Shortly after seeing my friend JJ's carrot gate I started dreaming of having an Agave gate. I sketched a few ideas, and tried to get in touch with the artist who did the carrot gate (she's also done a lot of the metal work in this garden). Well business must be good, because I never could get her to call me back.
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Still the idea didn't die and Andrew finally took up the cause. He decided my birthday present this year would be the Agave gate. He worked on a few drawings, refining and refining and finally we settled on a design. He has a long list of excellent local craftsmen that he works with through his position at Schoolhouse Electric. We had the pattern we designed laser cut, in heavy aluminum, by Scientific Research Company, they did a great job. This was the exciting moment when it came home, on August 21st...(the best birthday gifts don't always arrive on time, this one was about a month late)...
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This is the gate we've been making due with since 2009, when Lila came to live with us and we needed something to keep her contained. I didn't want a wooden gate, and Andrew thought the chain-link went nicely with my love for shiny metal planters/stock tanks (I wasn't convinced but didn't have a better idea then so I made due).
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I've grown various vines on it over the years, to help make it a little less Whiskey Tango. This year the regular old Virginia Creeper was doing a fine job.
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Here's Andrew's final drawing.
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And then CAD version after a talented friend did a little refining.
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It need to be solid, to help keep the critters out (and one adorable one in), and I love how the metal works with the stock tanks.
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Once we had the metal panel done there was still another step, the neighborhood cats have managed to pee on every metal surface they can find, etching the metal in a way that I have not been able to clean off, ever, no matter what I use. I did not want that to happen to our gate. Below is an example of the damage from the side of stock tank.
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Andrew decided we should have the panel anodized to help keep this from happening, Electro-chem did a great job. The only draw back is that it's slightly less shiny/metallic now. Here it is installed...
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It was always the plan to use the existing frame from the chain-link. I think it worked out quite well.
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And the shadows! I've always loved the shadows my plants make, now the gate does it too!
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The flying insect is an Andrew touch, coming from a repeated theme in his artwork.
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I am nothing short of thrilled with our new Agavegate!
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All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
Still the idea didn't die and Andrew finally took up the cause. He decided my birthday present this year would be the Agave gate. He worked on a few drawings, refining and refining and finally we settled on a design. He has a long list of excellent local craftsmen that he works with through his position at Schoolhouse Electric. We had the pattern we designed laser cut, in heavy aluminum, by Scientific Research Company, they did a great job. This was the exciting moment when it came home, on August 21st...(the best birthday gifts don't always arrive on time, this one was about a month late)...
This is the gate we've been making due with since 2009, when Lila came to live with us and we needed something to keep her contained. I didn't want a wooden gate, and Andrew thought the chain-link went nicely with my love for shiny metal planters/stock tanks (I wasn't convinced but didn't have a better idea then so I made due).
I've grown various vines on it over the years, to help make it a little less Whiskey Tango. This year the regular old Virginia Creeper was doing a fine job.
Here's Andrew's final drawing.
And then CAD version after a talented friend did a little refining.
It need to be solid, to help keep the critters out (and one adorable one in), and I love how the metal works with the stock tanks.
Once we had the metal panel done there was still another step, the neighborhood cats have managed to pee on every metal surface they can find, etching the metal in a way that I have not been able to clean off, ever, no matter what I use. I did not want that to happen to our gate. Below is an example of the damage from the side of stock tank.
Andrew decided we should have the panel anodized to help keep this from happening, Electro-chem did a great job. The only draw back is that it's slightly less shiny/metallic now. Here it is installed...
It was always the plan to use the existing frame from the chain-link. I think it worked out quite well.
And the shadows! I've always loved the shadows my plants make, now the gate does it too!
The flying insect is an Andrew touch, coming from a repeated theme in his artwork.
I am nothing short of thrilled with our new Agavegate!
All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.