Well then, let's make the stock tank into a table...

Here it is stored in our garage until I could paint it, the top side had already received a coat of blue paint sometime in it's past life.
My vision for this project was so strong that I found it hard to understand why Andrew wasn't 100% with me on what I had planned. Thank goodness I could point to George Schenk's book and convince him I hadn't completely lost my mind. See, other people do this too!...
My freebie table top measured 1" thick and I put two more coats of paint on it—my garden's signature orange (as used on the shade pavilion and the neighbors garage wall). Andrew secured the two halves together with cross-bracing so they would not work their way apart.
To fit the table top evenly over the stock tank I had to cut two leaves on the large Agave ovatifolia. I hated to do it, but they've callused over nicely so hopefully they won't be an issue when the cold and wet returns.
Okay, it was time to plant! I tackled this fun project way back in mid-June.
I'd been collecting branches and started by piling them (and soil) on the table.
I also saved the stump from the Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' we removed from the front garden. While these pieces were valuable for creating a planting framework I also really loved the symbolism of using branches and heavy woody pieces that had grown to size here on the property. It felt good to reuse them and keep them here rather than just chopping them up and sending them away in the yard waste collection.
Then I just started to place the plants. At first I left them in their containers, but soon I was pulling them free and piling up soil around the base as I went.
I was quickly "in the zone" and took zero photos as I worked. I can share that Little Prince of Oregon was instrumental in supplying plants for this project. I think 22 of the at least 33 in this planting came from LPO. 
I am thrilled with how this project turned out! I'll share some plant close-ups, but first an overall shot from June 18th...
And one from August 4th. I didn't realize how much things had grown and filled in until I started editing my images from June and could see how different it looks now.
Athyrium niponicum ‘Silver Falls’ (the fern) with Saxifraga stolonifera, the twiggy stems of Sophora prostrata 'Little Baby' on the left.
A bit of a wide shot. Three Tricyrtis formosana ‘Samurai’ are at the back, along with a Lepisorus bicolor from Secret Garden Growers. The short fern with the colorful frond is Blechnum brasiliense, it's not hardy—I tucked it in just for fun.
There's a trio of Pyrrosia lingua, because I love pyrrosia.
The view from the back looking out over the patio—it rained one day in June.
One last June shot...
And now it's July 2nd. I never would have dreamed it would take me so long to write about this project!
Here you can see an issue that's going to age the wood table top faster than I'd hoped. The space between the two halves, along with a couple of the glue-laminated strips that are separating, is allowing water to drip down to the stock tank below. I heard it one day after I watered. Duh!
Did I drill holes in the tank for drainage? No I did not. Only about 1/2 to 3/4" of water can accumulate in the tank, as there's a drainage hole on the side close to the bottom. Still, moisture on both the top of the table and beneath means the wood will rot quicker.

The back "wall" of branches is holding up well. I wasn't following any direction when I did this, it just seemed like a good idea.
Blechnum spicant
The Astelia nivicola 'Red Devil' again. It's probably a bit shadier here than the astelia would prefer, but since I had three I couldn't resist tucking one in.
I hauled this bit of wood home from our June trip thru eastern Oregon/Washington. I had no idea at the time there was a praying mantis case on it.
The neighboring Astelia chathamica 'Silver Spear' and Agave ovatifolia 'Frosty Blue' are in a sunnier spot out from underneath the overhanging branches of the Stachyurus salicifolius.
The Fuchsia procumbens at the front of the planting was a last minute purchase at a local nursery, Thicket on Alberta. I'm so glad I happened to see it as it's perfect in this spot.
And finally a few "now" photos taken on August 4th...







What will I do with this planting over the winter months? I am undecided. The large agave ovatifolia is covered then, to keep it dry. I might experiment with covering this off and on too. Our months and months of wet just might be a bit too much. Then again if plants in the ground (and my original fern table) can handle it then these should too. It all really is just a grand experiment!