Not food - that's for the compost bins.

I'm talking about those few leftover bricks from a project, or half bricks, or chunks of granite, pretty beach stones, etc.

We had some old whiskey barrels that disintegrated but I saved the hoops believing I "could do something" with them. Eventually all the leftovers came together and I made two resting areas where I could stand comfortably to deadhead lilies or daylilies, stake nearby plants, take photos of plants, etc. They also serve to give me a reference point so I know the lily Salmon Star is right of the resting spot on the right and can reference many other plants using my resting spots.

This was the first one I did since the hoop had split. I just filled in with all those annoying little stones I find while digging, and save in nursery pots for the time I need them:



This is one of the resting spots I mentioned. Though you can't see the hoop (once again, broken) it serves as a good form to fill in with odds and ends we gardeners seem to stockpile:

That is so cool Pirl

Very creative Pirl! I think you should submit that as an "official" idea!

I was thinking the same thing Chris GREAT idea

Thanks! Maybe I will do that.

My friend gave us so many "Sanford" bricks before she moved last December and we had them stacked up in the work area with no ideas how I'd use them. Then along came my brand new grandson, initials RD, so I lined the edge of the Obelisk garden with them in the hopes the grass will grow towards the bricks, leaving the end of Sanford (the RD) exposed to honor my sweet new grandson, Robert.





Here he is, just a few hours old on 9/25/13, tipping his hat already!

What a sweet and beautiful baby

Thank you.

Proud Grandma of Robert, Charles and Megan.

Did I see a big dimple?

Clever use of "stuff," and sweet baby boy!

Thanks. He does have such sweet dimples.

How sweet!!

He's a little doll! Looks like a lot of work setting those bricks so perfectly.

RD is adorable! And your garden is lovely . . . love your left over ideas!

Thanks, Chris and Boo!

When I first spotted the dogtooth style of brick work I knew I'd end up giving it a try. The first 20 went smoothly but then it did get a bit tiresome. I obviously went off course for one section but either I'll live with it or consider it a personal quirk in the garden.

I saw this idea on Pinterest:



Having this huge surplus of bricks, I then made my own version but I'll relocate it in spring. The not so good news was I had no glass for covering it but I improvised with thick empty plastic mulch bags, anchored with more bricks (as if you couldn't guess!). The baby basil plants did not survive but the lettuce did and is still there. We're due for snow flurries today from 3 PM through the night so we'll see if the lettuce survives. All the fennel seed is about an inch tall and so far, so good!

You are blessed and I'm envious of all those bricks! Love the angled grass edging too!

Love, love, love your ideas and agree, they would be wonderful as submitted ideas! And I also agree with David, I have a huge stack of used bricks for some future project but I'm envious of all those cool Sanford bricks!

You ARE blessed, the bricks are great, but the grandson

Thanks, David, and thanks for the acorn.
Thanks to Sue, too! SO many acorns! I often wonder how we ended up with this many bricks and pavers to use!

We are very blessed to have a local nursery with their "Idea Garden", so later I'll post some photos of their paths. I do have many more photos of their Garden Art as well.

But first...more leftover bricks used to form an almost semi-circle at the fireplace wall. If anyone has any ideas on how I can improve this, I'd love to hear your thoughts. The area enclosed by the bricks is filled with 9 clematises though I know they don't get the full sun they should have. I'm just not about to dig them up and move them all!

Susie - he is so cute and loved sleeping on the dining room table while we had Thanksgiving dinner!

Probably my favorite brick (hard to believe I now seem to be a brick fanatic) is one that was made locally many years ago. The name on it is Sage, for the local Sage family who made them.

I have the most perfect spot for it! This plant label will not wear out!