Spring is upon us! Hallelujah! This time of year has so many wonderful things to offer. There are gorgeous flowers blooming everywhere I look and I’m soaking up the warm weather but my favorite thing by far about Spring is the gardening!
It’s time to roll up your sleeves with me because I will be hosting the The Home Depot LA Garden Party, April 19th at the Marina Del Rey Home Depot here in sunny California! If you’re in the LA area please come stop by, say hi and enjoy fabulous gardening projects!
Get your hands dirty and get inspired while you paint your own terra-cotta pots, plant your own creations and learn once in a lifetime gardening tips and tricks from gardeniere Teena Spindler! Teena is a gardening expert hand-picked by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and a Home Depot Garden Club partner! As a Gardeniere, Teena is a passionate gardener with real-world experience when it comes to growing throughout the year on the West Coast.
If you thought that was great it gets even better. The Food Network’s very own Southern Californian chef Nikki Martin will be making delicious farm to table recipes for you to enjoy using all fresh ingredients! Last but not least, get refreshed with signature “mocktails” made with fresh grown herbs!
It’s going to be a very special event and I’m extremely proud and honored to be part of it. If you’re in town I hope to see you there!
Don’t forget to sign up for The Home Depot Garden Club to stay informed and learn everything you need know about gardening! The Home Depot Garden Club is an amazing resource for local gardening content, simple tips, tricks and expert advice to help you start your own garden at home, no matter your experience level or your location. Click here to join The Garden Club!
For more info on The Home Depot LA Garden Party click here to go to the Facebook Event Page.
Now, onto my first gardening project of the month!
To kick off this beautiful time of year I’m going to be doing a fun gardening project that works in any space and home and that kills two birds with one stone. There’s nothing better than fresh flowers and fresh herbs but we all know it’s no fun constantly running back and forth to the store for them. Today I’m making custom planter boxes for indoor and outdoor gardening that serve dual purposes: Gorgeous fresh flowers and herbs as well as beautiful long lasting table centerpieces! The indoor planter will be a permanent flower fixture on my dining room table. I will be planting Hydrangeas mixed with a few faux roses for a little extra va va voom. The outdoor planter will go on my outdoor dining table and have a variation of delicious herbs planted inside like Basil, Spearmint, Thyme, Oregano and Parsley. This table is right out my kitchen door so it will be super convienent for me when I’m cooking or making a cocktail and need to grab an herb. Not only is this project functional for fresh farm to table cooking but it also makes for a gorgeous everyday centerpiece.
I had a blast putting these planter boxes together and they were super easy and inexpensive to do! The best part is you can put your own spin on it, customize it to your lifestyle and get super creative in the process.
All of the materials for the planters including the flowers and herbs were purchased at The Home Depot and took less than 2 hours for me to assemble 3 planters and 1 hour to paint and plant all 3.
Here’s what you’ll need:
These are the measurements for my planter which I think is a great size that can fit most rooms and tables but of course feel free to customize these planters to you!
The Framework. One frame for the top and one for the bottom of your planter. This is what you will use to attach your sides to.
These two frames are made up of:
Four pieces of 1in x 2in Clear Pine Wood for the length of the two frames. 24in long each.
Four pieces of 1in x 2in Clear Pine Wood for the width of the two frames. 10in long each.
To keep everything nice and organized I’ve taken a Sharpie marker and written out numbers on the pieces pertaining to what number that step is when I assemble. The first frame is numbered 1 and the second frame is numbered 8 (It will be the 8th step even though it’s the second piece constructed.) I find that this is a great way to keep everything organized but of course you don’t have to if you don’t need the extra help.
The Sides. You will need four sides to attach onto your frames to make into a box.
The sides are made up of:
The long sides. Two pieces of plywood. 24in long and 8in tall. I used a 4ft x 8ft sheet of plywood model T lll, because I liked the pattern and grain in the wood but feel free to use whatever you like. Mark one piece as 3 and one as 7.
The short sides. Two pieces of plywood 10in long and 8in tall. Mark these 4, 5.
The Bottom: You will use the same wood as the sides to make the bottom of your planter.
The bottom is made up of:
One 24in long by 10in wide piece of plywood. With three holes drilled in the wood for the water to drain out. Mark this as 6.
The Trim: A perfect way to make the edges of the planter look finished and beautiful.
The trim is made of:
The long sides *Top. Two pieces of Corner Guard Fir Wood Trim (L shaped trim that forms a 90 degree angle) 25in long cut at 45 degree angles at the ends. These will go on top of the planter. Marked 9, 11.
The short sides *Top. Two pieces of Corner Guard Fir Wood Trim 11in long cut at 45 degree angles at the ends. These will go on top ends of the planter. Marked 10, 12.
The long sides *Bottom . Two pieces of Corner Guard Fir Wood Trim 23in long to go on the bottom of the planter. Marked 13, 14.
The short sides *Bottom. Two pieces of Corner Guard Fir Wood Trim 9in long to of on the bottom ends of the planter. Marked 15, 16.
The corners. Four pieces of Corner Guard Fir Wood Trim 7 1/2in long to go on the corners of the planter. Marked 17, 18, 19, 20.
You will also need:
A nail gun compressor, a power drill or even a hammer with nails if you like. I chose the nail gun compressor because it’s quicker, but whatever you have at your disposal will do just fine!
This Porter-Cable 6-Gal. Portable Electric Air Compressor and 18-Gauge Brad Nailer Combo Kit has everything you will need available at The Home Depot. I used Galvanized narrow crown staples along with it.
Here’s a power drill I love that is extremely simple to use and sells for under $40 at The Home Depot, the BLACK & DECKER 12-Volt Ni-Cad 3/8 in.
Cordless Drill with Soft Grips. This is a fantastic investment and trust me you will use it again and again.
You will also need Rust-Oleum Leak Seal Flexible Rubber Coating also from The Home Depot. This product is amazing because you can literally just spray it and it waterproofs and seals whatever surface you spray it on.
In this case, once you plant your flowers, herbs, veggies, etc in your planter you need a protectant so that when you water there’s something between the water and the wood to prevent the wood from getting wet and ruining not only the planter but also the surface the planter is sitting on.
Last but not least, you need a Saucer 24in Window Box Tray under $4 a piece. You’ll place this on your table or whatever surface you’re planning on putting your planter to protect it from any damaging drainage when watering. I used a utility knife to cut mine down a little to fit under my box.
Step 1: Make your Measurements. Once you find the perfect spot for your planter to go, you need to figure out how big you want it. Using a tape measurer take your measurements.
Step 2: Make Your Cuts. Once you know the dimensions your planter will be it’s time to cut your wood. My planter is 24in long, 10in wide and 8in deep. If you don’t have a saw at home don’t get discouraged because The Home Depot is always happy to cut your wood for you, just be sure to bring in your measurements. If you want to cut the pieces yourself, The Home Depot also rents tools!
Now we’re ready to start building. Since we’ve marked all of our pieces numerically, this is going to be like painting by numbers!
Step 3: Build Your Frames. You need to begin the construction of your planter by building a top and bottom frame.
This is where your side will attach to. Using four pieces made of 1in x 2in Clear Pine Wood for the length we will be making 2 frames.
Each frame comprised of two pieces that are 24in long and two pieces that are 10in long. Marked 1, 8.
Put the two frames shaped like rectangles together and secure them into place with your chosen nail gun compressor, power drill or hammer and nails.
Step 4: Add on and secure your 3 sides. The two 10in sides and the one 24in side of plywood securing to the bottom of your frame. Marked 3, 4, 5.
Step 5: Slide in and secure your bottom piece with the three holes drilled out for drainage. Marked 6.
Step 6: Add and secure on your fourth side, marked 7.
Step 7: Place the frame marked 8 inside the top of the box. Secure all four sides to the top frame.
Step 8: Add and secure the trim around the top. (This is the Corner Guard Fir wood trim that has been cut at 45 degree angles on the edges to fit in a rectangle like pieces of a picture frame.) Marked 9-12.
Step 9: Add and secure the two pieces of Corner Guard Fir Wood Trim 23in long to go onto the bottom of the planter. Marked 13, 14.
Step 10: Add and secure the two pieces of Corner Guard Fir Wood Trim 9in long onto the bottom ends of the planter. Marked 15, 16.
Step 11: Add and secure the four pieces of Corner Guard Fir Wood Trim 7 1/2in long onto the corners of the planter. Marked 17, 18, 19, 20.
Now that your planter is built, it’s time to waterproof the inside so the water won’t seep into the wood!
Step 12: Spray a generous about of Rust-Oleum Leak Seal Flexible Rubber Coating throughout the inside of your planter.
Step 13: Paint your planter however you want it. The possibilities are endless! I painted my outdoor planters “Hazel Woods” by Behr which is a lovely Dark Green to match my outdoor dining table. For my indoor dining room table I tried to match the distressed finish it had so I used “Toasted Marshmallow” as a base. A mixture of “Dark Ash” and “Creek Bend” also all by Behr in very light brush strokes until I got the look I wanted. The natural grain in the wood did a lot of the work for me.
Step 14: For my indoor planter I was inspired by a very expensive planter from Restoration Hardware with a rope detail. To make my own I used thin brown rope from The Home Depot and stapled it in place with my nail gun compressor after the paint had dried.
I thought this gave the planter a beautiful finished look.
Step 15: I hand painted little plastic posts with my herbs names on them so I always know which is which! This is a great step to avoid any confusion.
Last but not least…Step 16: You want to make sure you place the 24in Saucer Window Box Tray directly underneath your planter to prevent any drainage from damaging your table or whatever surface you are placing it on. After you water be sure lift your box up and empty the tray out.
Thanks for being here with me. I hope this post inspires you to get into gardening this Spring no matter your level of experience, your space or your budget. Gardening is accessible to everyone, everywhere. Thank you for being here with me and have an fabulous day!
I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in this “Garden Party” event. As a part of the project, I am receiving compensation in the form of cash, for the purpose of promoting this event and The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.
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