The Feral Turtle

This is part one in my quest to create some fun and virtually maintenance free deck planters for summer.

My plan is to hide four plastic barrels which will be turned into wicking bed planters. (Post coming soon)

I found a really heavy duty pallet in my stash and cut equal lengths off of each end (19").  This will be the height of the planter facade and also the front and back.  

 Using the boards from the underside of the pallet,  I cut the width I needed which turned out to be 22". 

 The  finished measures will be 48" x 23 1/2" x 19" high.  

I assembled it in place but made it so I can disassemble for the long, cold, bleak, did I mention long winter months of shovelling snow and more snow and lots of white stuff off the deck.

I actually redesigned my ends after assembling the one above.  I wanted to be able to disassemble the box for storage in the winter and have the houses come right to the edges.    I added two 2x2s and secured them with one screw into the 4x4s.  That way the houses can all stay put and I can easily remove the sides.  See photo below

This is the second planter using 2x4s and 2x2s 

Next on the list was to cut different shape houses.  All the wood was pallet scraps or cutoffs from previous projects.  I created a hodgepodge of different shapes and painted them using dollarstore paints. 

An oil based paint marker came in very handy for windows and doors!

I outlined black painted windows with a white marker.

and voila, a new community was in the works!

That is the last remnants of a snowstorm we had. 

 Hoping for one more before spring flowers.

I air nailed the houses to all four sides of the planter facade.

Next step will be the wicking bed planters which will sit inside the new housing development.  This community should be nearly maintenance free for the summer, with only a good watering once a week! 

Cheers!