Vintage Wood Cookstove

Rustic Country Junk Gardening

The old wood cookstove has aged well; she's a beauty all right. White enamel warming oven and cast iron plates for the stove top are almost all complete.

Once she's in place, there are no plans to move her. The weight of all that cast iron adds up. In total, I'm thinking over 300lbs. You can make it a bit lighter by taking off all the removable plates, and the back warmer comes off too.

It's a lot of fun to make up vignettes that all go together; old enamel ware pots and pans, some of them planted with gorgeous succulents, brightly colored kettles and coffee pots bring back memories and nostalgia for those of us that have never lived the rustic lifestyle.

Vintage McClary Escort Wood Cook Stove

The age of this stove is unknown, but we salvaged it from an abandoned farm yard in the area.

There is no way this one will ever cook another pan of bacon, or a loaf of bread as the firebox is completely rusted out. However, it makes a great focal point in the garden.

Vintage McClary Escort Wood Cook Stove

Sempervivum and Sedum are the perfect plants to display in saucepans with bullet holes, one without a handle, and blue granite ware kettles without a lid.

The big cream colored pot was originally used to cook pig slops on the stove; back in the day, whatever left overs the family didn't eat would all go into the pig bucket, and be turned into a nutritious and delicious (at least, the pigs thought so) meal.

If this looks like heaven to you, you're too young to have lived the lifestyle...

Ahh, the memories; never to be forgotten; early mornings, up before the cock crowed, to light the fire, shivering. Quick, get the coffee on...

Click any of the pictures below to open the slide show;

Happy hen and chicks plants in the blue kettle

A lovely red Sempervivum graces the bright blue granite ware kettle

Mixing up the pig slops means they would cook all day on the back of the stove, ready for the pigs to have a delicious warming meal in the evening.

Eclectic grouping of enamel ware kettles and coffee pots

Blue being my favorite color, these enamel ware coffee pots and the kettle fit right into the collection.

Grouping red collectibles together gives them more impact...

The red gasoline can, white and red enamel pots overflowing with hardy succulents against the white backdrop of the warming oven shows off the colors...

Textural and colorful, Sempervivum give the perfect finishing touch to the collection

Carefully chosen for their red coloring so they would match and hit off the red rim of the old saucepan, which is almost completely hidden by the lush growth, these hardy succulents are one of the best for rustic containers.

Zinc gasoline can beside the (thankfully!) non-working vintage wood stove

Zinc gasoline containers are a great addition to the collection of more colorful metal pots and pans...

Wanting more? Check out the Eclectic Eggporeum for more junk gardening ideas, and see the Vintage Junk Bicycle too.

These old woodstoves got a good final resting place...

I'm not the only one who gives a woodstove or two a good home;

Old wood stoves get pride of place at Son Ranch Timber

Whether they are used as a focal point for the entry, or a resting place for a plant pot or two, they add a lot of rustic charm to the garden.

Lovely antique parlour stove, showing the patina of age

Some have intricate iron work in the casting, others more plain but the simple shapes on the one below echo the shape of flowers - who could resist using it in a garden?