The Trade Wind Poly-Wood Double Rocker
A lot of people are in this situation and there are options; Personally, I’m going to be getting her a double rocker. Now, it may look just like the ones you find at those down home restaurant and gift shops that seemed to have replaced the chain of blue roofed pecan places we had as kids. But here’s the difference; these are made out of polywood. Polywood is an engineered material made from recycled milk jugs that can be used like wood in furniture building but will resist any type of adverse weather situation you can think of…well anything you could encounter and still be worried about your outdoor furniture. The Trade Wind Poly-Wood Double Rocker is available for $479.99 from Clean Air Gardening. 
When I was looking for a house, my wife had one request; she wanted a front porch. It wasn’t until after I got her the house, with the porch, that I realized that what she really wanted a porch swing like she had growing up. The problem was the porch cover that we would have to attach the swing to had been covered with vinyl siding. There wasn’t going to be a porch swing without a lot of work.
Thursday ~ January 01, 2008 by Steve W Posted in Garden Furniture | Add Your Comments
Cedar Adirondack Chair
This more modern chair is made from naturally weather resistant red cedar and features more of a curved back and contoured seat than the originals did. Cedar makes a great wood for outdoor furniture and will turn silver over time with exposure to the weather (or optionally I suppose you could use a coat of clear over it to keep its original coloration. The Cedar Adirondack Chair is available from Clean Air Gardening for $169.99.
In 1903 Thomas Lee was on vacation in Westport, New York, and need some outdoor chairs for his summer home. His now famous design originally consisted of 11 pieces of wood, cut from one board. He showed to a carpenter friend, Harry Bunnell, who patented the design and made the chairs for next 20 years.
Wednesday ~ December 12, 2007 by Steve W Posted in Garden Furniture | Add Your Comments
Chicken Coop Cubbies
It took a lot of guts for a city kid like me to evict the feathery tenant of each compartment; at my age the birds were about eye level and would peck right at your face. But the pay off was worth it…especially when you got that mystical double yoke egg and could be sure that Grandma would cook that one for you. Last time I was up there, just before we sold off the old family farm, the old chicken coop was no more. They tell me it just plain fell down in a storm some years ago. I would have hauled it back home no matter what the neighbors said because in addition to the sentimentality I feel for such things in my ever so evident middle age it was just about the right size for a decent garden shed and all those compartments…well I guess I’m not the only one who thinks they could be put to less odorous uses. Obviously whoever came up with this idea had a similar childhood to me. Available in two sizes each unit gives you rows of individual cubbies to put whatever you might need to stow. Each compartment features an upturned lip to keep the The Small Chicken Coop Cubby measures 27 1/2″ W, 11″ D, 26″ H and the larger one is 34 1/2″ W, 15″ D, 30″ H. From Smith & Hawken
When I was a child I when most kids went to summer camp me and my sister would go to see my grandparents on their little farm up in Arkansas. I did go to a summer camp one time and we were the lucky ones, I can assure you. Nights I would sit up and listen to hum of the antique oscillating fan in my room while I read Louis L’Amour novels and the only work I had to do in the morning was go out to the little chicken coop and get to get eggs for breakfast. I would open the door to the coop and once my eyes would adjust to the darkness I could make out which of the little compartments held chickens; and by extension the eggs. eggs items from sliding out onto the ground. They are made out of naturally weather resistant cedar rather than cheaper wood which would have to be either painted (painting over natural wood grain always makes me sad) or otherwise finished to protect it from the ravages of time. If only my grandmothers coop were made so well.
Thursday ~ December 12, 2007 by Steve W Posted in Garden Furniture, Garden Tools | 1 Comment
Mission Poly-Wood Sofa, Loveseat, Chair, Ottoman, and Coffee Table.
Craftsman furniture builders built this furniture out of the then-abundant quarter sawn white oak that they fumed with ammonia to naturally darken the wood from the reaction the fumes had with the natural tannins in the wood. They chose quarter sawn wood because of its inherent strength, and they chose white oak because it is strong, durable and resistant to weather. By design the furniture de-emphsized the grain of the wood and drew the eye instead to the strength and practicality. Well, that was then and this is To Gustav Stickley furniture was a movement; a philosophy of function over form and a celebration of design and engineering. He produced a periodical called The Craftsman that came filled with plans for everything from furniture to entire houses. As an insult, his detractors referred to this furniture as mission furniture…implying that his designs were crude and unsophisticated; Stickley preferred the term craftsman, but Mission stuck and it is no longer considered an insult by any means.
now. Stop by any woodworking shop and you’ll find that quarter sawn white oak, if they even have it, is one of the more expensive hardwoods. There are only so many trees left of sufficient size. But instead of depleting our dwindling white oak supply these pieces are made from poly-wood. It’s a material that is made from re-cycled plastics and although it can be worked like wood, and used like wood it is resistant to…well…just about everything. You can put this in your house, on your patio, wherever and it will stay pretty much like new forever. The Mission Poly-Wood Sofa, Mission Poly-Wood Love Seat, Mission Poly-Wood Chair, Mission Poly-Wood Coffee Table and the Mission Poly-Wood Ottoman all pay tribute to this great philosophy of practical design and they are available from Clean Air Gardening.
Sunday ~ December 12, 2007 by Steve W Posted in Garden Furniture, Garden Tools | Add Your Comments
Eucalyptus Outdoor Slat Bench
No, the answer is in forest management. The Forest Stewardship Council is a non-profit organization founded in Germany “to promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests”. It’s a complicated process but basically it insures that trees that are cut are replanted and some thought is given as to which trees are cut and when. When you find the FSC logo on a piece of furniture, like this Eucalyptus Slat Bench, you can sleep easy knowing that the wood used came from responsibly managed forests. Many people only think of Eucalyptus as the trees those koala bears crawl around in for Australian air line commercials. But the true is that Eucalyptus is a great wood that is strong and resists rot. In other words, it is an excellent material for use in outdoor furniture. Also, Eucalyptus trees are used as a natural means of soil conservation and malaria control due to their ability to draw excess water out of the ground. All of which brings us to this excellent Eucalyptus Slat Bench. It measures 49 inches wide, by 20 inches deep and 35 inches high; and of course it carries the FSC approval. It’s available for $279.99 from Clean Air Gardening.
It is a common misconception that simply reducing the amount of wood we use will actually save forests; I know it seems counter intuitive but often the opposite is true. Much of the wood we use for construction, furniture, and paper are grown just for that purpose. The harsh reality of this world is that people who own land intend to make money with it and if you can’t make money growing timber you turn that land into a pasture, or a parking lot.
Friday ~ November 11, 2007 by Steve W Posted in Garden Furniture | Add Your Comments
Farmhouse Ladder Stand
I know what you’re thinking… Why not get an actual ladder from an actual farmhouse. I mean, authenticity is the hip way to go isn’t it? Well trust me on this; I’ve tried to balance even small stuff on real ladders and it’s always ended badly. Plus your average ladder is at least eight foot tall and you have to deal with the whole bad luck aspect. If you have pets and/or children how many times are they going to walk under the thing? No, this is absolutely the one you want. Built out of solid hardwood and five foot tall and with a manageable foot print of two and a half feet square it will fit in anywhere from a big city apartment to a farmhouse in the country. And forget balancing things on narrow little rungs. You have three nice and wide steel trays; galvanized to resist rust and easily removable so you can keep things clean. My grandma’s farmhouse didn’t have anything this cool. The Farmhouse Ladder Stand is available from Smith & Hawken for $399.00
Wednesday ~ October 10, 2007 by Steve W Posted in Garden Furniture | Add Your Comments
FSC certified Eucalyptus Outdoor Bench
This wooden bench is outdoor furniture, but it’s nice enough to use inside too! Made of FSC certified Eucalyptus, so you know it’s forest friendly and made to last. The eucalyptus outdoor bench is available from Clean Air Gardening. $112. Learn more about buying outdoor furniture at the Outdoor Furniture Buyer’s Guide site.
Monday ~ August 08, 2007 by Ulrich Posted in Garden Furniture | Add Your Comments
Kickin’ It on Dad’s Day in a Hammock
Father’s Day is coming up. What better gift to give your old man than the gift of relaxation! Try out this handy hammock with its own stand and set your pa up with a cold one. Then, when he dozes off, you can blast him with the hose! Hahahaha! Just kidding. Anyway, this hammock is ideal for those with limited places to hang one, or for those who like to take a hammock to the lake, beach, park, forest, or for those who like to sneak over to their neighbor’s house when they’re not home and hang out there. It weighs a mere 21 pounds so even the laziest Dad can haul it around. Available from Cabela’s stuff inc.
Friday ~ June 06, 2007 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Furniture | Add Your Comments
Cool Patio Furniture and Patio Furniture Accessories
I was just fantasizing about spending more time outdoors in the backyard this summer and starting looking at some patio furniture on the web. I found a couple cool items to help protect your patio furniture set, plus some very nice wood furniture. Finally, if you’re actually looking for patio furniture, try out this eco-friendly eucalyptus wood furniture/chaise lounge. It comes from sustainably forested wood! 
For example, this Veranda Patio Table & Chair Set Cover cover
Also, here’s a chaise lounge cover
Friday ~ June 06, 2007 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Furniture, Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle | Add Your Comments
Cedar Storage Unit for Garden Tools and More
If you want a sturdy and attractive place to store garden tools, a hose, etc., try out this excellent cedar garden storage box. It’s made from Western Red Cedar and measures: 20 1/2″H x 35″W x 19″D. That’s plenty of room to store all kinds of stuff! Another nice feature is that it comes with a 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty from the Cedar Creek company that makes it. It can also double as a bench. It is made with slatted wood so your storage box won’t build up mold or mildew because it breaths. It’s also made in the U.S.A.! Offered by OutdoorDecor.com at a reasonable price ($152.00).
Monday ~ May 05, 2007 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Furniture, Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle | Add Your Comments
Durable Outdoor Furniture
It’s spring and time to hang out on the patio, sipping a margarita and just chillin’. That means it’s also time to get some new, durable outdoor furniture! Try out this cool chaise lounge made from recycled milk cartons. It’s eco-friendly and weather-resistant. This furniture also holds up very well to mildew, salt water, and pool water. It’s a great alternative to wooden furniture that may fade and rot if you spend a lot of time at the pool or on the beach. Read the Outdoor Furniture Buyer’s Guide for some great tips for buying and taking care of outdoor furniture.
Wednesday ~ March 03, 2007 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Furniture | Add Your Comments
New England Arbors Vinyl Garden Arbors
I just spotted a new line of premium “New England Arbors” vinyl garden arbors at the Garden Arbor Store. They’ve added a bunch of awesome new arbors to their collection. For example, the Ashbury model is made of premium vinyl. This makes for perfect assemble because each piece has no imperfection in it. It also means that the arbor will last for many years to come and still look gorgeous. New England Arbors are some of the best available on the market. Some also double as trellises for growing climbing roses, etc.
Thursday ~ January 01, 2007 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Furniture, Garden Sculpture, Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle | Add Your Comments
Solar LED Kettle II Garden Lantern
The Solar LED Kettle II Garden Lantern has a great eco-friendly design. It combines the efficiency of LED technology with solar energy. You can hang these lights or place them on a table or on the ground. Made from steel with a frosted glass lens. A set of two lights costs $41.00 from Outdoordecor.com.
Wednesday ~ November 11, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Furniture, Garden Sculpture, Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle | Add Your Comments
Windowsill Plant Stand
As we move our gardening activities and plants indoors, it’s a good idea to invest in an attractive plant stand to host our green friends. Check out this welded steel plant stand with a watertight copper tray. This plant stand makes a great gift for those who enjoy growing houseplants!
Friday ~ November 11, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Furniture, Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle, Greenhouse Gardening, Houseplants | Add Your Comments
Modern Artisans Garden Art
Modern Artisans is a company that specializes in hand made decorative items for the home and garden. They have some very cool things for sale on their on-line store, including these unusual birdfeeders, garden sculpture, address markers and more. This isn’t the mass produced garden décor you find at many stores. Modern Artisans pieces are truly works of art. 
Monday ~ August 08, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Furniture, Gardening Gifts for Women, Gardening Lifestyle, Kids | Add Your Comments
Alchemy Castings Garden Planters
Alchemycastings.com is a great place to shop for custom-made garden planters made from lead like the one pictured above. They also have a number of other cool products for the home and garden, such as garden urns and garden sculptures. 
Tuesday ~ August 08, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Furniture, Gardening Lifestyle, Houseplants | 1 Comment
Garden Furniture
My Family Harvest is a great place to look for teak and oak garden and patio furniture. They’ve got a great collection and some nice photos on their site. I really like their collection of teak patio tables. Their site also has tips on taking care of your teak furniture.
Friday ~ July 07, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Furniture | Add Your Comments
Arboria Casablanca Garden Arbor
Check out this elegant and exotic Arboria Casablanca garden arbor. This is a really unique garden arbor that is made from durable hard wood and non-rusting hardware. Bring a touch of the far east to your garden with this beautiful garden arbor.
Friday ~ July 07, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Furniture, Gardening Lifestyle | Add Your Comments
Eco-Friendly Products for the Garden and Home
I was doing some research on environmentally friendly companies and products last week and found the Green Home Environmental store. Green Home sells a ton of cool gifts, gadgets, and useful products for a more eco-friendly garden and home, including these low-flow hose attachments, natural and organic pesticides, etc.
Monday ~ June 06, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Clothes for Gardening, Garden Furniture, Garden Tools, Gardening Lifestyle, Hard to Find Seeds, Kids, Natural Pesticides and Fertilizers, Organic Gardening, Vegetables | Add Your Comments
Self Watering Planter
This is a truly beautiful gift for any gardener! The 16″ Cortina Self-Watering Planter, Bronze
will make a friend or relative very happy!
Tuesday ~ June 06, 2006 by kswanson56 Posted in Garden Furniture, Garden Tools, Gardening Lifestyle, Houseplants | Add Your Comments
