In the Garden for Mom

Last May we contemplated the letter M in all it’s glory; the month of May, Mother’s Day, manicures and meditation too. This year we’d like to turn our attention to the middle child, the letter O.

O stands for open. Open hearted, open minded and open the window. With the snow finally melted, Mother’s Day is a perfect time to let the fresh air in. Better yet, get outside and into the garden.

Outdoor decorating is hot. Fortunately, it can be easy and inexpensive as well. It’s also more fun and you can easily get the kids involved. Think of the backyard as a blank canvas just waiting for your child’s creative brush strokes—and Mother’s Day is a perfect time to get their juices flowing. After all, a home made gift is priceless and timeless.

Stepping stones are functional and easy to make. Kids can add their own special touches like marbles, special pebbles, shells, stamped letters, hand or foot prints. Many craft stores such as Michaels sell kits to make stepping stones or you can craft your own stepping stone using hypertufa (even the word is fun to say).

Hypertufa is a mixture made from Portland cement, sand, peat moss and vermiculite or perlite, all available at home stores like Totem Building Supplies. The recipe is simple and anyone can do it but first make sure you have the right supplies as well as the right ingredients: rubber gloves (even for Jack and Jill), a dust mask and a recycled plastic lined box (like a pizza box).

Mix one part of each dry ingredient and then add water until mixture is wet but can hold its shape (make a ball in your hand to test). Add dry cement dye to color before adding water.

Next step is to pat the hypertufa into your mold (the pizza box). Be sure to set the mold on a solid, moveable surface like a piece of plywood.

Now let your kids go wild with the decorating and be sure to mark the date for posterity. To increase the strength of your stepping stone, try using chicken wire in between two layers of hypertufa.

Cover with plastic and put in a sunny place for a few days. Remove the bag and allow to cure for several more days before placing in the garden. Hypertufa is strong and light and will last for years to come. It can also be sculpted into shapes ranging from flower pots to animals depending on the age, skill and interests of the artist. 

Encourage junior to present his garden art to Mom over a steaming latte late Sunday morning after a long and decadent sleep-in. Feel free to follow up with a manicure, meditation or other indulgences in honour of Mother’s Day.

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