| Project by jroot | posted 772 days ago | 1438 views | 0 times favorited | 32 comments | ![]() |
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RETREAT #1 We had a fairly mundane patio, which has since been drastically improved by the addition of an outdoor fireplace. With the rug down, it is just like a little room, our PERSONAL RETREAT. The best time to enjoy our little retreat is when the sun is setting. Here we can watch the clouds form, and observe the pair of bats as they seek out their evening meal.
Emotionally, it is a place where we can both enjoy unwinding from life’s pressures, and catch up and communicate with our spouse about the daily encounters which have come into our personal lives. It also serves as a great place to share stories with our wonderful neighbours.
One person has described it as an ancient ruin of a castle’s room. Since we live near a cedar bush, we cannot be burning wood, as the sparks are a real concern for safety reasons. Hence I have chosen to use a propane firepit, readily available at most building centres or larger hardware stores. I got mine when it was on sale for almost half price.
I poured a pad beside the existing patio, and then using patio bricks, built up the walls of the fireplace, leaving some open spaces in the back for ventilation and decorative appeal as well. For the top, I poured another rectangular concrete slab. With the help of neighbours, this was lifted onto the walls of the fireplace. More bricks were placed on top of that, and a concrete flower urn was placed on top to resemble a chimney. The propane tank hides nicely behind the fireplace. I placed some little rabbits on the mantle piece, as well as some solar lamps placed into an iron candelabra. The rabbits and the candelabra have been sprayed with chocolate coloured Tremclad rustproof paint.
I planted some flowers into the top of the “chimney” flower pot. Since this photo was taken, I have also added more wave petunias which really look great. There is a dahlia hedge on both sides of the fireplace which gives us more privacy, and brightens up the area with their many colours. I chose the 3 to 4 foot varieties for there. The colour changes from day to day.
We can cook on this outdoor fireplace / BBQ, so it works within the local firecode. We always have a package of weiners or some similar thing handy, just in case. LOL
-- jroot
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32 comments so far
MsDebbieP
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8102 posts in 1148 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 772 days ago
I’m just sitting here shaking my head at the beauty and ingenuity.. this is so beautiful, in such a gorgeous setting. Yes, the rug in front of it really turns it all into a different “space”.
Your work is inspiring!! Thank you
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a) http://www.execulink.com/~yohan
Iris43
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2184 posts in 778 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 772 days ago
This is just lovely. You haven’t missed a detail for comfort and beauty. I’m wondering——do you have time to sit down to enjoy it?LOL
Seriously, John, as I’m looking at your pictures, it looks like there is no motar bewteen the blocks? Does the stability come from the thickness of the fireplace walls? Perhaps this is something I could try in my yard——in a much smaller version, of course.
I agree with Debbie, your work is inspiring!
-- 'To plant a Garden is to believe in Tomorrow'
Eklectic
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1809 posts in 948 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 772 days ago
I just love it!
Wanted to do one with rocks! Maybe one day, I will!
You are quite the inspiration!
-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a
jroot
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3198 posts in 778 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 772 days ago
No mortar, so hence no cracking walls. The stability does indeed come from the thickness of the walls which are two bricks thick, as you can see. Of course, there is an 8 inch pad on which it is built which also adds for the stabiltiy. Because there is no mortar, if it does shift, it is easy to straighten up again with a few taps of the wooden mallet.
I am a retired teacher who specialized in math, drama, and teaching the gifted. The drama flair always comes out in gardening, or any creative work.
-- jroot
XploreOrganics
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1370 posts in 1027 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 772 days ago
A master of the garden describes you for sure…Just beautiful!
-- Xploreorganics, 5b Canada, LFD 06-20
MsDebbieP
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8102 posts in 1148 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 772 days ago
the gifted teaching/inspiring the gifted.
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a) http://www.execulink.com/~yohan
Bon
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5154 posts in 928 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 772 days ago
What a beautiful sitting area you have created Jroot.So peaceful.I just love the fireplace.
-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more
Bob
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1427 posts in 896 days
hardiness zone 3b
posted 772 days ago
Just like another room on your house.
Great idea and one that is in my head and never gets done as I have 200 projects ahead of it.
Good to know you have emergency weiners just in case I come visiting.
Bob
-- I want to believe in a lot of things but, in the meantime I have to deal with the truth
Scott Hildenbrand
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1658 posts in 919 days
hardiness zone 6b
posted 772 days ago
I like the fact that it’s dry stack. Makes for easy removal in the event that you want to do something else there, or to move it to a new location.
-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b
Scott Hildenbrand
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1658 posts in 919 days
hardiness zone 6b
posted 772 days ago
Can you snap a picture of the back? I’d like to see how you laid out the vent holes, however pretty sure I’ve got a picture in my head of the stacking layout.
-- Planting Daylilies in Kentucky, zone 6b
jroot
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3198 posts in 778 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 772 days ago
There is a photo of the back where you can see the pattern and also the propane tank in the blog: http://gardentenders.com/members/jroot/blog/489#comments
-- jroot
Greenthumb
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1801 posts in 968 days
posted 771 days ago
Nice.
Its on my list…sorry “wish list” for this year. I have collected concrete block, re-bar, fire brick to make an outdoor fireplace/smoker/BBQ/outdoor wood fired oven. Now I just need to find the time
The photos make me wanna get busy
-- Central northish Ontario
Dadoo
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12 posts in 770 days
hardiness zone 4
posted 770 days ago
If I can ever get my hands on a backhoe…
Nice fireplace Jroot! I want one as well but lack the backhoe for the rest of that project…at this time anyhow! We can burn wood here…I’m thinking of a fireplace that can burn like 3’ logs, ya know? Stone pavers, elevated Koi pond, Whole hog BBQ grill!. Now you know why I need the backhoe!
-- Mama plants, Dadoo kills, and Chippy buries it.
Louise
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74 posts in 918 days
posted 768 days ago
I love the setting, what a beautiful place just to set and think.LOVE IT!
-- Louise Edgwood,Md.
jroot
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3198 posts in 778 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 768 days ago
Thanks, Louise.
-- jroot
Bunting
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817 posts in 872 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 766 days ago
Welcome to the forum jroot
I love your fireplace
Looks so cozy and inviting
Looks like a great snuggle nook, lol,lol
-- NS Zone 5B 200 KM East of Halifax cheers Bunting------Having a place to go – is a home. Having someone to love – is a family.
lulugardengirl
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60 posts in 775 days
hardiness zone 9
posted 762 days ago
This is a great little room I could live there. just pull up my chair and a book. Wow it’s beautiful!
zeddicus
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18 posts in 574 days
hardiness zone 8b
posted 570 days ago
I really like your fireplace. We are looking at putting a fire pit in our back yard, but this makes me think that with a little more effort we could really have something impressive. Nice work!
-- If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?
jroot
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3198 posts in 778 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 569 days ago
Thanks, Zeddicus. If I were to do it again ( and I might ), I would make sure the chimney was done properly. We usually have propane burning there, but when I decide to get rid of some lumber “ends”, it certainly does smoke.
-- jroot
Desktopgem
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117 posts in 504 days
posted 496 days ago
This is amazing, jroot. What can I say to add to the compliments? Not alot. Thanks for inviting us to see it. I think I’ll go and get a cup of tea and sit in it for while from here!
-- Desktopgem
jroot
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3198 posts in 778 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 412 days ago
The outdoor fireplace and lower patio – our own personal retreat area #1. See above.
A wonderful place to observe nature, especially in the evening with the setting sun pouring light through the stained glass in the bird house below, and also watching the pair of bats as they search for their evening meal. I can’t forget to mention the silly chipmunks that tickle our feet as they run over them. There is nothing so rewarding as to watch a flickering fire in the fireplace, and have endless wall space before, beside and behind us. We feel at peace with all when we sit down here.
Of course, if it gets damp or too cool, or the bugs get bad, we can always retreat into the screened in area just beside the fireplace. – our personal retreat area # 2
Shot from inside the screened in area under the deck facing the fireplace.

Some night shots looking out from the screened in area under the deck. We have added some LED lights for atmosphere, and use candles also.
As a former theatre guy, just to add a little drama, you will note that there are spot lights facing up on the stone faces. These are solar spot lamps charged during the day from the deck above.
-- jroot
mtkate
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139 posts in 487 days
hardiness zone 4
posted 410 days ago
Those glowing heads might be eery… but I love them! Did you make them?
-- Zone 4a or 4b... depending on where you are standing!
jroot
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3198 posts in 778 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 410 days ago
No, those heads came from Britain. I used to make them with my students at school, making a plaster mask of themselves, and then making a positive mask. It was a lot of fun. However, I will admit that these did come from Britain. I had them at my former house on the entrance to the gazebo, but I thought that I would put them in this screened in area under the deck. Until this year, I had candles there, but I got the idea of the solar lights, and it works well.
-- jroot
jroot
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3198 posts in 778 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 408 days ago
Updated tonight. Check out the night shots from under the deck.
We love a good competition, as we get to see some truly neat ideas from all contestants.
-- jroot
GrandmaT
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5305 posts in 1026 days
hardiness zone 5
posted 407 days ago
I do love your TWO retreat areas jroot!!!! Such peacefulness … you have done a marvelous job with these two areas … beautiful plantings, awesome fireplace and that enclosed porch looks so snug … :-)
-- "A beautiful garden is a work of heart" -- Royal Oak, MI - Zone 5
jroot
home | projects | blog
3198 posts in 778 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 405 days ago
Thanks, GrandmaT.
We just got home from a quick trip to Ottawa, and went out to enjoy the peace & quiet – a lot different from a 7 hour trip on Highway 401 in a rainstorm !
-- jroot
Bon
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5154 posts in 928 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 400 days ago
Love both areas Jroot.GramT said it all and I agree.Love those stone heads that light up too.Nice accents.
-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more
sharad
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587 posts in 365 days
hardiness zone 11
posted 199 days ago
jroot I saw this posting today and was aghast to see the beautiful additions you have made. You really know how to nejoy life. The solar lamps is a good addition. Everything is so good, it will take pages to describe it. I long to see your place but alas we are too far off. Sure you will maintain good health in such surroundings.
Sharad
-- Bagwan-- “If someone feels that they had never made a mistake in their life, then it means they have never tried a new thing in their life”.-Albert Einstein
Alice
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50 posts in 195 days
hardiness zone 6a
posted 170 days ago
You have the most beautiful back yard!
-- Alice, Mountain Home, ID Zone 6a
Greenthumb
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1801 posts in 968 days
posted 170 days ago
do you have chairs?
-- Central northish Ontario
jroot
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3198 posts in 778 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 170 days ago
Thank you Sharad & Alice. Much appreciated.
Greenthumb, Yes indeed we have chairs in front of the fireplace. Many lingering nights are spent there with friends sipping on “whatever”. You should come and visit sometime. You aren’t that far away. A good opportunity to get away from the FIL. :)
-- jroot
Greenthumb
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1801 posts in 968 days
posted 169 days ago
Thanks and the day will come.
You have a beautiful place JRoot.
-- Central northish Ontario