Versailles at Mezzacello

Versailles at Mezzacello

Versailles-Inspired Tomato Planter

This spring, There will be a little bit of Versailles at Mezzacello. Last summer we found these amazing box planters at Monticello. I was obsessed with them, so much to the point that the tour guide advised me that I should speak to the head gardener and the director of operations.

Planter boxes at Versailles
Citrus Planters at Versailles

But I digress. They were so elegant and simple, and modular. But they are $600 a piece. No way was that going to happen.

Habitat for Humanity’s ReSTORE to the Rescue

I found these amazing store display storage boxes at H4H ReSTORE here in Columbus! They are PERFECTLY proportioned and well-built. Best of all, they were $15 a PIECE!

The Boxes with the dot inserts
The boxes without the dot inserts
General View of the boxes
Boxes in the Truck
Another Truck Photo
Versaille Box Schematic

So I bought four. My goal is to set up a spray booth here at Mezzacello and give them a good cleaning and scrubbing, then a few coats of Zinzer primer. Then I will caulk and seal everything, and then give them a few coats of Mezzacello tan paint.

Then I will build a plastic cowl to protect the top of the boxes and line the interiors with rubberized paint and then a plastic heat welded liner. Then the finishing ledge and some finials.

I have plans for creating micro-ecosystems in each box. Standard suburbanite dirt and mulch matrix in one, hugelkultur matrix in another, Martian compost in another, and a swale and soil matrix in the last. It will be a fun experiment and a classy addition to Mezzacello.

A CAD Rendering Before and After

Teaching Tool

I am over the moon about these. The fact that the polka dot inserts can be removed and replaced just sets my imagination on fire! What could I put in there?

In my dreams it is a variety of things; Chalk boards, art describing the carbon, nitrogen, water, or Oxygen/CO2 cycles. Even a description and explanation for the four different bed types.

Even if Rick makes me go with lattice or chippendale, they will still be awesome. I found a Victoria’s Secret hanger in one of them, so I assume they are from one of those stores. They will have a wildly different life now, and I pun intended, support it!