In an effort to display my recently acquired bonsai, I am embarking on an experiment to build an appropriate bonsai stand on which to rest one of the plants and incorporate it into the greater garden.
I will be using recycled cedar posts and remnants of cedar boards from previous fence projects. I will also use left over black stain from last year's Dragon Spine fence project to give the stand a distinctive look which will stand out from the surrounding greenery.
To hold the post securely in place, I am using a 4 x 4" black metal mailbox post.
After pounding it into the sandy soil, only the top few inches of the post cup were visible, the surrounding plants helping to hide the stake.
Building the actual stand took some time. I needed to decide on a design, but also make it work with the materials I had. I opted for a design that had a slated box top for drainage (shown below without the slats).
Adding two rails on either side added support, while a central board allowed me to attach the box to the post. I used left over decking screws to hold it together.
The box top is 12 x 12", while the post height is 38.5". Note that two of the side rails are recessed .25" to accommodate the slats when attached, making the top of the box flush.
After constructing the box and post, I stained it with the black stain.
I also stained the 8 slats that sit on top with a .25' gap between each. The slats were then attached with a nail gun.
The location I chose for this experimental stand was near the center of the bed along the back of the garage, near Guanyin.
I think it looks terrific, especially with the Large Trained Rock Juniper resting on the tray.
Now I have to wait and see how it holds up. If the structure remains stable, I will start building several more (I have plenty of recyclable posts and cedar). The passageway between the house and garage (the Middle Gate) is in need of some more interesting features. Perhaps it will become an outdoor bonsai garden.
