Not a real tree, a hanging basket tree.
In my front garden I've got a laurel that is frankly way too big for my
garden, it seems to take up quite a lot of space and doesn't bring anything
apart from shade and millions of brown waxy leaves that get everywhere and
don't rot down too quickly.

My idea is to remove this green giant and put lots of colour in it's place.

The fuchsia cuttings I've selected are all of the hanging variety and I want
something in this space (next year) that can hold up 8 to 10 baskets,
preferably all at different levels.

Something that can be taken down for winter and replaced in early summer
when the baskets will be ready again.

I don't think timber would be substantial enough, and although metal doesn't
look as good, it is easily removed via having an oversize socket for it to
sit in which can be left there permanently.
In winter, rather than have a barren looking metal monstrosity on show, it
can be pulled out, and a pot or planter cover the open socket until summer
arrives and the baskets come back on the scene.

Does such a beast exist or do I have to make one myself? - the only ones
I've seen via google only hold up two or three baskets and they look cheap
and flimsy.

Does anyone have any idea on how to make such a contraption? - my idea was
to start off with a (new!) washing-line pole and weld brackets here and
there, paint the whole thing black or green and see what happens next...any
thoughts?

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 28 Jul 2015 20:20:08 +0100, "Phil L"
wrote:


Does anyone have any idea on how to make such a contraption? - my idea was
to start off with a (new!) washing-line pole and weld brackets here and
there, paint the whole thing black or green and see what happens
next...any
thoughts?

Welding might be difficult if it's an ally pole. My suggestion would
be a TV aerial pole with ally 'branches' of various lengths, clamped
to the central pole with the same clamps as they use for clamping the
aerials. You might even be able to pick up some old TV aerials at a
recycling place and use those; give the branches some 'twigs'!!! At
least you could change it around and also dismantle it in the winter.
Use a rotary washing line socket to stand it all in.

Not sure it would ever look attractive, though. Perhaps if you had
enough trailing stuff in the baskets to hide the structure...

When I say 'tree' i don't particularly want it to resemble a tree, although
it would be nice if lightweight black metal trees were available for this.

A hanging basket tree is just somewhere where hanging baskets hang out,
they've got them on ebay for 25 quid but as i said, they only hold two or
three baskets and look cheap and nasty.

The only one's Ive been able to find that look anything like the one I'm
thinking of are made of wood, like this one:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...7f7af8b370.jpg

Mine would be made of steel, probably a length of steel scaffold tube, about
2 inch diameter and have steel brackets welded all around.
I'd make it 9ft long, 3 ft underground for stability and six foot above
ground.
The whole thing would be painted black or green so as not to look
'industrial', might even put a pointy cap on it if i'm feeling whimsical

like this, but with more baskets and without the light on top:
http://libraries.dlrcoco.ie/events-a...bs-bealtaine-1

On 28/07/2015 21:46, Phil L wrote:
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 28 Jul 2015 20:20:08 +0100, "Phil L"
wrote:


Does anyone have any idea on how to make such a contraption? - my idea was
to start off with a (new!) washing-line pole and weld brackets here and
there, paint the whole thing black or green and see what happens
next...any
thoughts?

Welding might be difficult if it's an ally pole. My suggestion would
be a TV aerial pole with ally 'branches' of various lengths, clamped
to the central pole with the same clamps as they use for clamping the
aerials. You might even be able to pick up some old TV aerials at a
recycling place and use those; give the branches some 'twigs'!!! At
least you could change it around and also dismantle it in the winter.
Use a rotary washing line socket to stand it all in.

Not sure it would ever look attractive, though. Perhaps if you had
enough trailing stuff in the baskets to hide the structure...

When I say 'tree' i don't particularly want it to resemble a tree, although
it would be nice if lightweight black metal trees were available for this.

A hanging basket tree is just somewhere where hanging baskets hang out,
they've got them on ebay for 25 quid but as i said, they only hold two or
three baskets and look cheap and nasty.

The only one's Ive been able to find that look anything like the one I'm
thinking of are made of wood, like this one:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...7f7af8b370.jpg

Mine would be made of steel, probably a length of steel scaffold tube, about
2 inch diameter and have steel brackets welded all around.
I'd make it 9ft long, 3 ft underground for stability and six foot above
ground.
The whole thing would be painted black or green so as not to look
'industrial', might even put a pointy cap on it if i'm feeling whimsical

like this, but with more baskets and without the light on top:
http://libraries.dlrcoco.ie/events-a...bs-bealtaine-1


I wouldn't have it 9ft long with 3 ft in the ground.
I'd use a pipe with a 2"inner diameter so you could slide the pole in
and take it out if you wanted to paint or alter it.
Just remember how heavy a large hanging basket is after watering.

"Phil L" wrote in message ...

Not a real tree, a hanging basket tree.
In my front garden I've got a laurel that is frankly way too big for my
garden, it seems to take up quite a lot of space and doesn't bring anything
apart from shade and millions of brown waxy leaves that get everywhere and
don't rot down too quickly.

My idea is to remove this green giant and put lots of colour in it's place.

The fuchsia cuttings I've selected are all of the hanging variety and I
want something in this space (next year) that can hold up 8 to 10 baskets,
preferably all at different levels.

Something that can be taken down for winter and replaced in early summer
when the baskets will be ready again.

I don't think timber would be substantial enough, and although metal
doesn't look as good, it is easily removed via having an oversize socket
for it to sit in which can be left there permanently.
In winter, rather than have a barren looking metal monstrosity on show, it
can be pulled out, and a pot or planter cover the open socket until summer
arrives and the baskets come back on the scene.

Does such a beast exist or do I have to make one myself? - the only ones
I've seen via google only hold up two or three baskets and they look cheap
and flimsy.

Does anyone have any idea on how to make such a contraption? - my idea was
to start off with a (new!) washing-line pole and weld brackets here and
there, paint the whole thing black or green and see what happens next...any
thoughts?

I watched the last bit of a programme tonight on BBC2 about a house building
for under £100K (from 8 till 9), you should be able to get it on iPlayer.
That showed them making a large room divider of shelves from poles and
couples from a plumbers merchants. You could use the same system for your
hanging baskets, might be worth a look.



--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK