Garden Art is one of the “in” trends for this summers garden and yard. And with the interest in gardening, particularly container gardening, on the increase you may want to consider making you own hypertufa planters. It’s a fun project and also makes a great family project.
photo credit: jdn

I made my first hypertufa pot in a local art society. We were encouraged to bring items to press into our pots such as rocks beads, marbles or any other found objects. I used wash glass pieces and old keys in my creation.

The you tube video below will give you a fast idea on how to make a hypertufa pot. It’s really very easy and once you start making them you will find the ideas get more creative. The look of the container also blends in to the backyard and looks wonderful near ponds or pools.

The nice thing about the hypertufa pot is that it is really an economical project. They last for a long time and can withstand harsh winters. They can be made in all sized and using peat moss instead of cement they are not as heavy as you would think so can be moved about.

Technorati Tags: container gardening, creative gardening, garden art, garden crafting

There are many styles of walkways and paths but one of the most popular is a stone walkway. They are beautiful, blend in with most yards and will last a lifetime. A stone walkway is relatively easy and should not take more than a day to do. To me the part of this project that is the most fun is collection the rocks.

Where to start

Prepare the area by digging out a trench where you want to install your stone walkway. If possible add a small curve or curves to the walk. It gives the path an inviting look.  Put the dirt form the trench aside to use later. The trench needs to be deep enough to accommodate the stones so measure the stones and then dig accordingly. You may choose just to lay the stones in the trench.

Start at one end and fit the stones as closely as possible together. The stones will be slightly odd shapes so they will not fit together perfectly. Try to match the shapes up as well as you can.

You can cut the stones for a better fit if you want. Use a pencil or chalk to draw a line on the stone and then trim off the unneeded piece using a brick hammer.

Continue laying the stones and cutting and fitting stones as needed until the trench is filled. At this point, walk on the walkway to make sure none of the stones wobble. If any do, tamp them down in place or fill in the wobble with dirt that you removed from the trench.

Finish the installation of stone walkway by adding dirt to the joints where the flagstones come together. Wet the walkway and dirt with your garden hose, then fill in again with more dirt. Wetting the dirt helps pack it in between the rocks and study the path.

The recent stone walkway that I helped build took about 70 rocks. The rocks were collected from the roadside and a ravine on my property.  The project took a few days.

This makes a fun family project and adds charm to your yard.

Tags: make your own stone walkway, step-by-step direction for a walkway, garden art, add a garden path

Dry creek beds add interest, focal points in a yard and can serve a valuable purpose.

There are two main reasons for a dry creek bed. One is filling in an unwanted pond and the second is to catch run off. Some people just add a dry creek for fun but I have one and it’s for run off.

To fill in an unwanted pond

Sometimes a pond becomes a burden or just becomes too much to maintain so the owner may want to fill it in. Here are the steps to do so.

• Empty your pond by removing the water with a pump. Remove dead plants or debris. If the pond had a filter, fountain or pump make sure to remove that to.Use a mixture of gravel and soil to fill the newly emptied pond. Its wise to use a compactor to ensure that the new fill will not sink or sag or collapse when the heavy rain comes. You will also need to make sure the area slopes down a little so that when it rains the water will flow down. The easiest way to do this is to picture a running creek and try to make a path like a creek would follow.
• Make sure to create the slope opening towards a ditch or a source of drainage. You can also install a draining system underneath before pouring the soil and gravel.
• Use a liner or tarp to prevent weed growth.

Now comes the fun part. Add different sizes of rocks. Place them strategically to mimic Mother Nature. Place the big boulders on the sides and corners. Keep smaller to medium rocks at the center.

Add assorted ornamental grasses and plants to the surrounding areas to soften and add color to the landscape. A properly planned a filled in pond adds a relaxing area to the yard.

To help drain a wet area in your yard

I have one area in my yard that I struggled with for years. It was suggested that I add drains and let the area dry out but I decided a dry creek would be more fun and decorative.

The area used to be soggy and almost a bog in the spring and fall. In the summer it could be dry or semi wet. It created problems so when I saw directions for a dry creek this seemed the perfect solution.

The dry creek is set up pretty much the same as the directions for filling in a pond. You just don’t need to add fill. I used a liner for most of the dry creek to help prevent weeds and placed rocks in the creek bed and plants along the bank. I left the top area without a liner so that it would be a little wetter. This gave me a place for a locus plant and elephant ear plants.

The creek is dry lost of the time been in the spring if it wet or a heavy rain I will get a small running creek. It drains under the ground to the larger creek.

This area has become one of the most relaxing places in the yard. I have night-lights for the evening and during the day you can watch the wildlife in the creek or canoes passing by.

The dry creek made mowing easier and the plants that grow in this area are stunning.

Tags: dry creeks, how to install a dry creek, managing wet areas in your yard, how to fill a pond