Faux bois branches against real branches and blue sky

The Love Shack Reinvented

by with 10 Comments Garden Art

I’ve been visiting gardens for many years and have always been intrigued by structures made of natural materials. In particular, I adore a nest, playhouse or shelter made of branches. This passion for functional art made of branches inspired me to work with my partner Andy to build a sitting area in my garden that we affectionately called “The Love Shack.”

garden seating area made out of woven branches
The original Love Shack was a great spot to relax in the garden and was adorned with Clematis montana.

For a few years this sitting area provided garden visitors with a great perch from which to view the garden. But then nature happened. The branches and harvested vines we had used to construct our masterpiece began to weaken and break. By the end of last year, if you wanted to sit in The Love Shack, you had to limbo to get in.

It was time. Time to reinvent. Time to reimagine. I thought about rebuilding the structure in exactly the same way but realized that would be a never-ending process. If I chose the same route, I would need to find a source for invasive vines to harvest and rebuild every few years. The older I get, the less I want more physical work to do so the idea of repeating history over and over again seemed daunting.

Fortunately, while I was pondering a solution to my quandary, a friend sent me a photo of a faux bois arbor constructed by artist Michael Fogg. Michael transitioned from working with real wood as a carpenter, to working with rebar and concrete. Now he utilizes his talents to create permanent structures that look like branches and slabs of wood.

I reached out to Michael and sent him some photos of the original sitting area Andy and I had built. He drove down from Connecticut to see my property, to look at the original piece and to determine if the project was something he wanted to take on. Luckily, he said yes, and we began the process of designing a replacement for the original Love Shack. Michael’s detailed drawing became the template for the final design.

faux bois art drawing showing design and dimensions
Michael Fogg’s drawing showed his vision for the reinvented structure.

Over the winter Michael completed the masterpiece. Traveling to Pennsylvania from Connecticut with the finished sculpture in tow was no small task. But Michael made it safely and my crew of hired help and friends was ready to assist with the move.

faux bois sculpture being loaded on pallet
A custom platform transported the sculpture through the garden.
moving faux bois sculpture up the driveway on a skidsteer
The team carefully moved up the driveway towards the back of the property.
the faux bois sculpture passes by the stone moon gate
I hope my new garden art enjoyed saying hello to the existing moon gate as it passed by.
moving faux bois sculpture past shed
The area by my shed was a tight spot that required special navigation.
faux bois sculpture in place with man and woman sitting on bench
I’m pictured here with the artist Michael Fogg.
group of people around the sculpture they moved into place
I’m thankful to my village, a group of friends and hired help from CPM Landscaping who safely placed the faux bois ‘Love Shack’ in its new home.
signature face by michael fogg faux bois
If you look carefully when you are sitting in on the bench, you’ll see Michael’s signature face smiling down on you.

Machinery, manpower and ingenuity ensured the new Love Shack made it to its new landing pad where I’m confident I’ll rest easy on its bench knowing I can enjoy my new perch for the rest of my days.