Ideas on how to landscape and/or "decorate" my PLAIN coop!

[Sammimom]

We had a backyard shed at out last house which looked very much like your coop, with trellises on either side of the door with easy-care climbing roses. My coop has window boxes with petunias--very hardy.

 

[Featherwisp]

Maybe, you could make little gardens by the sides of the door, and line them with rocks. You could put up some lattice and plant some morning glories or ivy.
Its all up to you...be creative!

 

[Big Red's Mom]

If you do not want to go with planting a bed on the ground try large cups (footed pots) with a large monkey grass. They are very hardy and stay green year round. Easy to do and not much labor involved.
The colored door and shutters will be great. What about a weather vain on top? A Garden Flag or flag pole attached to the side close to the run. The movement will help keep unwanted visitors away. It is a great building I am sure you will make it great in time.
HAVE FUN.

 

[rainbowgardens]

I'm going to mount a trellis to my coop wall, try to grow a climbing rose on it and attach some assorted shape, sizes, and colors of birdhouses. I'll block the holes so wild birds don't use the boxes. I wouldn't want to encourage disease or parasites near my hens.

I thought about a windowbox until I saw one of the girls fly up to the ledge. I immediately got a vision of them scratching up petunias and laying eggs there. Scratch that idea.

 

[KnitswithChickens]

I think a trellis on either side of the door with some evergreen climbers (carolina jessamine, clematis paniculata) or deciduous climbers (regular clematis, confederate jasmine, climbing roses). At the base of the trellis to hide the woody stems of the climbers, you could plant dwarf abelia (gets to be about 3 feet tall) it has pale trumpet shaped blooms that attract hummingbirds. Between the flagstones you can plant wooly thyme or camomile (it can be stepped on). I'd also paint the door an eye-popping color - maybe red? I'd also add a bench to the left side of the door angled so that you can sit and watch the chickens.

 

[Chickenaddict]

As far as the inside goes, if you are painting small areas at a time use acrylic paint and to get creative for cheap there are foam stencils out there with chickens on them. Slap some paint on the stencils and dab em on the wall, voila no fumes. They even sell a sealant you paint over the acrylic after it has dried so you can wipe the walls down without taking it off. As far as the outside landscaping goes, you really need to be careful on what type of plants you put out there. Mornning glories are bad news for chickens, I think clematis is too but i'm not sure. Daylily bushes would look great in the front on either side of the door but they don't bloom all summer. Some hosta varieties are very appealing and huge. Those also flower and would look fabulous just about anywhere. Ohhh sooo many ideas floating in my head now lol. Have fun with it, i know i sure would....
Here is a link for a safe plant list

Happy landscaping~

http://www.busybirds.net/Safe.html

 

[BethESH]

Quote:
I agree - gotta be careful what you put near the girls. There's a wonderful list on this site about plants that are toxic to chickens.

I was reading another post a little bit ago - and someone had a terrific idea to plant grape vines near the coop and run. Apparently their chickens loved the grapes, and they provided some shade and looked cool. If I ever get my coop finished, I think I'll try that too. Maybe you can find some cold-hardy vines? My grandmother lives in central NY and she had some amazing grape vines...

Look forward to seeing what you decide to do. I'm a little jealous - I can't wait to get to the "purty-fyin'" stage!

 

[grullablue]

Thanks for all of your replies! Shutters are definitely in...and thanks to this post, I like the window box idea many of you have suggested as well! Weather vane...forgot to mention, but I planned on doing that (a rooster, of course!).

I'm thinking a flagstone type pathway...the ground in front will be brought up a little yet, we need to bring some fill in, but I was waiting till I decided what to do. I also like the idea of the hanging planters on each side of the door. ANd I'd never thought about painting the door.... (see, I'm not very creative, that's why I asked!) But definitely. That plain white door sticks out like a sore thumb! It is going to be my project for the rest of the month, I believe. The plantings...I need to look those up yet. I originally had considered some pygmy red barberry shrubs or something (to match my burgundy shutters if I ever got them!) or spirea, but the spirea may get too big. Those are two shrubs I JUST LOVE, but could never incorporate by teh house where I wanted to because of too much shade there.

But painting the door.....absolutely. I didn't consider it myself...but it just doesn't "go!" It's a metal door, will have to look into what type of paint to use for that. But I'm thinking, get the shutters, then have the door match.

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I have my plants list to look up yet!!

Angie