The chicken coop

When we built our chicken coop last year, one of the visions that I had was that the coop blended into the garden.  We placed our coop on the shady side of the garden and I filled in with a few plants.  But it just wasn’t what I had envisioned.

Until this year…

The grape trellis is close to the chicken coop and since it was growing like crazy, we figured it will work well to add some green to the coop and run.  David used some fencing material and wire to build a long trellis down the long side of the coop/run (right above the little white fence).  We then trained the grape vines to grow down the trellis.

Some of the grape vines are even trellising over the coop and run…

At some point this may get kind of awkward as the grapes grow on these vines but for now it is providing shade for the chickens and “softening” the edges of the coop and run.

Now we are adding plants around the base of the coop and run.  These cast iron plants were dug up from the front of our house.  Instead of throwing them away, we replanted them here.  We actually have plans to expand the run so I’ve not planted more.  However, once the run is enlarged, I plan to fill in plants around the coop and run to make it seem like a part of our garden.

 

I love the old-fashioned appeal of the flowers spilling out of the bed, the white fence, the grape vines, and the little white chicken coop!  It’s my slice of country living right here in the city!