Stone age

Stuck for space in your garden? Create a faux sandstone wall pot out of hypertufa.

You will need:

1 large mixing bucket
1 normal sized bucket
1 bucket of peat, 1/2 a bucket of coarse sand and 1/2 a bucket of cement
Water
Piece of thin board, plastic bag, stones, spade, three corks and paint brushes
Resene Sureseal
Resene Lumbersider testpots in: Resene Island Spice, Resene Golden Sand, Resene Porsche, Resene Viola and Resene Burnt Crimson.

Step one
Pour the dry sand, cement and peat into a large bucket or wheelbarrow. Mix with a spade, ensuring the peat breaks up – large lumps will reduce the pot’s strength.

Step two
When dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed, dig a well in the centre and start adding water. Keep mixing and adding water until the mix is moist enough to stick together – not runny.

Step three
Cut a piece of board to fit inside the bucket to give the pot its back. Place a cork in the base for a drainage hole and start filling the mould, starting with the base.

Step four
Place a bag filled with stones in the middle of the mould, then continue to build up the sides of the pot. Insert two corks in the back to make holes so you can hang the pot.

Step five
Leave to dry for at least 48 hours. Remove the bag and let pot cure for several days. When completely dry, remove the board and prise the pot out of the bucket. Remove corks.

Step six
Leave for another 48 hours before planting up or painting. To paint, seal the pot with Resene Sureseal. Allow to dry, then apply a coat of Resene Island Spice.

Step seven
Once dry, apply Resene Golden Sand in splotches to resemble natural stone. Allow to dry, then paint swirls with Resene Porsche and Resene Viola. Blend with a bit of water.

Step eight
When dry, paint final swirls with Resene Burnt Crimson. For a bleeding effect, brush some water over the surface. Touch up with other paints if necessary to create the look of sandstone.

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Resene Paints Ltd – www.resene.com