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Post by owdboggy on May 22, 2008 9:59:44 GMT
We are lucky to have a fair number of old Belfast sinks in the garden. they were used by generations of previous owners as water troughs for various animals. This is one of the bigger ones. I cleaned it with some professional brick cleaning fluid to remove any trace of grease and then painted it with a masonry paint.  The drainage hole is covered with a pice of aluminium gauze, the kind used for car repairs. It keeps the worms out and the soil in,  A few larger pieces of rock are placed over the gauze to keep it in place.  The base of the sink is then covered with a 2 inch or so layer of pebbles.  The next layer is smaller gravel with a little charcoal (wood ash in this case) added. This keeps the base of the sink sweet.  The sink is filled with a mixture of equal parts composted bark, sharp sand, 5mm. grit and sterilised top soil.  We are fortunate in having a large number of rocks handy.  These were placed to form planting pockets and more compost added.  Finally a 2 cm. deep layer of 10 mm. gravel is put over the top. I find this size better than the 5mm. grit asit does not get so easily washed off. I already had bought the plants to go in it. All of these are small cushion forming alpines.  And the final scene. Given a little time the plants will make quite reasonable size cushions.  |
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Post by purplejulia on May 22, 2008 10:11:18 GMT
Owdboggy,, you post couldn't have come at a better time. We have two abandoned butler sinks at the bottom of our garden. We found 3 when we moved to our house 3 years ago. They have some remnants of old paint and dirt.
I will be reading your instructions carefully. What a good idea covering the plug hole with aluminium gauze - OH wondered what to do about drainage if we actually got round to using them.
You have inspired me to work on mine now.
Thank you so much!
PJ
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Post by owdboggy on May 22, 2008 11:15:56 GMT
You really do need to get the sink grease free or the paint comes off. You can cover them with hypertufa, but I have never had much success with that. Also do remember to put the sink where you want it before filling with soil etc. They become extremely heavy. Also forgot to mention that the sink is sat on a couple of roof tiles to get the top level.
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Post by Plocket on May 22, 2008 12:32:05 GMT
Oh that looks lovely. Just one daft question - why do you want to keep the worms out?
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Post by Chuckles on May 22, 2008 14:21:01 GMT
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Post by Weeterrier on May 22, 2008 14:51:39 GMT
How timely this all is, I was just thinking about doing an alpine sink, haven't had one for years. Yours looks great, and interesting how you managed to paint it. You are lucky having the Belfast sinks. I have one ;D but it is in my kitchen.  |
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Post by owdboggy on May 22, 2008 15:49:55 GMT
We want to keep the worms out because they actually do a lot of damage in the confinded space of a sink and the worm casts look terrrible on top of the gravel.
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Post by Plocket on May 22, 2008 16:46:04 GMT
Ah that makes sense - thanks OWB  |
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Post by Ruthie on May 22, 2008 21:13:38 GMT
That's great Owdboggy! Thanks for giving us the stage by stage transformation. Don't forget to post more pics as the plants grow. Wish I had a belfast sink......................
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Post by owdboggy on May 23, 2008 9:48:38 GMT
You do not need a Belfast sink to make a trough simply and cheaply like that one.
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Post by Ruthie on May 23, 2008 18:28:49 GMT
Go on then OB, tell me how!!
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Post by Weeterrier on May 23, 2008 18:52:58 GMT
Good for Oldboggy, yet again. I was going to suggest an alternative, but now I can leave it to him. ;D And his explanation will be a damn sight better than mine. |
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Post by Ruthie on May 23, 2008 19:57:23 GMT
Well, Wee. If he doesn't respond I'll come to you ;D ;D
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Post by Jardack on Jun 9, 2008 9:00:27 GMT
wow that looks great, I wish I had a belfast sink too (don't even have one in my kitchen  ) Jardack |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2008 9:33:40 GMT
Just adding to my list. Great stuff as we have an old Belfast sink we were going to take to the dump, but I might just have the excuse to keep hold of it now. Many thanks!!! |
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Post by andy on Jun 9, 2008 9:52:06 GMT
That looks superb ....just watch what plants you put in....most "alpines" or stuff sold as alpines are pretty vigorous. But these butler sinks are an ideal opportuntiy to grow some of the more delicate species that would get lost and swamped out in a traditional rock garden Nice one owdboggy |
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Post by owdboggy on Jun 9, 2008 10:12:14 GMT
Just adding to my list. Great stuff as we have an old Belfast sink we were going to take to the dump, but I might just have the excuse to keep hold of it now. Many thanks!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! Do you know that you can pay up to £100 for a decent sink of the porcelain variety!. Sell it if you do not want to grow things in it! Agree, Andy. The ones in my sinks are all definitely miniatures from a specialist source. |
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Post by Weeterrier on Jun 9, 2008 12:44:56 GMT
I used to get quite annoyed in the GC when I worked there, because of plants labelled 'Alpines' People imagine that this name indicates size, when it is really recommending growing conditions. A better name would be 'Rock Plants' Of course, sizes are given, but many don't read the label. I wonder how many little sinks have been planted with 'Snow in Summer'  Another misnomer in GCs is 'Small Trees'........meaning anything under 30' |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2008 12:54:54 GMT
Just adding to my list. Great stuff as we have an old Belfast sink we were going to take to the dump, but I might just have the excuse to keep hold of it now. Many thanks!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! Do you know that you can pay up to £100 for a decent sink of the porcelain variety!. Sell it if you do not want to grow things in it! Agree, Andy. The ones in my sinks are all definitely miniatures from a specialist source. Oh, I've got tons of stuff I've been meaning to sell. Never do though, just end up putting it in the shed or in the attic and saying 'You know what, one day I'm going to sell that'...  |
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Post by owdboggy on Jun 9, 2008 16:55:03 GMT
Yes, Weeterrier, things like Cephalaria alpina which grows to well over 8 feet tall.....and Thalictrum alpina ditto.
I think the worst are those conifers which grow to 2 feet in 10 years, or is it 20 feet in 5?
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Post by andy on Jun 9, 2008 17:14:10 GMT
I used to get quite annoyed in the GC when I worked there, because of plants labelled 'Alpines' People imagine that this name indicates size, when it is really recommending growing conditions. A better name would be 'Rock Plants' Of course, sizes are given, but many don't read the label. I wonder how many little sinks have been planted with 'Snow in Summer' Another misnomer in GCs is 'Small Trees'........meaning anything under 30' WT....we label stuff like helianthemum, aubretia, arabis, some of the dianthus etc as "perennials" whilst the smaller stuff like saxifrages (some of them !!!), erisymum alpina and some of the thrifts are named as alpines. A dwarf conifer would look good in a sink just to give a bit of height. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2008 7:56:46 GMT
lovely idea to have one of these, have put this on my list now for next year. will need to find something similar to grow them in as those sinks are expensive i think . the plants should be easy to look after though |
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We had a thread on Hypertufa ages ago if anyone is interested 
)
