What is Hypertufa...DIY project

Hypertufa (pronounced hyper-toofa) is a man-made stone made from various aggregates bonded together with Portland cement. It's perfect for making long lasting garden ornaments such as pots, troughs, bird baths, rocks, stepping stones or even totem poles.

It looks like rock, can be cast into almost any shape, is environmentally friendly, very lightweight and can withstand harsh weather conditions. It is also fairly easy and fun to make.

The hypertufa creations are lighter in weight than concrete and have an ancient look about them, as if they had been sitting outside for the past couple of centuries. They sustain the growth of surface mosses and lichens further adding to their natural appeal and are very plant friendly. They have porous walls that act as a reservoir for water which the plants can use during dry spells. Porous walls also allow for easy passage of air to the root systems.

It can withstand harsh winters, at least down to -30C, so no need to bring them in for the winter. Unless off course you are living in Siberia.

Hypertufa was created to be used as an inexpensive replacement for the natural volcanic rock called Tufa. Tufa was used for many things - it was hollowed out and carved unto coffins, sinks, bath tubs, animal troughs and used for planters by English gardeners. Natural tufa rock was quite popular among gardeners in England before it became hard to find.

This lead to its development. It comes from the Latin word hyper (over, excessively) and tufus (volcanic rock that is porous and crumbly). When hyper and tufa are put together we get "something more than tufa" or "fake tufa rock".

So what makes Hypertufa better for your garden than other planting containers and decorations?

Here are some answers: 

• Lighter than concrete
• Won't crack like plastic, clay and ceramic
• Can withstand harsh weather conditions (down to -30C)
• Last for many years
• Retains moisture, so plants thrive even with less frequent watering
• Drains well
• Looks great
• Plants love them
• You can make them at home and have fun while you are at it!
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• Pictures

So now that you are familiar with Hypertufa 

Here at Remodelaholic she demotrates her DIY talents...

Here  at martha stewart.com, is another example to get your creative juices flowing...

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