Robber barons of the 19th and 20th centuries impressed their peers with stately homes, elaborate greenery -- and ornamental statuary carved from tufa, a calcium carbonate rock. Even if you don't have ...

In October, I made my first hypertufa troughs from a mix of peat moss, perlite, Portland cement, and water. Extremely durable once they set up, the resulting containers look similar to carved stone.

Question: I recently was reading an old garden magazine at the doctor’s office about making your own concrete planter. I was going to ask about copying it, but I forgot. Now the magazine is not there.

The completed hypertufa - the troughs are a great alternative to heavy concrete or stone planters. Photo: Supplied / Not-For-Syndication I've been dabbling in hypertufa pot-making lately. Hypertufa is ...