2nd Family has an outdoor deck similar (but just a square space for a table, and it was damp too but they've been lucky with no mosquitos. We'll get advice from them too, ha.
DeleteIt looks great. I hope that the mosquito issue can be resolved.
ReplyDeleteI think it can...I mean there are times here when there are just mosquitos all over the place no matter what but at least with a deck like this we could plant mosquito repelling plants around and use citronella candles.
Deletebarnabas needs a deck. i love how the lights are hung on the branches!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, I should have mentioned that too. The lights are awesome and yep, Barnabas needs a deck. I should make that a hashtag, ha. Hey, "gofundme for Barnabas", LOL!
DeleteI really like this idea. It would solve the damp/muddy problem and set the area off as an outdoor room. The lights in the tree will create a wonderful atmosphere. Love that livestock watering trough turned upside down for a table.
ReplyDeleteI think it would huh? Lights in the tree would be so pretty. I love that trough as a table, that's so neat.
DeleteWow, this is a great idea. And would make it a true outdoor dining room. You would also have places for other "furniture" like that rolling car you found, or a stand, even a bakers rack type thing to put food and/or dishes on. I hope you do this earlier on your list.
ReplyDeleteWell thank you for that. The more we talk about it, the higher up on our list it moves, ha. It would be nice to go ahead and have that space as an extension of the house sooner rather than later. And we totally forgot about the rolling cart. That would be nice out there! Thank you!
DeleteI like this idea primarily because we did something similar near our pond at our previous residence. Here's the post where I last wrote about it. Scroll down to see it. http://birdsbloomsbooksetc.blogspot.com/2016/05/tuesday-treasures-16-harvest-post-and.html
ReplyDeleteLove that deck!!! Yep, that's what I picture in my head, just meandering around under the tree. Thank you for this, it gives me more inspiration.
DeleteTrex will last forever.
ReplyDeleteTREX? I've heard of that. Thank you for this tip, we'd like something that never wears out or rots away. Even if it costs a bit more it's worth it if you don't have to replace it in a few years. Thank you!!!
DeleteAbsolutely love it!!! And you could always make a pathway to your door with 4' x 4' sections to avoid mud, strategically placed poles along the path to string your lights, flowers/shrubs along the way, and would make rolling a cart easier too. Maybe even a little rock fountain tinkling in the background under Barnabus. Yes, I'm getting carried way by the whole idea. I just love it! There is something of an Asian secret garden about it too isn't there? If it was me I'd only have one concern, a little too much wine and I might lose guests toppling off the sides in the dark. :)
ReplyDeleteOOOH, now a pathway would be nice too. Hmmm, of course it would intersect with my mowing and cut off that part of the yard and have to go around but hey, not too bad for something nice like that. We had visions of cobblestone path too, even bought the molds for it but that's labor intensive and won't be happening for a couple years anyway.
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