By Lisa Albert, Sunset guest writer
Like many others, Michelle Derviss of Derviss Design succumbed to the fire pit craze that began several years ago. She lugged home a metal fire bowl, thinking about the fun times with neighbors and friends ahead.
Derviss used it once. That’s right, just once. That’s all it took for her to second guess her decision as she watched the smoke billow away, polluting the neighborhood air.
“Half the kids in my neighborhood have asthma, some of the elderly folks have COPD, and I have a compromised lung capacity. I don't know what I was thinking when I bought it,” she explained.
Derviss put the bowl away.
The fire bowl was out of sight but not out of mind. Its pleasing shape rattled around Derviss’ brain, sparking an idea. She realized that with relative ease and little cost, it would make a fantastic planter. Derviss drilled a few drainage holes in the basin, filled it up with potting soil, mounding it in the center, and planted it with succulents taken from cuttings from her garden’s abundant selection. The result is a lush but environmentally sustainable, conversation-starting centerpiece in her garden. Now that's an idea everyone can gather around.
This is the second part of Lisa Albert's blog on fire pits for Sunset. See the first part here.
