Toni Martens on wed 10 may 00
I want to build a fountain for out of doors and I 'think' I now
understand about fittings and such so this is the question.
If I want to create a sort of fantasy woodland grove with logs for
frogs and fairies to sit on and probably a toadstool or two. Would I
be better off making clay logs or use actual logs? Would wood logs
last if they get wet a lot of the time? I would need to keep it all
pretty damp because I want maidenhair fern and other damp loving
plants as part of it.
Toni Martens who has spent the morning sowing seeds to nurse
through the 'Winter' for a beauteous Spring garden : )
Cindy Strnad on thu 11 may 00
Toni,
Making full-sized clay logs would be quite a project. Do-able, of course,
but certainly a lot of work. Do you have a large enough kiln? If you use
natural logs, they will rot eventually, and probably sooner rather than
later. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Rotting logs make great homes for
maidenhair ferns. And they're easily replaced. Another suggestion might be
to make artificial "logs" by wrapping up peat moss in chicken wire (or
something of the sort) and growing ferns, etc. on them. Once they're covered
with vegetation, you won't see the wire, and you can plant any little
mist-loving botanicals you please.
Cindy Strnad
earthenv@gwtc.net
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
Gayle Bair on thu 11 may 00
Hi Toni,
I made some clay stoneware "logs" for a fountain.
I considered using real wood but thought the real
wood probably would degrade and could cause pump
problems.
My logs came out great and were simple to create.
I used a painters tool that has comb-like teeth and
ran it up and down an almost leather hard cone of clay.
They had knots and rotted holes. I had the
effect I wanted with a fairly heavy
iron oxide application and ^10 reduction firing.
If you are firing in oxidation and you want a dark woody
color I suggest you use a combination of red and black oxide
and some burnt umber. I didn't experiment with mason stains or
glazes.
I haven't finished the fountain as I couldn't resolve
how to make bowl look like a tiered stream.
I'm still working on it I'll probably hand-build it.
Good luck,
Gayle Bair- busily planting in my new garden
Bill Williams on thu 11 may 00
We have a big natural stone fountain in our family room that we built years
ago. We have put logs in it and tree branches for hangy things and they
have always lasted just fine. Drift wood works really well if you can find
it. Connie
-----Original Message-----
From: Toni Martens
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Wednesday, May 10, 2000 10:07 PM
Subject: "Logs" for outdoor fountain
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I want to build a fountain for out of doors and I 'think' I now
understand about fittings and such so this is the question.
If I want to create a sort of fantasy woodland grove with logs for
frogs and fairies to sit on and probably a toadstool or two. Would I
be better off making clay logs or use actual logs? Would wood logs
last if they get wet a lot of the time? I would need to keep it all
pretty damp because I want maidenhair fern and other damp loving
plants as part of it.
Toni Martens who has spent the morning sowing seeds to nurse
through the 'Winter' for a beauteous Spring garden : )
Diane Mead on thu 11 may 00
There is a text out now re: women landscape architects
One in Michigan grows much of her garden from logs
They look amazingly successful
I will try to find the book name
"In her Garden"?
Diane Mead
Penny Hosler on thu 11 may 00
Toni,
You really should consider hypertufa. It's a mixture of cement, peat
moss, vermiculite, sand or whatever. There's a ton of recipes, it's
rustic and non-rotting, and sounds perfect for your project. You can
color the mix and mold it in any shape you want. Or stain it when
you're done with any concrete stain mixed with water. I've found a
lot of web pages about it just by typing in "hypertufa" on a search
line, but here's my personal favorite:
http://home.flash.net/~blhill/pages.aux/pond/hypertufa/hypertufa.html
That's how I'm going to make my outside fountain rocks. Something in
my Scottish soul cringes at the thought of BUYING rocks when they're
breeding in my garden like rabbits (unfortunately the wrong size and
shape)
Penny in WA
-----Original Message-----
From: Toni Martens
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Wednesday, May 10, 2000 8:07 PM
Subject: "Logs" for outdoor fountain
>----------------------------Original
message----------------------------
>I want to build a fountain for out of doors and I 'think' I now
>understand about fittings and such so this is the question.
>If I want to create a sort of fantasy woodland grove with logs for
>frogs and fairies to sit on and probably a toadstool or two. Would I
>be better off making clay logs or use actual logs? Would wood logs
>last if they get wet a lot of the time? I would need to keep it all
>pretty damp because I want maidenhair fern and other damp loving
>plants as part of it.
>Toni Martens who has spent the morning sowing seeds to nurse
>through the 'Winter' for a beauteous Spring garden : )
>
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