Garden Decor

If you’d like to add variety to your garden this year, you can introduce a unique garden decor accent in it to add interest amongst your plants and flowers.  You will be tickled to see your latest garden decoration personalize your garden during the growing season.  You can also add a planter box or two and extend your garden onto the patio.

   Many gardeners will utilize a planter box if they do not have enough land for growing their flowers.  Anyone can grow a garden! It takes some time to figure out which part of your yard yields the appropriate amount of sunlight to make sure that all of your plants and flowers grow throughout the season.  You also may want to add some garden stepping stones to make it look more inviting.  These garden stones can be used to create a pathway, or spread throughout your garden, if that would be your preference.

   I have found that garden accents really individualize my little garden.

Put oyster shells in your concrete garden stepping stones.  It’ll make them look like they’ve already been stepped around in!

Oyster shells are really funny looking, and ugly… and beautiful!  They do kind of look like feet, one of the visually lesser attractive features of ourselves.

No two oyster shells are alike.  Each one is uniquely unique!  Take an oyster shell in hand and gaze at it, moving it around to play with the light.  Some sheen, huh?  Definitely pearly!

 Oyster shells will definitely add uniqueness to your outdoor garden decor, whether attached to garden stepping stones or other concrete garden stones,  or just loosely scattered on the ground.

Wherever you go, think unique garden decor!

GARDEN STONES

     If you are looking for a way to make your lawn and garden stand out above the rest, consider these solid lawn accessories. There are many different types of landscaping garden stones available.
     You may elect to implement simple garden stepping stones, or use just pebbles, acquired from river beds, and thrown around in a decorative scheme.

Landscaping Ideas Using the Perfect Landscaping Garden Stones:

     Some varieties of landscaping and garden stones are limestone, granite, cobbles, marble, flagstone, and sandstone. They may be used to erect some artfully crafted boulders in order to give the garden decor a rocky texture and design.

     One may elect to create a decorative pond at the end of a path of garden stepping stones.
     Another may choose to line a sidewalk with a small stone walls.

      A stone wall can greatly enhance a small garden, especially a little garden encircled by large smooth garden stones.

Sea glass is a fantastic inlay for garden stepping stones!     And very rare.  

 In fact, if I actually find a piece of sea glass at the ocean, I kind of want to just put it on display as one of my rare finds!

     I have found a solution, though. I purchased a rock tumbler/polisher for about $30.  It does basically what nature does by rolling the objects around in sand and water. Now I can make as much “sea glass” as I want, and it’s practically free!

     Anything that is glass will work: beer or liquor bottles, old junky vases, mayonase or pickle jars.
     Very carefully  break it up.  I place glass into a thick paper sack, then a plastic bag, then a large plastic tub. Then use a hammer to break the glass. It can be pretty tough to break, especially into fairly small pieces, so the protective layers are necessary. Flying glass pieces very hazardous!!
    
      Wear goggles and gloves, and use tongs to transfer broken pieces into rock tumbler.

Not recommended for children!!

     Another cost saver is to just use regular sand. The rock tumbler comes with little packages of sand. But any sand will work, and is much cheaper than buying the replacement specialty sand! Otherwise just follow rock tumbler instructions.

Now we’re ready to wax creative in unique garden decor! Adorn those new garden stepping stones, and even get creative with  garden signs or other types of garden stones!
Have fun!

The main supplies you need to make garden stepping stones is a mold, cement, and items to decorate or embellish it.
       Get creative with your adornments! Try seashells, marbles, beach glass, mosaic tiles, buttons, or small metal, hard plastic or glass toys. Mementos of any sort will be fun to experiment with: old costume jewelry pieces, broken dishes, cd’s…remember, we’re brainstorming for unique garden decor, here.

       I spend a lot of time at the beach collecting seashells; you know, those little flat pieces that are just too pretty to leave.  They work very nicely in little arrangements or patterns on your concrete garden stepping stones.

And don’t forget: Always wear protective eyewear and gloves. Long sleeves, long pants and shoes definitely offers the best skin protection.

Garden Stepping Stones

What you need:
 •  Ready mix cement - kwikrete or equivilant
 •  Newspaper, old tablecloth or other dropcloth - completely cover the area where you will be working.
 •  Container - plastic cover from fast food dish or grocery store cake, plastic gallon jug, large cool whip or margarine tub, cardboard box (must be lined with plastic)
 •  Decoration: Beads, seashells, bottle caps, key rings, marbles, pretty rocks, ugly rocks, beads, buttons; other sewing items: all-metal dollar-store scissors, thimble, very large needles, metal bobbins, crochet hook; coins. Look in thrift stores, junk yards, attic, under your bed - with an active imagination!
 • Protective clothing: eyewear, gloves long sleeves, long pants, shoes (Wet cement can burn and should be washed off with warm soapy water immediately.)

Directions:
1. Select the container that is closest to the size and shape that you want your garden stepping stone to be.
 
2. Mix the cement according to the manufacturers instructions. Pour the cement in the container.  About two inches is thick enough.
 
3. Before the cement dries (30 - 60 minutes), press your decorations, beads, shells etc. into the cement.

 ─ Here is where patience kicks in ─
4. Wait at least 24 hours (2-3 days is better) for your garden stepping stone to dry before removing it from the container.

5. Place your new garden stepping stone on a level surface, and let it set for 5 - 7 more days. To strengthen the cement, wet it every day.

 ─  Enjoy your creative handiwork on a table or on the porch for a while before placing it in your garden. This way your new garden stepping stone will be strong and weather resistant for a long life as outdoor garden decor!

Place your garden stepping stones mold onto a flat surface that can be left unhindered. Once you’ve got your ingredients finalized in the mold leave it for 3 days. Do not move it so that you won’t risk cracking the stepping stone.

After removing the stepping stone from the mold, “cure” the cement for 1 week by wetting it every day, before placing it in your garden.

When working with cement, it is advisable to protect your skin, and especially your eyes. Direct contact with wet cement can be harmful. It should be washed off immediately with warm soapy water.
Always wear protective eyewear and gloves. Long sleeves, long pants and shoes definitely offers the best skin protection.

Sand is a great tool for creating a level, even surface area for the bottom of your garden stepping stones. If you’re adding embellishments onto the top of the stepping stone, you don’t have to cover the sand. When you remove the stepping stone from the mold, just brush the sand off and use it again.

Here’s an idea I found while surfing for garden stepping stones, engraved garden stones, and general outdoor garden decor.

Start with:
5-gallon plastic nursery pot
Cement mix
Wheelbarrow or large bucket
Hardware cloth or window screen
Sand
Plastic sheeting
Modeling clay

Line the bottom of the pot with plastic sheeting. Then pour a layer of sand to create a smooth, even surface. Then line the sand-filled pot with another layer of plastic sheeting to keep the steppingstone clean.
 
To personalize your garden stepping stones, make a design by rolling clay into small balls or strips, and arrange the clay directly on top of the plastic lining.

Mix the cement in a wheelbarrow or large bucket, according to package instructions. Pour about 1 1/2″ of cement into the bottom of the pot.
Lay a piece of hardware cloth or window screen over the surface of the cement to reinforce it.
Cover the cloth with a little more cement, and let the steppingstone harden inside the form for a day.

Remove your new garden stepping stone from the form, and pick out the modeling clay. Repeat the process to make as many stones as you need.

*Anyone have any other ideas on the use of color?