@Home with Maddy
Project article and photographs
by Madeleine M Langlois, MaddyLane Designs
Outdoor Summer Entertaining
Summer Rocks ~ Miy Summer Dining Outdoor
Dining Outdoor Centerpiece ~ "Chicks & Hens on the Rocks
Sleek and stylish “Tabletop rock garden for an inviting ambiance”
Hands-on time: Under one hour.
Total time: Under an hour.
Skill: Super easy.
Project cost: Less than $20.00 for the supplies.
Materials & tools:
• Plain glass container, rectangle or square shaped
• Decorative rocks, pea gravel pebbles in your choice of colours
• 3 hens & chickens (Sempervivum tectorum)
(or other rock garden plants of your choice)
• Moss
• Potting mix
• Water
• Large serving plate or platter
• Decorative leaves
• Clean cloth
(Materials for this project are available at garden centers and craft retailers.)
When it comes to entertaining outdoors, the simplest of presentations can create quite
a sleek atmosphere! Add a little garden therapy to your outdoor dining and entertaining
this summer. A mini tabletop rock garden creates quite an inviting ambiance. You can
easily create your own centerpiece rock gardens in assorted containers. Transform
your outdoor dining area or a small space like a patio or balcony into an exotic
miniature oasis.
Rocks and alpine plants accustomed to growing on mountains make wonderful
container gardens for your deck, patio and balcony. This centerpiece container garden
is ideal for city or condo life or gardeners with limited growing space. Alpine plants can
be grown artfully in many different types of containers.
Begin by making sure that your chosen glass container is clean. Wash the glass vase
container with a mild detergent and pat dry. Select plants that are low-growing so they
won't obscure the rocks. Choose succulent plants like hens and chicks, saxifrages,
campanulas, dwarf rhododendrons, dianthus, rock cress, alpine poppies and dwarf
bulbs or annuals if you prefer. For an artful presentation, you can plant a combination
of herbs and annuals with foliage and bloom colors that harmonize with the rocks.
Select rocks with interesting textures and shapes. Prepare the rocks and pebbles by
washing them properly to remove any dust residue, and pat dry. You can experiment
with their placement in the container until you like the look of the composition. Place the tallest rock toward the back of the container. Line the bottom of the container with small rocks and pour the decorative white gravel pebbles over the rocks (or reverse the order if preferred). Place a couple of spoonfuls of potting soil over the rocks. Gently loosen the root balls of the chicks and hens and plant, leaving equal space between them. Add moss at the sides of the glass container and around the chicks and hens plants. Remember the larger finished container, the heavier it will be.
After planting, water lightly, and mist the soil every so often. Do not over-water as it will
collect in the bottom, become unsightly and be difficult to remove.
Place the centerpiece on a tray or directly onto the outdoor table. Keep it protected
from rain as too much water will not be good for the plants. The centerpiece can be left
outdoors all summer long, when fall comes, just bring your little oasis indoors.
Stay tune to next week’s project - summer Lantern’s with a twist turns up the summer
heat!
Variations;
Shrink film can be used for scrap-booking, paper crafts, rubber stamping, kids' crafts, jewelry, school projects and tag art.
There are so many fun crafts you can make with the children using shrink film such as, earrings, bracelets, key chain tags, charms and much more.
View more MIy projects at www.maddylane.com
Copyright maddylane designs 2020
photos, text by maddylane designs
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