A Little History of Our Asian Millstones and Troughs

Our Millstones and troughs are shipped from all over the place in China, but we obtain them in Qingdao, Shandong. Shandong translates to East Mountain and is located between Beijing and Shanghai on the eastern coast of China. Qingdao translates to the green island and it is famous for is beer, Tsingtao, as a result of German occupation in the 1800 and early 1900s. Tsingtao is an older translation of Qingdao.

The troughs are used primarily for animal feeding.  The more intricate troughs are simply for the more wealthy.

The grinding stones and millstones are used for grinding rice, corn, soybeans, and grains. The Chinese use the stones to produce juices, powder, flours, foods, and even to make candy. 

Loading in at Music City Center in Nashville TN

People are always curious about how we move all this stone around, so I thought I'd give you some insights to the process. It starts with a myriad of calculations. The size of the items going to the show, the weight of the items and the load capacity of the truck. Then it's lots of heavy lifting and loading.

When we get to the venue. We MUST have a forklift to unload. We had planned to take ours to Nashville but we weren't able to fit it on the truck. Luckily some very kind folks down in Nashville helped us out. 

With a "load in" time scheduled, the trucks get in the queue and then pull right up to the booth space and unload.

Rett always has a sketch for the layout which we use as a starting point. Adjustments are made as needed. Items are placed in position and then the real fun begins!

The it's time for my favorite part, refinement and fluffing. We hide all the mechanics like electrical cords and lighting fixtures. Put away the tools and fill the fountains. Next we wipe down all the pieces, cover the potted plants with moss and add a great centerpiece to the table.  We continue to make tiny adjustments here and there until we have the perfect vignette. 

We are loving the new trend in soaking tubs!

If you haven't checked out the Jan/Feb edition of Veranda Magazine rush to newsstand to pick it up and turn to page 32. A 17th-century watering trough is featured in the master bathroom of the Tribeca Penthouse in Greenwich Hotel in New York.

One of our antique water troughs converted to a beautiful soaking tub

The thick granite holds the heat for a nice long soak.

Holiday Open House...in the Stone Yard!

Please RSVP to Rett at rett@thegardenvault.com

Florals in Stone Water Troughs by Rett and Patrick!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our November holiday event!

Please check out the pictures below...and stay tuned for information regarding an upcoming event in December!

Rett Invites you! Thursday, November 16th - Holiday Floral Demonstrations!

RSVP TO RETT@THEGARDENVAULT.COM

Holiday Event at The Garden Vault

We are super excited for this LIVE event where owner Rett McGoodwin and Patrick Howard, owner of Patrick Howard Floral Designs, will demonstrate stunning arrangements for both exterior and interior using The Garden Vault's repurposed stone water troughs. Don't miss this fun evening!! RSVP now to rett@thegardenvault.com

Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville 2018

SAVE-THE-DATE

The Garden Vault is excited to announce we will exhibit at the 2018 Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville - February 2-8th. Visit us at booth H53. 

Click here to purchase tickets and learn more about the keynote speaker, design panel lecture topics and participants, garden designers and more!

Building a Garden

Gardens are more than just a collection of plant material. It is a living, breathing extension of your home, your aesthetics, your heart. 

Sculptural objects can give your garden heart, history and movement. It can be a sculptural element, water feature or statuary. We focus on collecting pieces that can bring a garden to it's full potential, adding structure, rhythm, and movement. All our pieces are hand picked for their unique aesthetic.