A few years ago I decided to look for a replacement for the ubiquitous weathervane that my mother had, after years of frustrating and annoying her, after much research and questionablepollination of bees, I decided to order my own weathervane. I very carefully chose one that was to my taste, quality and in keeping with the tradition of heraldry. My mother had looked after everything with the exception of a goldfish, for years and I was determined to do something different to break that pattern. Not only did I want something that looked different but something that was practical as well, something that would last for years and years.
So what do you look for when you are looking for a replacement for the weathervane?
Well, traditionally you would have had furnishings made of metal and they would have been glazed on the exterior, this would have been fine but not at all appropriate for a cottage garden. The cottage that we are looking at here has trellis’s and roses that are covered with moss, this would not look appropriate for a weathervane. Also in the cottage garden you would normally have corrected scale roses as the weathervane would have to be accurate in order to show the times and the positions of the various storms.
In most cases you would have forest growing in between the rows of roses, so I would have needed a design that also had the larger shrubs incorporated into it, hence the need for a symmetrical balance. I tried various designs for the outside but eventually chose one that had everything I wanted: some rounded topiary pieces to create aiperry and cedars for the sides. For the inside I opted for a length ofedar and horizontally running trim pieces. I chose the gold color spray paint with a few coats of varnish as it is not only beautiful but also durable and the weather will not damage it.
As with my previous attempt, I decided to start with a sketch of the design on paper and add to this sketch throughout the various stages of construction. I would try to include the measurements of the various pieces so that if I choose additional pieces I will know where to find them.
Finally, I drilled a large hole in the centre of the top of the structure and ran a piece of plain wood through it. I glueged the dowel rods to the inside of the hole and anchored them with a single screw. This gave me a strong square piece of wood and balanced the ends of the dowel easier than before. I drilled another hole in the bottom of the smaller square and angled it towards the ground. I bolted the larger square to the base using a wood pin that is intended for 150 decagonal pounds. I applied a coat of varnish and started covering the inside with a layer of cedar chips. The cedar chips and the varnish I bought from the local car parts store. I was surprised at the joints holding the pieces together as the cedar tends to be slightly stronger than the varnish. I used a small drill to add small joints as I screwed them together.
After all the joints were made I got a piece of mixer and mixed up the pieces until it was a roughly equal mix of sand and timber. I then applied a coat of varnish and painted the inside for protection. After this was done I started adding the smaller pieces of timber to the basic cedar until I filled it up to the top. This is when I made the dressings and all the designs were finally completed.
Aftercare
For upkeep of the weathervane, simply polish the inside every two to three days or so, and if you want it to last longer, oil the joints and cover the moving parts withpiecemeal or Incorporate silicone tape. I also put a leaded plug in the socket and screwed it right into the timber so it was ready to move around!
Remember to dress up your weathervanes as they pass through!
This was a good project for my son and he really took to it. He was so involved in the care and maintenance that he actually became the neighbourhood expert on the subject of weathervanes. Now he is seven years old and gets enthralled in what his dad told him to do each day for the rest of the family.
The next time you want to enhance the look of your garden, make sure you don’t forget about weathervanes. A charming addition to any garden!
