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Improve your garden’s look without spending a fortune!
Concrete can sometimes get a bad rep for being ‘boring’ or ‘dull’ but the truth is concrete is an incredibly versatile material! There are hundreds of ways you can use concrete to make your garden more visually interesting, and we’re going to show you a few below.
Hand Sculpture/Planter
If you’re looking to inject a little quirkiness into your garden, this idea makes for an interesting art piece that doubles up as a useful planter. All you need to create your hand planters is some rubber/plastic gloves and some diy readymix concrete. Simply pour the mixed concrete into a rubber glove and prop the gloves up in a desired position as the mixture sets. The best way to set the gloves in a cupped hand shape is to place them inside a cur cardboard tube. Once the concrete is set, cut away the gloves. You can choose to leave the sculpture as it is or paint is for an even more striking effect. The sculpture also makes a great planter for succulent plants too.
Family Stepping Stones
This concrete idea is a great one to try with young children. It will create a memoir that will last forever and give your garden a real personal touch. To create a concrete stepping stone you can use almost anything as a mould… but one thing that most people usually have on hand is a roasting tray. If you don’t want to potentially ruin your roasting tray however, Use a disposable aluminium roasting tray instead. Simply fill the ‘mould’ with concrete mixture and get your family members to press their hand prints into the mix once it has started to set slightly (usually after about 30 mins). You can also decorate the stone with glass beads, gems or even your kids’ old toys.
Concrete Boot Sculpture
Have a pair of old wellies in the back of your shed? Don’t toss them out just yet! Instead, use them to make a cool sculpture that adds an element of fun to your garden’s look. Simply fill your boots with a concrete mixture and allow to set. Cut the leg and foot part of the wellington out and leave the sole so your sculpture can stand up. Paint the whole thing with a bright, funky colour for an extra eye catching look or metallic for a more modern appeal.
Concrete coasters
Concrete coasters are perfect for use in the garden as they are highly durable and can be left outside in all weathers. This easy DIY will not only add a touch of sophistication to your backyard dining but also help protect your garden furniture. You can make various coasters to different sizes simply using small cardboard boxes such as an old jewellery box or gift box. You know the drill by now: pour the mixture, leave it to set and enjoy your new stylish coasters. You could even take it one step further and set decorations into the coaster. Make sure these are flat or your drinks may wobble. Glitter is a great one to try if you want to add a little pizzazz to your coaster, simply sprinkle on the top of the mould once your concrete is about 1/3 set and finish with a lacquer.
Decorative Concrete ‘Blobs’
Garden decorations can be really expensive from the garden centre, but these homemade concrete decorations will only cost you the price of a bag of concrete and a packet of balloons. Fill balloons with concrete by widening the neck of the balloon and gently spooning in (as you would a piping bag). Gently mould into various shapes, taking care to fill different balloons to different sizes. Cut away the balloons once set and you will be left with an assortment of decorative concrete sculptures in various organic shapes – a sophisticated decoration at an affordable price.