North side Lilac Hedge. (It’s hard to get the whole hedge in one picture, but there are six shrubs in this hedge.)
This was as great year for the lilacs. The made it through the spring frost, and are really strong. There is a 6 bush hedge on both the south and the north side of yard. I love that they are medium sized, although I can’t take credit for that – I bought them at Home Depot and they were labeled: Lilac. so I have no idea what variety there actually are. I’m going to try to find out, because I’d like to add some more in several places in the garden – but only if I can find this medium sized variety – no monsters here.
I’ve been saving wine bottles for a year. Storing them by color in large plastic pots on the side of the house. The neighbors must think we really drink a lot around here. But every time we have a Sabbat I collects 3 or more bottles. Pagans love to drink! I saw a wine bottle project online and just had to do one. It really creates a nice delineation of space between the vegetable garden and the main sacred space/Dragon Garden.
Footer for the bottle wall
Brian and I dug out the ground, made the frames and laid the concrete. Then we pounded in 16 5′ sections of rebar per side, 4″ through the concrete and another 6″ into the ground below.
Next, my friends Glenn, AzureIris, Persephone, Lupin and James helped me wash bottles and organize them in a wave pattern on the rebar. We used three different sizes of plumbing washers and clear silicone to place spacers between the bottles.
This will keep them from chinking together and also from coming out of alignment. Then we had 2 weeks of heavy rain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bottles installed on the east foundation
Finally, Brian and I were able to get the top rail on. It’s just another 10′ piece of 5/8″ rebar. We used a bar bender to carefully shape the rebar to fit the curve of the design. (pain in the ass). Meanwhile, while it was raining, I ordered some metal finials to go on top of each row of bottles, above the top bar, to finish it all off. The finials are rusting nicely now.
Bottle wall, east side, close up detail
I think it turned out beautifully.
Finished wall looking east towards the back of the house
