Building an outdoor shrine...

[Asch]

Has anyone made one before? I'm currently attempting to tame my overgrown yard - a several years work in progress- as I have family visiting from overseas in August. As I was working this morning it occured to me that I have at least two excellent places for a permanent outdoor shrine. So, I'm curious as to whether anyone has created one before, how it worked out, and any advice (or even better!) photos anyone might be willing to share.

[Wickerman]

Has anyone made one before? I'm currently attempting to tame my overgrown yard - a several years work in progress- as I have family visiting from overseas in August. As I was working this morning it occured to me that I have at least two excellent places for a permanent outdoor shrine. So, I'm curious as to whether anyone has created one before, how it worked out, and any advice (or even better!) photos anyone might be willing to share.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Yx2...page&q&f=false
Found this in the 2012 Old Farmers Almanac, it would be an interesting idea to incorporate something like it.

[Devo]

Has anyone made one before? I'm currently attempting to tame my overgrown yard - a several years work in progress- as I have family visiting from overseas in August. As I was working this morning it occured to me that I have at least two excellent places for a permanent outdoor shrine. So, I'm curious as to whether anyone has created one before, how it worked out, and any advice (or even better!) photos anyone might be willing to share.

I am intending to create an outdoor shrine as well. I've only recently moved, so I'm still getting everything in order (and I'm not sure if I will create this before/during the summer, or wait until after summer has passed). I plan on having a small table outside, where I can place relevent offerings and small trinkets/stones. The main focus will be the actual plants, though. Which I will have all over my patio.

Still ironing out the details, I'm afraid :\

-Devo

[yewberry]

Has anyone made one before? I'm currently attempting to tame my overgrown yard - a several years work in progress- as I have family visiting from overseas in August. As I was working this morning it occured to me that I have at least two excellent places for a permanent outdoor shrine. So, I'm curious as to whether anyone has created one before, how it worked out, and any advice (or even better!) photos anyone might be willing to share.

Might I suggest cob? Here's my cob bench.

• Back
• Front

Because the roof is integrated with the structure, a separate roof framing wasn't necessary. As long as your roof overhangs are sufficient, cob holds up well in our climate. My bench is currently around 6 years old and the plaster, while it could use a few touch-ups, has held up remarkably well.

Cob is well suited to creative endeavors like this. The sculptural possibilities are endless. Integrated shelves, niches, windows/portholes, embedded mosaics...the list goes on and on. It's also a fun group project. Invite the kiddies! Who doesn't like playing in the mud?

Brina

[Vale]

Has anyone made one before? I'm currently attempting to tame my overgrown yard - a several years work in progress- as I have family visiting from overseas in August. As I was working this morning it occured to me that I have at least two excellent places for a permanent outdoor shrine. So, I'm curious as to whether anyone has created one before, how it worked out, and any advice (or even better!) photos anyone might be willing to share.

I have some very simple ones based on stone "benches" There are actually several of them around the garden with different aspects depending on time of year and what I want to do.

This one was ( temporarily) dressed with pelagoniums, petunias and lobelia as it was the stone "wheel" I wanted to photograph to show someone at the time rather than the altar/shrine. It would be dressed differently for a ritual or working.

[Aubrey_Rose]

Has anyone made one before? I'm currently attempting to tame my overgrown yard - a several years work in progress- as I have family visiting from overseas in August. As I was working this morning it occured to me that I have at least two excellent places for a permanent outdoor shrine. So, I'm curious as to whether anyone has created one before, how it worked out, and any advice (or even better!) photos anyone might be willing to share.

I have also thought about making an outdoor one!
However, for now I have just stuck to trying to upkeep my indoor one.

[Asch]

I have also thought about making an outdoor one!
However, for now I have just stuck to trying to upkeep my indoor one.

Thank you all for the advice and input! Unfortunately I don't have the time or funds to redesign an existing garden or build a new one.

The Cob materials was interesting as well. I know folks in the past tried to use adobe/concrete here and it doesn't quite work out here. In the late 90s/early 00s quite a few schools built w/such materials based on a design scheme originating in SoCal were replaced partially due to the difficulty in maintenance and upkeep with such a material in this climate. So it was interesting to see Cob so successful in B.C. and the U.K.

[Ula]

Here's my cob bench.

• Back
• Front

Brina

That's very pretty.

[yewberry]

The Cob materials was interesting as well. I know folks in the past tried to use adobe/concrete here and it doesn't quite work out here. In the late 90s/early 00s quite a few schools built w/such materials based on a design scheme originating in SoCal were replaced partially due to the difficulty in maintenance and upkeep with such a material in this climate. So it was interesting to see Cob so successful in B.C. and the U.K.

The key with cob in our climate is what Ianto Evans (sort of the godfather of modern cob construction) calls "good boots and a good hat", meaning high foundations and wide roof overhangs. My bench has a natural plaster made of wheat paste, fine sand, and clay that, as I mentioned, has held up just fine to the elements. It could actually have used a slightly higher foundation, but even at the base, the cob and plaster don't seem to be degrading at all.

If you ever feel up to a cob project, lemme know. I'm happy to offer advice or even get my feet muddy.

Brina

[yewberry]

That's very pretty.

Thank you. We love it and use it frequently. It's a great spot for impromptu ritual, too.

Brina