Alpines in guttering

I inherited this brick-built barbecue stand thingy in a house I bought last year:



It a got a paint job last summer as part of my first stab at creating a container garden:



But have been thinking recently about ways of softening the edges with some planting along the top of it.



I happened to come across some capillary matting in B&Q recently and thought - hmm that could be somehow useful for what I'm trying to do.

More mundanely, I need to replace some guttering so was looking at guttering bit and bobs in B&Q when I had an idea...

I sealed the bottoms of some down-pipe connectors with resin...




I fashioned some connections for push-fit 32mm waste pipe ...



Connected up a "hopper" (whatever that is) to act as a reservoir...



Fixed the hopper to the wall and the guttering bits to the top if the barbecue stand...



Ran some capillary matting from the reservoir, through the waste pipe, and along the guttering...





Added water. In theory the plants will draw moisture from the matting and the matting will continually draw water up from the reservoir. I've drilled drainage holes into each of the down-pipe connectors and anywhere else water might collect.



And then planted up with some sedums/alpines! - used a free draining cactus/succulent compost mixture. I have no idea if this will work or if the plants will survive but hey - worth a try.

My house guttering still needs replacing..

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner

Brilliant job

 

Hello and welcome, you will like it here

great little project, looks a winner to me.

 

Well done Colinn, you have made a Great transformation to your Garden..

 

Welcome to GC colinn. A great idea of yours and I see no reason why it shouldn't work.

 

thanks for all the welcomes and comments guys and gals - shiney, sheal, music, hairy g, zigs - this truly is a friendly forum

 

That is amazing, you are so clever to be able to create that. It looks very pretty

 

Thanks Lucius - the "system" seems to be working - planted over three weeks ago now and haven't watered once - but the plants seem to be doing well - growing, putting out flowers