Concrete comes alive in gardens

The more complex the
project, the more expert assistance you’ll want.

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Whether you are planning a do-it-yourself garden border or a large-scale fountain, think really hard — as in concrete.

Concrete is a great choice for many gardens, and the options keep growing. You can get it stamped or acid-stained on walkways, or decorate it with imprints of leaves or nuts. Or use it for retaining walls or waterfalls.

“Concrete is experiencing a resurrection all across the country,” said horticulturist Jenks Farmer, who has used concrete extensively in his work designing and maintaining gardens.

Farmer said his inspiration comes from travels in the tropics, where houses, steps, walks, fountains, balustrades and flower pots are all made from concrete.

Some projects require a contractor; others, a beginner can complete. Either way, there are myriad things to love about concrete in the garden. Here are a few:

UIt can look old — even when it’s new.

Take a close look at the “new” concrete bench at the Seibels House garden in downtown Columbia.

When he was drawing a plan for the redesigned historic garden last year, Farmer copied a design from Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C., which was built and designed in the 1920s. (The bench at Dumbarton Oaks was designed by Beatrix Farrand, one of the country’s first female landscape architects.) Farmer wanted to replicate the look in the Seibels garden and build it out of concrete.

He hired carpenter Andy Adams to create the new bench. Adams used about 25,000 pounds of concrete to sculpt the semi-circle bench, which looks as if it has been sitting in the lush garden forever.

UYou can do it yourself.

If you are tackling a basic project, it’s easy to learn. Edging a walkway, for example, is a repetitive process just about everyone can do.

“Anybody with a car can get a couple bags of concrete,” Farmer said.

Of course, if you plan to add a large fountain or wall, you probably will want to find a contractor who is experienced in working with concrete.

“Depending on the skills of the craftsman, you can create some pretty amazing stuff with cement,” said David Jackson of Stone Casting Inc. in Charleston, S.C.

UIt lasts.

Wooden edging will rot and need to be replaced eventually. Concrete will last forever. (There’s a downside to that, too. It’s hard to get rid of it if you change your mind.)

UIt can be modern or rustic.

Concrete can look hard and sleek, perfect for a contemporary home and garden. Or it can be treated to look old and textured, more in place near a historic cottage or rustic cabin. Concrete gets a natural patina over time, Jackson said.

“It’s a fashionable trend to have antique looking pieces in the garden,” he added.

UIt’s ideal for gardens.

“Concrete makes sense in almost any climate,” Adams said. “It won’t crack in the winter, and it’s cool to sit on in the summer.”

UNo natural rocks? No problem.

In some places, waterfalls made with rocks from the mountains look imported. But a waterfall with concrete, especially on a small city lot, can feel more urban and sleek, Farmer said.

UYou can let your imagination go into overdrive.

Textured concrete can be decorated. You can throw ice cubes on it before it hardens to give it an unusual finish. Baking soda fizzes and makes it look old. Or add watered-down color (two-thirds water to one-third paint) in a paint sprayer.

UYou can get any type of coverage you want.

Specialty Concrete, a Columbia-based company that manufacturers decorative concrete, promises to “make gray concrete look good,” salesman Richard Brigman said.

The company has textured rubberized stamp mats to make concrete look like old bricks, slate, textured brick — you name it. It can even make mats to leave an elephant’s footprint in your walkway.

Plus, you can find concrete in 28 colors — from redwood and terra cotta to black and slate.

The company even makes a tree out of concrete (using molds made from the bark of a real tree). This one is drought- and storm-resistant.