Y’all, don’t even ask about my pendant mild. I can’t even go there in the present day. Simply know that when it’s performed, I’ll present you. Till then, I don’t even need to speak about it. What I do need to speak about is pretend rocks and boulders! Particularly DIY fake rocks and boulders!! Till just a few days in the past, I didn’t even know one may DIY a pretend rock or boulder. I imply, had I given it some thought, I’d have guessed that there definitely must be a technique to DIY such a factor. However I had by no means even thought of it. However now, due to my mother, it’s all I can take into consideration. It’s all I need to consider. So let me again up a bit and clarify.
My mother has been working nonstop on her again yard for what looks as if weeks now. The again space of her yard alongside the again fence is shaded, and her St. Augustine grass doesn’t develop properly again there. Plus, her neighbor behind her has performed this loopy factor with the fence, they usually painted their constructing (storage constructing?) this ugly burnt orange shade. So my mother has been looking out for vegetation that can both climb or develop excessive and broad to cowl all of that up. Plus, since her grass wasn’t rising properly within the shade, she has marked off a big space on the again alongside the complete width of the again fence (solely about half of which could be seen on this picture under) as a planting mattress. She has marked it off with a curvy design utilizing some type of edging product, pulled up all the grass again there, and is within the means of including vegetation.
So she’s been sharing her concepts with me, however as a result of vegetation and landscaping aren’t in my wheelhouse, I simply didn’t have imaginative and prescient for it. I even went along with her to the nursery to purchase one thing that might develop excessive and broad to cowl up that view of that orange constructing, however past that, I didn’t actually have any enter for her as a result of I simply don’t have imaginative and prescient for stuff like that.
Then she despatched a video and mentioned it was a should watch video as a result of this man has essentially the most stunning planting beds, and if I’m not mistaken, virtually all the vegetation he used will develop in our zone. This is the video from the S & K Greenhouse YouTube channel that she sent, and I agree along with her. It’s a should watch! I realized a lot from watching this. And I simply beloved seeing how he planted issues in teams in his beds. However what actually caught my eye was his use of rocks within the planting beds. They’re not used because the border for the mattress itself. They’re used as rows of ornament inside the beds, like this…
And right here’s one other screenshot…
And right here’s one other view.
You see what I imply? I simply love how he makes use of rocks inside his planting beds.
So the 2 issues that actually caught out to me had been (1) how he planted issues in teams, and (2) his use of rocks inside the planting beds. So far as planting issues in teams, he mentioned that his recommendation is to not be afraid to plant issues too shut collectively. He mentioned he’ll plant ten of 1 plant in a gaggle to get that affect that he likes.
I realized lots from him, and after watching the tour of his yard, I felt like I had extra imaginative and prescient for what my mother wished to do within the again space of her yard the place she has now pulled up all the grass to create a big space for vegetation. However the one factor we’ve actually talked about for that space is vegetation. So I texted her and mentioned, “After watching that video, I believe it’s worthwhile to add some rocks to your again yard fence space, after which discover a few of these low rising vegetation that he had in mounds across the rocks. That was so fairly!”
She responded that she puzzled how a lot that might price, however I didn’t have any thought. (I’ve since realized that rocks and boulders can price anyplace from $150 to $600 per ton, relying on the kind of rock, the dimensions(s), and so forth.) And in addition, she didn’t suppose she may carry a bunch of rocks and put them in place, so that might be one thing she’d have to rent out.
After which, the subsequent factor I do know, she’s sending me movies about making your personal DIY rocks and boulders! At first, I assumed it was a loopy thought. There have been a few movies that I truthfully wasn’t that impressed with. One particular person used spray foam as the bottom, however didn’t attempt to form it in any respect earlier than overlaying it with concrete, so the top end result appeared like an enormous grey cow patty. That’s not precisely one thing I’d need in my yard or subsequent to my fairly flowers. 😀
However then I watched the video from this guy from the YouTube channel Faux Rock Training, and oh my goodness, I used to be impressed!! He has a number of completely different strategies for making fake rocks and boulders, however the primary one he teaches is to start out with cardboard packing containers as the bottom…
After which, he makes use of fiberglass bolstered concrete, some sort of mesh for extra reinforcement, paint, sealer, and so forth., and he finally ends up with these wonderful fake rocks! Simply take a look at this one…
If that had been an actual strong rock, are you able to even think about how heavy it could be? I imply, wherever the landscaping firm dropped it off, that’s the place it must dwell ceaselessly, as a result of it could be too heavy for me to maneuver round on a whim. However as a result of these are hole, they’re comparatively mild, and could be moved round as wanted.
Right here’s one which he made with a special method, but it surely’s utterly hole inside. He picked it up and moved it round on the video (which you can see here).
And you’ll see that it has a gap within the high as a result of it’s truly used as a fountain…
Right here’s a screenshot of some that had been made with the cardboard field methodology…
After which this one which he’s pointing to on this screenshot is a pretend rock (utterly hole inside) that he made to seem like the true rocks on this space.
Anyway, as you may in all probability think about, my thoughts is now spinning. All I’ve actually wished to do for the final three days is make fake rocks and boulders. I’m attempting to remain centered on my studio and getting it completed, however you higher consider that as quickly as I’ve the chance, I’ll be outdoors, elbow deep in concrete, making fake rocks. I gained’t be throwing away any cardboard packing containers within the close to future.
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I rework and embellish the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You can learn more about me here.
