Show Us Your Bonsai Benches

Gsquared

Shohin
Messages
385
Reaction score
1,167
Location
Portland (ish), OR
USDA Zone
8B
I'm in a new house and going to be building some new benches soon. In the past I've done the standard board and cinderblock benches. Very functional and affordable, but would like to do something a little more attractive this time. Before I go get the lumber and start sawing, I thought I'd ask the rabble to chime in with ideas and pics of their own benches. Anything out there that is interesting, different or exceptionally cool? Show us your benches!
 

Lars Grimm

Chumono
Messages
837
Reaction score
1,604
Location
Durham, North Carolina
USDA Zone
7
Judy, that is beautiful. Can you comment more about your screened enclosure? Is it permanent for wind protection? Does it double as your overwintering place with an add on roof?
 

JudyB

Queen of the Nuts
Messages
13,750
Reaction score
23,250
Location
South East of Cols. OH
USDA Zone
6a
Judy, that is beautiful. Can you comment more about your screened enclosure? Is it permanent for wind protection? Does it double as your overwintering place with an add on roof?
This is exactly what you think it is. We call it the wind house. There are two sliding panels per side in the front that can be closed in several ways depending on wind speed and direction, also there are shade cloth sides built like roman shades that can drop down for protection as well. If you have beech trees, you have to have wind protection or the spring leaves get damaged. We live on a hilltop so winds can be strong. The greenhouse for wintering is a separate structure.
I have watering systems built up in the tops of all these bench systems.
IMG_2517.jpgIMG_2566.jpgIMG_2567.jpgIMG_2569.jpg
 

sorce

Nonsense Rascal
Messages
32,908
Reaction score
45,579
Location
Berwyn, Il
USDA Zone
6.2
Nip and eye high.

Looking up into the canopy gives you the best perspective to tend them without pesticides.

Caterpillars, Japanese beetles, other top of leaf dwelling insects can be easily seen as a shadow on the leaf against the sun.

You don't get that advantage with underleaf dwellers, mites and other things like scale, which you have to be specifically looking for to find.

Nip and eye high makes thorough daily inspection easy and fast.

Judy's setup is the First that made me smile.

How bout....Mrs. Dunwright?

Sorce
 

Attachments

  • 20171227_164905.jpg
    20171227_164905.jpg
    304.3 KB · Views: 425
  • 20171227_164859.jpg
    20171227_164859.jpg
    387.6 KB · Views: 409
  • 20171227_164933.jpg
    20171227_164933.jpg
    256.6 KB · Views: 297
  • 20171227_164942.jpg
    20171227_164942.jpg
    339.3 KB · Views: 459
Messages
102
Reaction score
145
Location
NE Ohio
USDA Zone
6B
I'm in a new house and going to be building some new benches soon. In the past I've done the standard board and cinderblock benches. Very functional and affordable, but would like to do something a little more attractive this time. Before I go get the lumber and start sawing, I thought I'd ask the rabble to chime in with ideas and pics of their own benches. Anything out there that is interesting, different or exceptionally cool? Show us your benches!

Look at 2x4 basics on amazon for an easy bench. I got 6 brackets and a big bag of screws for 23 bucks. It’s kind of a just add 2x4 kit. I made a double tier one stand alone bench and a table. Using only a drill from a garage sale and zero skill. This took 2 kits but I have enough for one more table once I set the lot outside. BCEA6B3B-1382-4201-A581-19AC8D50CE41.jpeg
 

Arcto

Chumono
Messages
863
Reaction score
1,446
Location
PNW
This was all a herb garden a previous owner had built. I tore out all the rotting raised beds, kept the elk fence (required) and jerry-rigged the existing irrigation system. More practical than pretty. Maybe there is an idea or two there. More likely my mediocre carpentry skills were fully exposed.B7B99CB6-DF4B-47E8-B373-DE13A14C48D5.jpeg1BC867C3-4C8E-40A3-A8B5-68E5A0FCF4A8.jpeg833BB2D8-A03F-4452-BF13-F6B78CD5F632.jpegB5E98ABE-979E-470E-9A19-A34CB085ED17.jpegDF0D49C9-9C94-4B71-AAD9-28C12B693166.jpeg3D618AFA-E7F9-4B28-A9D9-A6DECF018C04.jpeg
 

River's Edge

Masterpiece
Messages
4,708
Reaction score
12,605
Location
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
USDA Zone
8b
Here are a couple pictures showing benches and grow bed arrangements in the nursery. Built for function primarily with irrigation built in.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0391.JPG
    IMG_0391.JPG
    640.7 KB · Views: 672
  • IMG_0395.JPG
    IMG_0395.JPG
    687.8 KB · Views: 665
  • IMG_0455.JPG
    IMG_0455.JPG
    594.5 KB · Views: 645
  • IMG_0493.JPG
    IMG_0493.JPG
    551.7 KB · Views: 603
  • IMG_0495.JPG
    IMG_0495.JPG
    788 KB · Views: 571
  • IMG_0502.JPG
    IMG_0502.JPG
    746.1 KB · Views: 566
  • IMG_0605.JPG
    IMG_0605.JPG
    501.2 KB · Views: 631

defra

Masterpiece
Messages
3,237
Reaction score
5,991
Location
The netherlands Zone 8b
USDA Zone
8b
rps20170610_185442.jpgrps20170610_185427.jpgrps20170610_185503.jpgrps20170610_185518.jpgrps20170610_185535.jpg

The part on pic 1 will be redone into a shelf like in pic two

Picture three will be taken apart and will become the same as the bench+ shelf as picture two

Pic three will be removed and will be rebuild differently or some monkey poles over the entire length to the right (pic 4) and one side i havnt build anything yet but finaly convinced the wife so it will be done this year lol
 

Gaitano

Shohin
Messages
278
Reaction score
457
Location
St. Louis Missouri
USDA Zone
6A
Built this for a full sun area in my yard, based off plans posted somewhere on the forum. Many thanks to whoever supplied the CAD plans, I can't remember who it was. Cedar boards treated sho sugi ban and linseed oil.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3723.jpg
    IMG_3723.jpg
    340.4 KB · Views: 507
  • IMG_3728.jpg
    IMG_3728.jpg
    343.9 KB · Views: 487
  • IMG_3740.jpg
    IMG_3740.jpg
    555.5 KB · Views: 462
Top Bottom