Covering the Outdoor Urns with Burlap
You know winter is just around the corner when various ornamental vessels around my farm are covered in burlap.
I’ve been covering my shrubs and hedges with burlap for many years - since I first started to garden. This practice protects branches from splaying and even breaking from the weight of snow and ice. I feel it is equally important to protect all my outdoor garden ornaments from the harsh winter elements. A winter freeze, alternating with thaws, could crack or crumble any kind of stone or cement. Every year, all the outdoor containers, planters and birdbaths, are drained, covered, and then wrapped in the same burlap used for my live specimens.
Here is a look at our process. Enjoy these photos.
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- Before wrapping this birdbath or any outdoor vessel, it is first completely emptied of water and then covered with a piece of plywood. The plywood is cut to fit the top opening, and can be used from year to year.
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- Because stone and cement can crack from exposure to the winter elements, Chhiring then covers the birdbath with heavy duty plastic. Rolls of this plastic can be ordered online or purchased at your local hardware and home supply store.
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- When we can, we reuse burlap from seasons past; however, it is also available in giant rolls of 40-inches or 60-inches wide.
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- To sew the burlap, we use jute twine. It is all natural and the same color as the burlap.
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- The needles are specially designed for sewing jute. These five-inch long needles have large eyes and bent tips.
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- Chhiring cuts the burlap fabric to fit – one long piece that can completely wrap around the birdbath.
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- This piece is also big enough to cover the top of the birdbath. Also called hessian, burlap is made in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India from jute, a tall, grass-like plant grown for its strong fibrous stalks.
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- Starting from the bottom, Chhiring makes small stitches and knots to keep the burlap in place. He also makes sure the burlap protects as much of the bottom as possible.
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- Once the burlap is secured underneath, Chhiring begins working on the rest of the birdbath, stitching the fabric together and pulling the burlap snug.
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- Nice sewing, Chhiring. Every member of the outdoor grounds crew knows how to sew very well – they get lots of practice.
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- There is a lot of tucking involved, and a lot of stitching and knotting.
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- The burlap should be sewn tightly, but with some space for air circulation.
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- The ends at the top are folded over in the same way a gift is wrapped. Chhiring carefully stitches each pointed side.
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- And then he stitches the long side from the bottom up.
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- This burlap remains on the stone object until early spring, so it must be done very carefully to withstand strong winds and heavy snowfall.
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- The burlap nearly conforms to the shape of the birdbath. Here is the front – so neat, tidy and snug.
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- Next, Chhiring moves to the urns at the front of my flower cutting garden.
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- Again, this container is covered with plywood, a sheet of industrial strength plastic and a layer of burlap.
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- Here it is all sewn together, and ready for the cold season ahead.
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- Here are two covered urns in the courtyard outside my Winter House kitchen.
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- And here’s Chhiring covering another big birdbath in the same courtyard.
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- Behind my Summer House, I have six smaller and very heavy planters that also need covering.
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- These are grouped together and covered in the same way as all the others.
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- The six urns are covered and tucked away to the side of the patio, where they will stay until we pot them up with boxwood in the spring.
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- Chhiring also covers the stone faux bois support for the sundial. If you’re unfamiliar with how a sundial works, it tells the time of day by the apparent position of the sun. The sun casts a shadow onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hour of the day.
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- Finally, here are the four small urns outside my kitchen on my terrace parterre – completely enshrouded in burlap as well. Do you wrap any of your outdoor vessels? Let me know your comments on our burlap wrapping process.
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