Natural Home magazine offers suggestions for creating a magical and whimsical garden. The article "Finding Neverland" recommends adding soy candles and energy-efficient LED holiday strings to your outdoor space.
We especially liked their instructions on adding mosaics to your garden...
1. Pick an object for the mosaic, like a planter or frame. Make sure the object is clean, has a solid suface, and can support the added weight of tile and grout.
2. Find tile scraps by contacting local flooring companies or construction exchanges for samples and odd boxes. Other options: use marbles, dice, old jewelry, broken china, or pottery shards.
3. Wear safety glasses for this step. Put tile and other objects in a pillowcase and break them into small, randomly-sized pieces.
4. Lay out a pattern first, or jump right into gluing tiles to the surface, using low-VOD, waterproof adhesive.
5. Let the adhesive dry (usually takes 2 days). Then apply grout between the cracks using popsicle sticks, a putty knife, or a spatula. Use a damp spounge to wipe away excess grout.
6. Apply a water-repellent sealer. Use a type that can be applied with a paintbrush or cloth.
7. If you live in a climate where winter temperatures dip below freezing, store mosaics indoors during the cold season to prevent cracking.
See Natural Home's article for more tips on making your garden whimsical and magical.
- Rachael
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
