Vintage Cottage Weekend: Seasons on the Potting Bench

I shared the Potting Bench on the back porch a few days ago, so I thought I'd have a look back at a few other seasonal potting bench posts. I love having this outside spot to keep my gardening tools and necessities corralled. It's an anchor piece for one of the seating areas, where we enjoy a break during the day and evening. 

If you missed my last post you can find it HERE

We've moved around a lot but we've not had a great porch like this before. It's certainly not perfect, but it's a comfortable place to relax and find a cool breeze in the warmer weather. Even in the Fall it's a wonderful spot to enjoy a warm drink and enjoy the beautiful leaves. (did I just say that?) When we were looking at this house for a viewing we sat down out on the porch with the fans going and it was the deciding factor. 

Last Summer I joined a Blog Hop with Late Summer Flowers, but I hadn't shared any pics of the potting bench earlier in the spring or summer. Last spring and early summer I was waiting for lumbar spine surgery and I guess I just didn't get around to a dedicated post. Here are some pics of the potting bench last summer with a lovely Hydrangea arrangement in my ironstone pitcher. 

Last Fall I was more in the swing of outdoor things and shared this setting with a grouping of pumpkins, Sedum,  and Oak Leaf Hydrangeas. I keep the potting bench going throughout the year since it's on the back porch and under the cover of our roof. That keeps it out of the hot sun and elements. It's just a matter of keeping it critter-free and tidy.

Fall 2021

Foraging For Fall on the Potting Bench

(Keepin' it real with the messy drawers on the bottom shelf)

Last December my sis and brother-in-law made us a 

Wooden Star for Christmas.

Here it was on the Potting Bench. 

I think you could see it from space! Beautiful!

(We used rope lighting because we couldn't find 

any vintage look white Christmas lights)

Next up is the potting bench two years ago in the late Spring

 and some pics of our new landscaping.

Potting Bench on the Back Porch

 and New Landscaping

2020 

A view to the back porch.

from 2019 

Back Porch and the Potting Bench

One of the main differences in 2019 was that the potting bench was located on the opposite side of the porch. We changed it up in 2020 because the old door blocked a lot of light in the sitting area of the Garden Room. Now the potting bench and door outside are located directly behind the china cabinet in the casual dining area in the Garden Room... so much better and no blocking of precious sunlight indoors. 

from 2017

Potting Bench and Patio

This was at our last house with the walk-out basement area.

 It was a wonderful spot, but it wasn't easily accessed. 

And here's how the Potting Bench started out in 2011 at our first blogging house. It was under the deck on the lower level but it was graveled and a good spot for convenience. The base was a garage work bench with a bookcase added on top, but it was a strong "trend" in blogland. Bloggers were grabbing anything we could and "marrying" it for a makeshift shabby potting area. 

Here are a couple of pics of our visitors this year. We live about a 1/4 of a mile from several large suburban lakes as the crow flies, or in this case "as the goose flies". They walk through from the street behind us and come visit the bird feeders. I keep plastic "boot" pans under the feeders to catch the seed that falls, so they've discovered a free meal. They're pretty well behaved but leave goose poo all around. I kept thinking they'd be nesting, but this couple and several others haven't had a nest this year.

I've read that they don't start nesting until they are 3 or 4 years old so they may not be old enough. But they're certainly big. I read where they can live to be 33 years old. They travel in "couples" usually and are very territorial. They hate the crows and will charge them if they get a sighting. I'm sure crows try to break goose eggs so there's no love lost. Crows are the number one predator of nestlings and baby birds in this area. 

They are pretty tame and when I come outside to sit down on the porch they keep an eye on me, but don't leave unless I look like I might come after them. We live too far from the lakes so thankfully I wasn't worried about them nesting on our property. That can get kind of dangerous. They make themselves right at home; it's their private yard...

We were able to pot a few containers of flowers around Mother's Day. They look pretty small here, but have grown quite a bit this last couple of weeks. I'm missing a few geranium buds that someone chewed but other than that nothing major. Hard to know if it's geese or squirrels, but since I've not had an issue with geraniums before, I'd say some geese decided they might like to try them.

Creeping Charlie and mint come back each year.

I'll share more yard and container pics soon.

Here's the big fern on the back porch in one of my old urns.

If you want more Potting Bench Inspiration

 you can find it on my Pinterest Board Here:

Potting Benches

We hope you'll join us on Monday evenings.

joining in here:

The House on Silverado,  Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda, 

All About Home at Common Ground and Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Inspire Me Monday at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia 

 Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch 

  Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life   Wonderful Wednesday at LeCultivateur 

Turnabout Tuesday at My Wee Abode,  Centerpiece Wednesday at Karin's Kottage

Share Your Style at French Ethereal,  Vintage Charm at Our Hopeful Home,  

Thursday Favorite Things at Follow the Yellow Brick Home,  

Create, Bake, and Grow at Shabby Art Boutique, Farmhouse Friday at  County Road 407

Fabulous Friday at Vintage Home Design Friendship Friday at Create with Joy 

 Funtastic Friday at 2 Chicks and a Mom