Got stones?  Most of our #gardens have stones and rocks that we could do without. Our gardens here at TGG are full of them. Hauling them away is backbreaking and expensive! Whether you have just a couple pretty rocks, or are practically living in a stone quarry, here are some great ideas for using rocks in the garden creatively! (Shoot, you may love these ideas enough to actually bring stones into your garden!)
Rock Feet Creating rock feet has taken Pinterest by storm (see photo above), and I must admit, it appeals to my family side, but doesn’t look too cutesy. Love this! Instructions are pretty self explanatory. You could use construction adhesive to lock them into place as well. Source: My Modern Met Mosaic Create mosaic art with stones on planters, stepping stones, or even in the ground as an accent to your plantings! Lay out your stones in the desired pattern first, then transfer to your surface and attach with construction adhesive. Check out the tutorial over at ‘Jeffrey Gardens’.
  Cairns A cairn is essentially a man made pile of stones, originally a Scottish tradition to note a landmark, or a memorial. They can be lovely testaments to nature within the garden, are easily made, and can be added to over time as a tradition of the home. Source: Houzz Bugs for Kids Remember the pet rock? There are a lot of cute and easy ideas for painting pet “bug” rocks that make a garden a delight for young and old alike. Great way to bring kids into the joy of gardening. Not sure of the source of this cute photo below. If anyone knows, please let us know in comments.
  Dragonfly Stones Another kids favorite, but great for any garden where nature has a hand. Pick up some simple gems, sequins and spark lies at the dollar shop or craft store. Choose a stone that’s slightly larger than the dragonfly you wish to create, and about the right shape. Lay out your sparklies until you have a design you like, then transfer and attach with construction adhesive. Looks cute tucked into some long grass, or in a ground-cover to partially hide the stones edges. This one from ‘Wisconsin Made’ gives you the idea or you can buy it from them here.
  Inspiration Stones Simple! Pretty stones, pretty saying, paint pen. Display on a walkway, piled in a planter, or tucked next to special #plants as secret garden surprises. A great example are these inspiration stones. #DIY them or buy them from ‘Elizabeth’s Embellishments’.
Creatively using stones and rocks in the garden is an inexpensive way to add a touch of whimsy and creativity, yet keep your garden space natural. Oh yea, and now you don’t have to pay the chiropractor!

When I first considered putting a water feature into my #garden , I was intimidated. It seemed like a daunting task best left to people with a lot of money to pay for professional installation. Nothing could be further from the truth, and a water fountain is a great way to ease into using water in the landscape without the expense and work of a pond or waterfall.
I created a water fountain out of materials I had around the house, picked up a fountain pump and some tubing, and got creative! Here is how my fountain was created. You can see step by step and finished photos below. Materials needed Large pot and saucer Outdoor fountain pump, small Tubing to fit your pump Drill and ceramic bit Large plastic bin or fountain kit basin (Rubbermaid round containers work great) 1×2 lumber Bricks and stones Silicone caulk First you need to determine the best place for your inground fountain. I chose a sliver of lawn next to the patio so we could enjoy the sound, but an area that could be seen from my kitchen and dining room windows. Dig a hole slightly larger than the plastic bin or fountain kit basin. Use a level to try to keep the bottom of the hole as level as possible. Make sure the bottom is packed down tightly, place bin in hole and fill halfway with water.
Build a frame as a base over the basin to hold the pot and decorative bricks. I simply made a rectangle larger than the fountain basin, then added cross braces to hold the bricks and pot over the water pit. Set the pump inside the basin and make sure you have a heavy duty outdoor electrical cord to connect the pump to a GFI outdoor electrical outlet. You may need to set the pump up on bricks. If you do not have a GFI outdoor outlet, you either need to have one installed, or use a solar powered pump. You can find such pumps on our water garden page at http://www.thegardenglove.com/water_garden.html. DO NOT connect the pump to an electrical source not rated for the outdoor situation! Always use caution when dealing with electricity. I bury my electrical cord under the ground in a pvc pipe to protect it from accidents with shovels, lawnmowers and other tools. Now connect the tubing to the pump, and leave a long section for running through your pot.
Place the frame over the top of the water basin, with the tubing running up in the middle. I used silicone caulk to add stones to the edges of the frame for a natural look. Now add loose bricks in two rows over the frame, as shown. Place the overturned pot over the center of the frame on the bricks, and run the tubing up through the pot and out through the drainage hole at the top.
Using a ceramic bit, drill a hole large enough for the tubing to pass through in the center of the saucer. Use silicone to glue the saucer on top of the overturned pot as shown, matching up the hole in the pot and the hole in the saucer. Now thread the tubing all the way up through both holes, ending just inside the saucer. Cut the tubing with scissors if necessary. Fill the basin the rest of the way with water. Never let your pump run dry, it will burn out the motor!
Not watch the saucer fill and splash over the sides, creating a wonderful water sound for your garden, and a gentle rain for the birds! The bricks also offer the birds an area to bathe safely, as they can grip it easily. I use plants around the edge of the fountain to soften the area and add a natural look. Make sure any plants you use will not block your view of the fountain as they mature! Also choose plants who don’t mind moisture such as pansies, violas, and bee balm.
This project can be used with different types of pots as the fountain, as well. Glazed pots are especially beautiful with fountains as the water sparkles off their finish. When making the frame, you could optionally line the frame with hardware cloth, then fill the entire frame with pebbles instead of using the bricks. Make sure you place the pot onto the frame before the pebbles so it will rest securely on the cross braces.

Building a pond for your #garden is not nearly as complicated as I first supposed. I built a pretty little #pond in my front yard just off the front walk and next to the porch where I could sit and enjoy the sights and sounds. And I did it in a weekend without ANY professional help! Here’s how to build your own pond, and tips on easy maintenance as well.
Step one– Rough out the area the size you want your pond. A pond can be as large as you wish, but I chose to make mine approximately 4×8 feet. Check with your local code if you plan to place the pond in an unfenced area…some towns limit the depth of the pond if it is unfenced, usually to 12 inches. Decide if you just want a decorative pond, or a complete water garden with live plants and fish. I chose a decorative pond with a fountain feature, but keep in mind a water garden will require a deeper pond with more maintenance. Step two– Once you have the pond shape marked with either paint, chalk or a spare hose laid out on the border, its time for the hard work! Dig! My original pond was 18 inches deep to allow for some goldfish my children wanted. Goldfish are tough as nails, but keeping up with the algae was tougher! When doing some repairs the following spring, I removed the fish and backfilled my pond until it was only 12 inches deep. Whatever you choose, excavate the pond to the desired depth and try to keep the sides as vertical as possible. This will make it easier to hide the liner later. Lay some material in the bottom of the pond to cushion the liner against rocks, sticks and other items likely to punch holes. Good low budget ideas are newspaper, old carpet or even sand. Step three– Purchase a pond liner from your local supplier or discount store. Measure your pond depth x 2 and add to the length plus 2 feet- that is the length of your liner. Your pond depth x 2 added to the width plus 2 feet- that is the width of your liner. The extra 2 feet allows for fitting and cutting away of the excess.
Lay the liner over the pond and fit into the bottom, fill halfway with water and allow to sit several hours or overnight to settle the soil. Trim the liner to hang just 3-4 inches over the lip of the pond…that few inches is important, better to trim too little than too much, you can always go back later and re-trim. If you are going to add a fountain pump, place it in the pond now. Step four– Now you want to hide the edges of the pond liner with rocks. Flagstone in my part of the country is pretty expensive, so I figured out a way to get the flagstone look for only $25. I picked up a case of slate floor tiles, and used a hammer to break them into pieces. I lay the slate over the lip of the pond with the broken side facing the pond center. I then hid any smooth edges of the tiles with river rocks from my yard, simply layered on top of the slate. You can also use the local rocks to hide any excess pond liner as well. Plug in your fountain pump, and set it onto a brick to achieve the right height if necessary. Make sure you have a GFI outlet to plug into, if not, consider a solar pump. Tip: A pond for your garden is the perfect accessory. Luckily, you can build a pond without breaking the bank. Promo codes by answers.com can help you find low cost materials to build a beautiful pond. Step five– Add plants and accessories around the pond to make it a welcoming place for all your visitors! Be sure there is seating nearby, and a birdfeeder in the nearby trees will ensure a steady supply of feathered friends to enjoy your pond oasis! There are many algae controls available for those not interested in learning the complexities of creating a natural biological environment in their water garden. Even discount stores carry such supplies the garden section. A small amount of bleach will also keep the water clean, though you must be careful to use small amounts, and avoid this method if wildlife frequents your pond. Fast, easy and a showstopper that will add real value to your garden and your home.

One of the most boring parts of our #garden design is also one of our most necessary- walkways, patios and driveways. Most of us have simple poured concrete, and while it definitely does the job, it is, in a word, boring. We wanted a cool textured, almost rustic look that would blend well with different styles. Here’s how to stain a concrete patio yourself, without a sprayer, without expensive commercial products, and without taking a huge chunk out of your checkbook. Supplies: Concrete Stain- We used 2 gallons of Behr Semi Transparent Concrete Stain on an average concrete patio. Roller and tray Sponge Optional: Concrete cleaner/etcher and concrete sealer
Step One: Determine if your concrete is porous enough to absorb the stain. The best way to do this is to drip a few drops of water on it. If it absorbs after a few minutes, it good to stain. If the water beads up and won’t absorb, then you need to strip and etch it. Probably don’t need to do that unless your concrete has been sealed in the past. Behr makes a concrete stripped for this purpose, I’m sure there are other products as well. Follow the instructions on the can. If stripping is not needed, simply clean the concrete really well with water and a little vinegar or mild soap. The advantage to the vinegar is that it wont need rinsing. The soap will. Allow to dry thoroughly. Step Two: We used a roller and tray to apply the stain to the floor, then used a round household sponge to dab a texture into the stain before it dries. You will need to have two people, one to roll and one to dab and work in small sections. Try to keep the edge wet as you work to prevent a hard line, but with the texture, its pretty forgiving. Allow to dry. Don’t panic if it looks like a total failure at this point…it WILL need a second coat! In fact, you could add a third coat for a really rich texture, we stopped at two. Note: If your sponge is not round, simply tear away chunks of the edges before using so you wont have any hard edge marks in your stain.
See? First coat looks pretty rough…patience!
After the second coat, allow to dry 24 hours. If you choose to use a sealer at this point, now is the time. Be sure to roll on using light coats and allow to dry thoroughly between coats if you do more than one. Advantage of using sealer: Stain will last much longer and will have a little more shine to it. Disadvantage of using sealer: When you eventually want to freshen the stain, or need to repair a spot, you will have to strip the concrete first. That’s it! How to stain a concrete patio in two easy steps! (Ok, three if you seal!) You can do this on any concrete surface, interior or exterior. Although the stain does penetrate the concrete to some degree, I wouldn’t drag heavy objects across it. It does hold up very well, ours has two years on it now, with little signs of wear. You can touch it up with a paintbrush and dab with a paper towel for tiny chips or scrapes. Be sure to save the can, or record the color in the case you wish to re coat the concrete somewhere in the future.

Flower Pressing is a wonderful hobby that combines nature, science and art. Popular projects include framing, greeting cards and notecards but the uses are only limited by your imagination. Here, I present 9 creative ideas for using your dried, pressed flowers. 1. Coasters – Start with some plain vinyl coasters and arrange your pressed flowers on them before glueing them down. Laminate with clear contact paper. As a finishing touch, glue a length of twine around the edge. 2. Photo Album – Personalize your photo albums by decorating them with your pressed flowers. 3. Pressed Flower Art – Sketch a picture on a sheet of drawing paper and “colour it in” by gluing a selection of dried, pressed flowers to it. Add a wooden frame to complete. You can find some beautiful examples at flowerox.com. 4. Bookmarks – Decorate a piece of card with your pressed flowers and laminate with clear contact paper to create a pretty bookmark. 5. Candles – Nothing quite enhances the look of a plain candle than an arrangement of pressed flowers. Due to the curves of a candle, it is important to make sure the edges are glued down securely. Melt another candle over the stove and seal the pressed flowers by covering them with the melted wax using a paintbrush. Be sure to do this quickly as the wax will dry fast.
6. Plant Pots – Decorate your flower pots with the preserved flowers that were once in them. When you have glued the pressed flowers in place, coat the pot with varnish to seal them. Once dry, apply a second coat of varnish for good measure. 7. Lampshades – Apply a thin layer of glue (diluted with water is best) to a plain lampshade and arrange your pressed flowers on it. Attach a layer of rice paper around the lampshade while the glue is still wet and add another layer of glue to the rice paper. After the glue is dry, the flowers will be visible throught the rice paper. 8. Jewelry Box – Give your jewelry box a personal touch by sticking a selection of dried, pressed flowers to the sides and lid. 9. Paperweights – Wash a rock or pebble and arrange and glue your pressed flowers to it. Cover the whole rock/pebble with a layer of glue to secure the pressed flowers in place (a technique known as decoupage). Add another two or three layers of glue, waiting for the previous layer to dry before applying. Depending on the glue you use, you may want to dilute it slightly so that it brushes smoothly over the object. I hope these ideas have inspired you to do more with your pressed flowers. Remember: the possibilities are endless and the only limit is your imagination.

Bringing birds to your garden is one of the great joys of any gardener. Aside form providing food, providing water is must in creating a wildlife friendly garden. Here is a quick and easy and cheap birdbath that looks elegant and can be made from items you already own or can easily get from your local garden center. Supplies Tall pot or urn, or even a piece of large pipe. A large saucer Silicone glue, if desired. Several rough stones Place your pot or urn in the desired place for your birdbath, depending on the shape of the vessel, you might wish to turn it upside down. I filled mine with rocks to give it weight and prevent it from blowing over in the wind. Place the saucer on top of the pot, glue with silicone to keep in place if desired. Place rough stones in saucer to give birds a foothold, then fill saucer with water.
Plant around the base of the birdbath to soften and add a natural effect. Use low growing plants. Or, tuck your bird bath into an already existing garden bed. Hint: Place your birdbath in an open area such as a lawn. Birds prefer to be able to view the area for enemies, and will use your bath more often if they are not tucked back where a predator can hide. (Helps you to chase off those neighborhood predators as well!)

Designing a DIY water feature can be a challenge if you are on a tight budget. It can be even more of a challenge if you are looking for a contemporary water feature to fit in with an updated garden space. Here is a great solar powered water feature that combines the beauty of natural materials with a more modern design, and does it all for less that $30! Supplies Needed: Water tight container (Rubbermaid storage container was used here) Fountain pump (we chose a solar powered pump) Several flat concrete pavers, depending on the size of your container. Rocks of different sizes Plant tolerant of water, such as a water grass Step one: Decide where to place your water feature. If you don’t have power nearby, consider a solar powered fountain pump. Keep in mind, solar pumps ONLY work while the sun is shining! If the sun even goes behind a cloud, the pump will temporarily stop. If you plan to add live plants, make sure to site your water feature in the sun. Trace the shape of the container onto the dirt, then use a shovel to remove enough dirt to sink the container level with the ground.


Step Two: Add large rocks to the bottom of the water feature, then use the rocks to anchor your pump in place. Step Three: Lay the pavers along the edge of the water feature to cover the container edge, and to help hide the power cord. You can dig a trench for the power cord to hide it, or simply wind it behind plants to camouflage it.
Step Four: Use flat stones to fill in the corners where the pavers don’t meet. Use your creativity to put your own twist on your design. Step Five: If you are using a water plant, place the entire pot in the water feature so that the rim will sit just above the water line. A black pot will be nearly invisible in the water. Use more rocks to fill your water feature, hide the container and hold the plant in place. Try to use a mix of different colors, shapes and sizes. Step Six: Fill with water, plug in the pump and adjust the spray until it makes the sound and effect you are looking for. You can choose a fountain spray, or a natural bubbling over stones. Clean your water feature on a regular basis, and use an algae inhibitor available at your home improvement store where they sell pond supplies. Easy DIY water feature project for a contemporary garden… that anyone can do, on even a tight budget!

I love the idea of a hanging bed within the garden! I can’t think of another DIY project that would be more appreciated or well used! Especially as the long days of summer come upon us, laying out on a comfie “bed” while enjoying the weather, nature and the scent and sight of my garden seems like Heaven. Oh, and a good book too! Here are a couple of great tutorials on building a hanging bed or swing bed. It’s easier than it looks, basically just requiring a sturdy overhanging support, a frame, some chain or rope…and a comfie mattress or pad and pillows! This could make a great front porch project as well. DIY Pallet Swing Bed We really like the Pallet Swing Bed over at The Merry Thought. They have a nice simple tutorial there.
DIY Hanging Bed A little more difficult is this DIY project by the folks at Home Depot. Great detailed instructions for anyone ready to tackle this!

Will anyone do this DIY project? Please help me, thank you!

Steve and I were looking for an outdoor patio cover that was a little different, and that didn’t require major construction either. We found it in shade sails. Popular in Europe for quite awhile, they are catching on in the US quickly because of their ease of installation, ability to adjust them to each lighting situation, and let’s face it… they are just plain awesome.  If you want to use shade sails to cover your outdoor room, this is how to install them, and to get around the issues these types of coverings present. Buy your shade sails to cover the area you intend. There are many brands, shapes and sizes. Be careful you don’t purchase ones made of cheap materials, unless you only expect them to last one season. We bought Cooleroo brand from Amazon. They have lasted us three seasons so far, without fading. They come with all the hardware to hang, though you can buy an extra hardware kit if you need it. You should have mounting brackets and turnbuckles, which tighten to adjust. We preferred to layer several triangle shaped sails, but if you prefer, they come in squares and rectangles too. If I didn’t have Steve to think through the triangle thing, I would have gone with a rectangle. Sounds simpler, but not as cool!
Installing the shade sails is as easy as making sure you have strong supports, such as the side of a building, or a post. Keep in mind, these shade sails require a lot of tension to get them to stretch tight enough so that they look right, and don’t flap around in the wind. Make sure you attach them to a stud on a building, a sturdy metal pole, or learn how to make a wooden post work, as we did. (More on that below!) The first challenge we encountered is that our sturdy supports were not close enough together to directly attach the three sides of the triangle. We laid out the shade sails on the ground in the manner in which we wanted to hang them, then measured how much we would need to extend each end to reach a fastener. Then we mounted the brackets at each corresponding support with a drill and screws. We got some metal cable and crimps from home depot. The metal cable goes through one end of the crimp, loops through the buckle on the shade sail, then back through the other side of the crimp. See photo, below. Use a hammer to pound the crimp closed, and it locks it tight. Measure the length to the turnbuckle for the opposite fastener, and create another loop at that end. It doesn’t have to be a perfect measurement because the turnbuckle tightens down. Make sure when you measure the length of your extension wire, the turnbuckle is adjusted at its most open position. That way, you have room to tighten it down. It will tighten more then you think. When you have extension wire made for all the ends that needs it, move to the next step.
Attach the turnbuckles to the mounting bracket, and loop the extension end of the wire onto the open end of the turnbuckle, tighten each turnbuckle until the sail is taut.
Now you want to really tighten the turnbuckles. We stuck a screwdriver throughout the open body of the turnbuckle, and used it to turn the buckle when it got tight, to tighten it even further. Tighten each end a little at a time, so that all the ends tighten evenly.
We mounted one of our mounting brackets lower on a pole, so that we could angle one of the sails against the afternoon sun.

This last photo, below,  gives you a picture of one of our issues with the wooden poles we used as supports. (Please ignore the ugly patio, these photos were right after I moved in!) We installed these poles ourselves for the purpose of mounting the shade sails. (We also hang bird feeders off them!) We used several bags of concrete and buried them two feet under, 4×4 pressure treated lumber. When we attached the extension wires and tightened them down, they still bent! That is what we mean when we say a lot of tension! Possibly that won’t be an issue for you, or you will decide the slight amount of bending of the pole doesn’t bother you, (Steve’s a perfectionist… and it’s a good thing, too, or we never would have pulled this off to look so great! Me? I would have planted a vine on it and called it done. Yes, I can be a little lazy.  :)) But if you decide to go with our brilliant plan, we found a fix. We used the same metal cable, and braced the pole by wiring it down to the base of a fence post that is also cemented in the ground, you can see a touch of the cable to the right side of the photo…. I know, sounds like a lot… But it turned out to be awesome! Any questions? In the end we found out that if you need to use poles to attach to, the best thing would be very sturdy 4 to 5 inch (diameter) metal poles.
Want to see more shade sails used to make amazing outdoor spaces? Be inspired!

Ok, so you have the plants picked out, the hardscape in place, and even some evening lighting, but you still feel something is missing from your garden. Chances are, it’s a little bit o’ character, and a smile! The garden is meant to be a soothing place, but we must never forget, it’s also about affirming life. And what is life without laughter and fun? Learn how to add whimsy to your garden to take away the boring blahs, and to make your garden a place people want to come back to. Keep in mind though, adding whimsy to your garden is like anything else in life… it’s all about balance. While we love a smirking smile on our garden visitors, we try to steer away from things that are over the top cutesy. But honestly, whimsy means different things to different people. It’s your garden! If you want ten pink flamingoes, well then… ahem… go for it! Here is some inspiration for you to get you started making your outdoor space a place of whimsy. (No flamingoes on our list, though!) Our feature photo above, is from ‘Interiorholic’. This “spilled” flower pot is the perfect touch of make believe, with the blue lobelia spilling out the idea of rushing water. Easy instructions on how to make this work in your garden! From ‘Crafts by Amanda’, this watering can that pours out crystals is a really clever take on whimsy… This is simply old chandelier crystals attached with a piece of wire. Longer crystals could also create sounds in the wind, like chimes. Loving’ this!
So I love this idea from "Jennifer Rizzo"… These are just vintage teacups hung from sisal twine in a tree. What about vintage flatware? I can just hear these clinking in a summer breeze, too!
From Kathy Hutchison at ‘Picasa’, this whimsical lawn shape doesn’t take any more than the desire to make it! Use a sharp garden knife to cut through the sod to make your shape, then peel away the sod on the outside. Keep well watered until roots on the edge of the sculpted sod take good root.
‘Earth Shapers‘ created this pebble mosaic for a walkway instead of just plain concrete… I would sure rather walk up this path! You can easily purchase whimsical garden art, like these beaded sting stakes from ‘Gardener’s Supply‘. Just remember here, it easy to get too cute, so make sure you want to be known around the neighborhood as “the lady with all the smiling frogs”, or “that family who loves gnomes” before you go crazy with it!
Another choice from ‘Gardeners’, this LED fairy dust ball is a cool way to add whimsy for your night time garden!
‘Judy Sturman‘ created this pink tricycle planter from an old trike, some spray paint, and wired on some old planter pots. This is so vintage whimsical!
Etsy is a great place to find whimsical garden art… ‘ToriArt’ made these abstract garden art stakes that would take no effort to install in your garden, but looks like “The Good Ship Lollipop” to me!
Last, these garden art plant sticks from ‘AllegraArt‘ can bring a little happy color and form to any corner of your outdoor space. So add some whimsy to your garden!