Tablescapes, Home Decor, Thrifting, Cooking

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Hypertufa Planters

Last week I visited a quaint little shop near my home.  After my spring silk plant show I had taken in about four of my Easter looking plants to sell there on consignment.  I had sold two of the four and I took time to look around her little shop to see if there was something I couldn’t live without ~~ therefore handing her back the money she had just given me. Smile  She has a few antique dishes, linens, old suitcases, tables and other vintage pieces many of us just love.  She also has a pretty good supply of temptations for gardeners..such as wind chimes made out of old silverware and garden totems such as this:

 

Garden totem 

 

   Garden totem cup and saucer  (sorry, not sure where these pictures were from)

 

As I was leaving the store empty handed, I turned to look around the front porch area and there it was!  A darling planter already filled with flowers.  The container was adorned with pieces of a plate containing a rooster.  I went back in and told her I had to have it!  She told me she had made it out of concrete and peat moss.

 

DSCN3745

 

 

Ironically over the weekend my daughter was looking through a Martha Stewart magazine with directions on making these planters!  She and I were very excited.  I couldn’t wait to get home so I could show her the one I had just traded for purchased. Here is a link to Martha’s magazine article.  It is from spring of last year.

 

http://www.marthastewart.com/268962/hypertufa-pots

 

 

 

and another link with more info

 

http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/make-hypertufa-trough.aspx

 

A little history of Hypertufa

Hypertufa is a man made substitute for Tufa rock. Tufa is a spongy cellular rock found in limestone country and especially where water has been involved in the wearing and leaching out of the original materials to effect a porous spongy consistency. In many countries throughout the world this natural stone has for centuries been hollowed out and carved for tubs and planters and decorative stepping stones.

Hyper is a prefix meaning, over or beyond. Hypertufa is a mixture of cement, sand and peat moss. For hundreds of years tufa rock was used in Ireland and England to carve animal watering troughs. Then gardeners started using it to make stunning antique looking pots and urns for their back yard gardens. After the supply of tufa started to diminish folks looked for a way to make it. Since tufa was created with limestone deposits and plant matter, the formula of cement and peat moss and sand became a viable alternative.

 

 

 

 

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DSCN3750

 

 

 

I like the thickness of the planter and just the overall look of it.

DSCN3746

Back side showing more of the bits of a broken plate

DSCN3747

 

 

I would love to hear if you have ever heard of hypertufa or better yet if you’ve ever made a planter.  The instructions say it’s easy…really?  I would love to make some.  Today we are in for record breaking weather ….97 degrees in the midwest in May!  Unheard of.  And to think…I have chosen today to go to the nursery and buy more flowers to plant!

 

Joining Marty for Tabletop Tuesday.at A Stroll Through Life

 

Enjoy whatever it is you have set out to do today,

Donna

21 comments:

Unknown said...

Love the planter...would love to make one...they say that they are easy...but I don't know...may have to try it...steamy in the South too...thanx for sharing, visit me sometimes at The Cranky Queen

Anonymous said...

I love this, and I want to try to make one,going to Martha Stewards link now.
Thanks for sharing.
~Jo
LazyonLoblolly

Cathy said...

Love the planter Donna. 97, wow that's warm for May.

Blondie's Journal said...

I am in love with the planter...it's darling! I've never heard of the material before. I would have loved to have seen those wind chimes! They sound really cute!

XO,
Jane

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

How fabulous is this. So creative and so pretty. Thanks so much for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty

Red Couch Recipes said...

Haven't heard of it before, but it sure is lovely. Joni

PAINTORDIG.blogspot.com said...

I have made these before, they are easy enough for anyone to do.I like the little rooster stuck in there.

Miss Char said...

I can't tell you how many times I've pulled directions out of a magazine to make these Donna...so far nothing. Your new treasure is too cute, I love the rooster adornment for a little added color.

Wendy McDonagh-Valentine said...

Hi Donna. Thank you so much for visiting my blog and leaving such a nice comment. I love when new people visit because then I can visit a new blog, too!! The planter is absolutely wonderful!! You would've had to fight me for it if I had been shopping with you!! :) I look forward to catching up on some of your past posts. Have a wonderful rest of your day and please thank your husband for serving our country. God bless you both!!

~ Wendy
http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

Gypsy Heart said...

What a great idea for a planter! I am really having a difficult time this year about not having as many flowers as I'd like. They are SO expensive here! It's never happened before or I would have started seeds early on. Just don't understand the prices at all.

Glad you had a great Mother's Day! I know your Mom's happy to have had your company plus her flowers all done and so pretty.

xo
Pat

Kristens Creations said...

Hi Donna, you just made my day! You are my first link! (maybe my only link...lol) This planter is so neat! Love the roo of course... I've never heard of hypertufa, neat to learn about it though.

I can't believe how hot it is there! Woah...I planted my mom's flowers yesterday and it was around 90...I was sweating and stinky!lol...I bought some flowers too and they are still in my garage. I need to get busy! Thanks again for joining my party, we will see how this goes...Kristen

Babs said...

Oh my gosh! I love the hypertufa planters and I had a recipe for years and never got around to making any. I think it was a Martha Stewart article. I love the one you got with the rooster plate.. soo cute.
On a different subject, I was looking at my secretary today and thought of you. It was your question about my secretary that caused me to redecorate it. lol
(Old post) Have you done anything new with yours lately? It was really pretty the way you had it.
Have a good weekend,
Babs

Gone said...

What a cute planter!! I love the idea of using concrete for them...and then being able to set some "pretties" into it!! ;)

stitching under oaks said...

I remember watching a martha show on how to make these planters...I loved them then and have always wanted to try my hand at it. They are very formidible looking and the plants soften them so much. Yours is beautiful with the pieces of broken dishes. Stay cool in your heat wave! Have a wonderful week friend.

Michelle said...

I love how you "traded", that sounds so much like me!

Anonymous said...

Never ever heard of a hyper thingie before but it sure is interesting and the combination of things that it is made of. Love your planter. :) Have a great weekend Donna.

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

I have that magazine issue and wanted to make one of those planters but didn't . . . maybe I'll try this year! Thanks for the reminder. I enjoyed my visit today! Have a lovely weekend!

Sue said...

I have two hypertufa planters and they add so much to my garden. I use one for my succulents and grasses and this year, I'll be putting my bright colored annuals in it. Have never made any, but would like to try. Those suckers can be expensive when buying retail! Love your rooster embedded in yours. :-)
Sue

Rettabug said...

I'd never heard of hypertufa planters until today, Donna! I learn so much by blogging.
I think the textures are wonderful & the insertion of those bits & pieces of pottery make them all the more interesting.
Thanks for sharing yours!

fondly,
Rett

Anonymous said...

I make hypertufa's and it is fun. I use perlite, peat moss and portland cement. Thinking of selling some of them.

another Donna

tufa lover said...

How did you add the rooster and plate pieces on to the pot?