Make Music with Your Terra Cotta Pots


If you are like me, you may have a pile of empty terra cotta pots of all sizes sitting in a pile somewhere.
What to do with them?  throw them out? give them away? Paint them up?

Here's an idea - use them to make music!
 


These photos are from the Central Texas Gardeners Blog (CTGB - check out this great blog)

Terra cotta pots of varying sizes hang upside down from a sturdy board. You hit them with a drumstick which has one end wrapped in yarn. Each pot makes a different sound.
 
This reminds me of the time my mother, studying at Cooper Union as an art student, created a homemade 'musical intrument' in our living room. Part of it consisted of cans hanging upside down and I would, as a child, bang away on them for hours.....I think terra cotta makes a better sound.


This is the drumstick (Courtesy CTGB)

In addition, you can use the grass clippers (open close, open close) to add another percussive sound:



Of course you can add the sound of water, the dog can keep time and maybe some garden critters will add harmony. As Linda Lehmusvirta writes in her wonderful blog,

"the fountain adds its own percussion. The toads chime in with lyrics".

(photo from Central Texas Gardeners Blog)

 When you put this all together you get a lovely 'garden implement' composition.

Here is a short clip of  the Mundi Ensemble (with Mundi’s cellist, Carolyn Hagler in her colorful Austin garden). Find out more about this in the Central Texas Gardeners Blog.

Comments

  1. LindaCTGAugust 28, 2010 at 4:27 PM

    Wow, I love your ideas & stories. And your pictures are fabulous. When it's too hot to garden, make music!

    ReplyDelete
  2. GrandmaAugust 29, 2010 at 11:28 AM

    WOW ! FANTASTIC ! Color ! Music ! Ideas ! This is truly "Eye Candy" Feeds my Soul ! Gardens are heavenly, Music is heavenly-----putting them together is more than words can express ! THANK-YOU !

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jan JohnsenAugust 29, 2010 at 2:04 PM

    thank YOU! now all we have to do is train the critics to sing along....

    ReplyDelete
  4. GinnyAugust 31, 2010 at 10:51 AM

    Sounds like my kind of music! And those terra cotta pots look so nice hanging there.

    ReplyDelete
  5. RichardAugust 31, 2010 at 1:36 PM

    Jan, You are amazing and an inspiration in and out of the garden. Thank you for being you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. MarianneSeptember 2, 2010 at 5:27 PM

    I LOVE the terra cotta pots idea! Very cute :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. LarkspurApril 10, 2013 at 10:25 AM

    I was enjoying your utterly gorgeous photos which helped me understand exactly what I like! I pinned a few before I realize that you prefer to have folks ask permission. I deleted the pins at once. Do you allow pinning from the site? Pinterest always tracks back to the original source and I try to give credit for the images I pin.

    Truly beautiful work.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jan JohnsenApril 11, 2013 at 8:32 AM

    Larkspur - as long as you credit Jan Johnsen or Johnsen Landscapes & Pools ( either) - feel free! and thank you for your wonderful words!

    ReplyDelete
  9. LarkspurApril 11, 2013 at 3:50 PM

    Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Denver PatiosApril 15, 2013 at 5:22 AM

    What a nice idea, making harmonized sound with those hanging terra cotta pots seems so great, it adds an additional ambiance at all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jan JohnsenApril 22, 2013 at 6:09 AM

      Thanks for that lovely comment - I agree! and kids would be enticed to go outside - away from their computers and video games...at least for a while.

      Delete
  11. UnknownJune 11, 2013 at 4:05 AM

    Concrete Planters ....
    Nice post....Thanku....
    http://www.lunaform.com

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Hi there! I would love to hear from you....

Popular Posts of all Time

Angelface Blue and Dark Violet Angelonia - a Flower that Keeps Giving

Image
(Angelonia with Helichrysum, petunia, Johnsen Landscapes) Blue is everyone's "favorite color."  It is, hands down, the most popular color worldwide and is the least "gender specific" color, having equal appeal to both men and women. Now Purple is giving blue a run for its money as the second favorite color.... Blue is the favored color for toothbrushes, so that says it all!  ( this info is from a great website: Sensation Color ) but can purple be far behind? Scientists have found that the color blue causes the body to produce chemicals that are calming. This may be why we all like to be around blue....stare at this square and see if it calms you. In fact, over the past decade, scientists have reported the successful use of blue light in the treatment of psychological problems such as addictions, eating disorders, impotence, and depression. Moreover, a deep blue/purple such as Indigo or Deep Violet symbolizes mystical wisdom and spiritual insight. It incr
Read more

Planting Design for Dry Gardens by Olivier Filippi

Image
Do you garden in a dry area?  I love this teaching approach by Olivier Filippi. 1: Salvia chamaedryoides 2: Rhodanthemum hosmariense 3: Artemisia abrotanum 'Silver' 4: Phlomis 'The South' 5:  Senecio vira-vira 6: Salvia fruticosa 7: Salvia leucophylla 8: Artemisia lanata This photo and information is from a French website that I cannot translate into English. It is by the authority on dry gardens, Olivier Filippi, and is very good. Check it out:    http://www.jardin-sec.com/ Also he wrote a great book called 'Planting Design for Dry Gardens'.  Nigel Dunnett says,  "In  Planting Design for Dry Gardens  Olivier Filippi has charted a future for garden and planting Design. Combining authoritative practical advice with deep ecological insight, Olivier shows how learning from nature can give us the best of all worlds: beautiful and sustainable gardens with a unique sense of place. I challenge anyone
Read more

'Purple Smoke' - The best Baptisia

Image
Try  planting  Baptisia 'Purple Smoke'.  And pair it with Baptisia Cherries Jubilee. A deer resistant, native, drought tolerant, purple, long lived perennial! Wow! Photo - Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden - Puple Smoke Baptisia and Carolina Moonlight Baptisia It is a hybrid of  B. australis  and  B. alba and is a vigorous grower.   Discovered by Rob Gardener of the North Carolina Botanical Gardens, it has charcoal-gray stems and is purple.   Baptisia is a native perennial that has a long taproot, loves sunny sites with lean or poor soil. Average to dry soil is best.  Its deep tap root allows it to survive long dry periods, making it a challenge to move once it is established.  Purple Smoke from Bluestone Perennials The flowers resemble lupines and are smoky violet. Numerous flowers open first at the base of the flower stalk in May and ascend upwards, topping out at 4.5' tall. It has fine textured, blue-green foliage.  The flowe
Read more

No-Fail Tips for Turning Hydrangeas Blue!

Image
(photographer - unknown) Everyone wants Blue Hydrangeas.  The rarity of naturally blue flowers is an irresistible draw to gardeners.  How to Turn Your Hydrangeas Blue?  Here are a few tips from Proven Winners: Nikko Blue Hydrangea from Missouri Botanical garden 1. Be sure you’re working with the right kind of hydrangea.  You must have a Hydrangea macrophylla or H. serrata to have pink or blue flowers.  (photographer -unknown) 2. Aluminum availability determines flower color. The availability of aluminum makes the flowers turn blue. Without aluminum the blooms will be pink.  Soil pH must be low or acid (5.2-5.5) for the plant to absorb the aluminum. from nely.bluehortensia blogspot.com 3. Color changes need time to take effect.  Consistent treatment is necessary to  turn your hydrangeas blue:  Plant your hydrangeas in a phosphorous-free medium, and use a phosphorus-free fertilizer with lots of potassium (i.e. 25-5-30). PHOTO BY DEBOR
Read more

Repurposed and Recycled - Creative Ideas for Garden Design

Image
Nothing like piano keys to liven up a garden space....(above photo from Stone Art Blog) Recycling can be many things to many people... or, in other words,   " One man's trash is another's man treasure" from Stone Art Blog This piano was placed here in the garden. Here is what Sunny Wieler of Stone Art Blog wrote about this: "Besides being a passionate gardener, my dad is also a passionate piano player, so a few years back we got him a new piano for his birthday. So the old piano spent a while in the shed before he had the great idea to put it out in the garden..." Little did Sunny's dad know that he was at the forefront of the conceptual art movement:...they would say something like this is a testament to the natural decomposing processes, a statement of the fragility of life, the impermanence of existence... his dad would say, 'Hey, why not put it in the garden?" photos of broken concrete from Bourget Bros web
Read more

The Magnificent Purslane - Edible Landscaping at its best!

Image
What was one of Mahatma Gandhi's favorite foods?  and what did Henry Thoreau eat while residing at Walden Pond?  PURSLANE . Purslane, long considered an obnoxious weed in the U.S., is, in fact, full of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids!  And now this overlooked gem - considered 'one of the most nutritious greens in the world' -  is receiving the attention it is due. Usha Palaniswamy of the Department of Plant Science, University of Connecticut, reports that, "Purslane is receiving much attention for cultivation by the United States Department of Agriculture as part of their effort to bring about a modification in the western diet with increased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables." Purslane contains a high concentration of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), one of the highly sought-after Omega-3 fatty acids. It has several times the concentration of ALA than is found in spinach.  So throw away those fish oil capsules and grow your own Omega-3 fatty acids! It
Read more

My one day Class Wednesday April 16 in NY - Jan Johnsen

Image
I am teaching a one day class on Wednesday April 16 at the NY Botanical Garden  It is a fun, eye opening and fun class!            (class size is limited.) I  share my insights into landscape design and how to use various cultural and ancient traditions in a garden. I discuss how to use the compelling duality of Yin and Yang in a setting, explain how each of the four cardinal directions (north, south, east, west) affects us differently, which proportions create a more harmonious setting.  I also show how to place rocks in the landscape according to the Japanese understanding. Everyone loves this. and of course, I discuss Color and its effects on our wellbeing... I show 2 beautiful powerpoint to illustrate my talk..  Handouts reinforce the information I provide. Here is what students have written: No wonder you were instructor of the year! Your talk was delightful, Jan. You gave us all a thoughtful, colorful start to planting season. I have some great
Read more