Covering the Many Ornamental Urns with Burlap for Winter
You know winter is near when various ornamental vessels around my Bedford, New York farm are covered in burlap.
As many of you know, I've been covering shrubs and hedges with burlap for many years to protect them from splaying and breaking from the weight of snow and ice. I have shared posts showing our annual process. I feel it is equally important to protect 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, especially if it is antique. During this time, all my outdoor planters, birdbaths, stanchions, etc., are covered in the same burlap used for my live specimens.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- This time of year, it is not unusual to see rolls of burlap and other “burlapping” supplies around the farm. My outdoor grounds crew is rushing to get this big annual project done. Aside from the boxwood, I have many outdoor containers and garden ornaments that are covered and protected with burlap and kept in their respected locations for the duration of the cold season. When we can, we reuse burlap from seasons past; however, it is also available in giant rolls of 40-inches or 60-inches wide. 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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- To sew the burlap, we use jute twine. It is all natural and the same color as the burlap.
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- Because stone, cement, and clay-based materials can crack from exposure to the winter elements, it’s important to protect them. Here is one of two terracotta pots in front of my Summer House. Phurba first covers the opening with a custom cut piece of plywood.
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- Then he wraps the entire vessel with industrial strength plastic and secures it with twine.
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- Next, Phurba cuts the burlap fabric to fit – one long piece that can completely wrap around the urn and begins to sew the ends closed.
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- Starting from the bottom, Phurba 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 and the ends are tucked and sewn, Phurba begins stitching the fabric together and pulling the burlap snug at the top and around the pot.
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- Here is a view from the side. There is a lot of tucking involved, and a lot of stitching and knotting, but my crew has been covering these containers with burlap every year for quite some time – they are all excellent burlap sewers.
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- And underneath all the vessels are small wooden shims, which keep the urns raised and away from any water or melting snow on the stone surface or ground.
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- Depending on the size of the vessel and how much sewing is needed, each piece takes about 20 to 30 minutes to complete. Burlap is so useful for many gardening projects – it is inexpensive, biodegradable, and the color and texture of burlap is so pretty to use.
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- On the terrace behind my Summer House is where I keep several smaller and very heavy planters as well as a group of seven faux bois containers that also need covering this time of year. Here, they are placed together and covered as one. This burlap remains on the stone objects until early spring, so it must be done very carefully to withstand strong winds and heavy snowfall.
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- Here is another giant planter in front of my Winter House. The burlap is sewn tightly, but with some space for air circulation.
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- They look very neat and tidy from the top. This planter is one of two on the steps of the upper terrace parterre.
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- These two smaller covered urns are on the lower terrace parterre outside my Winter House kitchen.
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- This burlap cover is protecting the boxwood and the birdbath. We used framing used for the hoop houses to cover the entire area. One can see how much space there is inside for ample air circulation.
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- The crew knows where every stone container and ornament is located – and never miss a single one.
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- Here are the covered birdbaths and planters that sit outside the stable office where my business manager, property director and operations manager work.
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- And these urns are the stately Kenneth Lynch garden urns flanking the entrance to the flower cutting garden. They are more than 500-pounds each. The pair is usually one of the first to get wrapped in burlap before each cold season.
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- This year, outside my green parlor, we used old hoop house frames to cover these growing boxwood. Every year, our methods change slightly to accommodate the growing plants. Keeping good, usable materials for repurposing is always something I try to do. I am glad these metal frames can still be used – they’re perfect for this space.
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- All done, the same area now looks like an art installation.
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- The herbaceous peony bed is also complete – covered all the way around to protect the shrubs for the next several months.
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- All the burlap does block views of the landscape, but it is comforting to know that come spring, the many shrubs and hedges will look lush, green, and just as beautifully shaped as they did before they were covered. There is still so much “burlapping” to do around the farm, but the team has done most of it already, and winter officially begins tomorrow.
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