A Little Sprucing Up…

For along time I have been wanting to spruce up the mailbox. We had a post with two of the large mailboxes on it. The grass grew around the bottom and we aren’t always the best with getting the weeds around it taken care of. I had asked before and the answer was no…this time I just kind of down played it and weaseled my way around to it. Then he got on board and actually did what I had wanted in the first place. (Now that is was his idea it was okay) Of course I forgot to take a before picture…so this is a mid way through picture.

Hubby put the landscaping bricks around the bottom. We had leftover gray brick from a previous project that we took out and wanted to use them, but we were short brick. Hubby decided that we would get red brick to go around the top being that we would be unable to match the gray color as our leftover bricks were so weathered.

I painted the pole black….and then painted the mailboxes.

I had to paint the inside of the box too. It was even rusty. I planted some petunias around the outside. Hubby was thinking I need to plant more plants….what I didn’t tell him is that I also planted some seeds. Some seeds that are supposed to grow up and look like this.

They are Purple Hyacinth Bean Seeds – Flower Vine. I hadn’t seen them before but learned about them on The Frugal Girl’s blog. I tried to find them locally but then just ordered them through Amazon. I think they will grow up and cover the mailbox. I am sure this is not hubby’s idea of beauty..but it’s mine and in this case, what he doesn’t know, isn’t going to hurt him…right??

I have planted the seeds a few other places too. I can’t wait to see what they are going to look like. I just love viney plants.

I’ll try to remember to take a picture once things get growing and looking even better. Right now, I am trying to remember to take a bucket of water with me when I go to the mailbox. I did purchase some Miracle-Gro 1008131 Shake ‘N Feed All Purpose Continuous Release – 1.8 Pound…that way I won’t have to remember to put the Miracle Grow in the buck before I go.

All in all I am happy with the mailbox spruce up…we’ll see how happy hubby is once those plants cover the mailbox.

6 thoughts on “A Little Sprucing Up…”

Linda
June 30, 2012 at 8:35 am

My aunt had these purple bean flower vines. She had them several places but one I wouldn’t have thought about was by a tree. It was beautiful vined around the trunk. She passed away 4 yrs ago and just wondered the other day if those flowers were still there.
Look forward to your blog each day.

kwiltnkats
June 30, 2012 at 11:02 am

Jo, when is the link up for the Quilt Square Quilt Along? I’ve got mine for June done. Excited to know what’s in store for us in July. Sandi

kwiltnkats
June 30, 2012 at 11:03 am

Looks nice what you did with your mail boxes. Hope the post person will be able to find your boxes once the blooms take over!

Linda in NE
June 30, 2012 at 1:06 pm

Just go easy on the Miracle Gro…..last year I killed all my flowers in planters & pots by overdoing it. Who’da thought???? Is your mailman afraid of bees or allergic?? Just asking.

Marie Ward
June 30, 2012 at 2:27 pm

I like to filled a 30 gallon trash can full of water Rain water if possible. add 2 Spoons of miracle growth and feed my plants a low dose of it everyday. That way they do not get shock. A nursery lady told me about that. It works.

Sandy D
June 30, 2012 at 6:52 pm

I have to laugh to myself when you said you needed to spruce up your mail.box. Some Jerk took an axe to ours two nights ago and now ours will need a big job done something like a new one.Yours looks good maybe I will “steal” an idea or two.