James May likes to play with toys, or so he says in his TV series where he supersizes childhood favourites for the amusement of the masses. One of his meanders into toyworld was to build a monument out of lego, not quite channelling the majestic wonder of lego statue building contests but significant nonetheless. Well I am here to tell you that lego isn’t just for James May, or for kids, it is for the grown up gardener where they can use it to add whimsy to their greenery.
Why use lego in a container/pot garden? Glad you asked, well here are just a few reasons:
1. It is colourful
2. Despite the watering, pests, soil and plants it stands the test of time
3. The former is probably because I use it in pots. Not only does it fit in pots so neatly, often perched right on the edge it is away from any harm
4. Do you get it??? If not let me repeat lego and container gardens are made for each other
5. If you don’t like what you made you can build it again
The lego and plant coupling in the balcony garden started with an indoor tomato plant and some spare time in an afternoon. As a matter of ego, or self-referential art I figured the placing of a single apartment-style lego creation complete with a balcony which in turn was complete with a balcony garden would be a laugh. And it was. As the garden grew, so did the lego ambitions. It went from small apartment avec balcony garden to two story house with balcony garden, to castle, to cafe, to bar and lately to Mormon style meeting house.
Lego doesn’t just have to be something you played with as a child and pull out of the cupboard when the grandkids come over (note I am not of grandmothering age, and consider myself not even of mothering age, ok maybe I am of mothering age but am not of mothering stage.) So next time you want to add a little something to your pots, add something green and then something red, yellow, blue, white and black, though remember black lego is sometimes hard to come by!
For a more complete post of the lego constructions that inhabit balcony garden see the guest post by the lego inhabitants themselves.
1. It is colourful
2. Despite the watering, pests, soil and plants it stands the test of time
3. The former is probably because I use it in pots. Not only does it fit in pots so neatly, often perched right on the edge it is away from any harm
4. Do you get it??? If not let me repeat lego and container gardens are made for each other
5. If you don’t like what you made you can build it again
The lego and plant coupling in the balcony garden started with an indoor tomato plant and some spare time in an afternoon. As a matter of ego, or self-referential art I figured the placing of a single apartment-style lego creation complete with a balcony which in turn was complete with a balcony garden would be a laugh. And it was. As the garden grew, so did the lego ambitions. It went from small apartment avec balcony garden to two story house with balcony garden, to castle, to cafe, to bar and lately to Mormon style meeting house.
Lego doesn’t just have to be something you played with as a child and pull out of the cupboard when the grandkids come over (note I am not of grandmothering age, and consider myself not even of mothering age, ok maybe I am of mothering age but am not of mothering stage.) So next time you want to add a little something to your pots, add something green and then something red, yellow, blue, white and black, though remember black lego is sometimes hard to come by!
For a more complete post of the lego constructions that inhabit balcony garden see the guest post by the lego inhabitants themselves.
2 comments:
I love your lego houses! Makes me wonder if my lego is still around somewhere - should be. I used to build pretty crazy and elaborate houses, and I played in the flower pots (little holiday islands for barbies and Playmobil people), but why did I never put any lego in them?
Sweet! I like those stories where one thing leads to another and you end up with something so cool and original.
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