Today is the big reveal. If you’ve been following my Fashion Friday posts, you know that I’m beginning a new series with a dress form. Yes, I will be the crazy lady escorting a mannequin all over the world to have her picture taken in fashions for those of us in the Silver Linings stage of life. Definition: We’re approaching or in the empty nest and not quite to the “golden years” stage. In other words we are right smack dab in the middle of FUN! And that is just what my adopted model is all about.
Her first outing was very well-planned and thought out. I checked the Event Calendar in my area and chose one. The event seemed very fitting, AND, I learned something new. She is a dress “form” and we attended a hypertufa class. You may ask, “what the heck?” Well, hypertufa is the latest craze in gardening. It originated with farmers using a combination of peat moss, sand, cement and water to make feeding troughs to replace the heavier ones made of pure cement. But now gardeners are using the mix to “form” or mold new planters for container gardening. She (my form) felt right at home.
All sorts of molds can be used to make your container.
Ellen Huckabay was the presenter who taught a “Lunch & Learn” class how to make the molds. My form (to be named in a few more paragraphs) was fascinated.
The mix is made up of 1 1/2 parts peat moss, 1 part sand, and 1 part Portland cement. Water is added until you get the consistency of cottage cheese.
Then you apply the mix to your form.
“My girl Friday” was so relieved that she wasn’t the form to be used for this project. Although, she came prepared to work. She is wearing her gardening gloves.
A small bowl was used instead.
The “Lunch and Learn” class is held on the third Monday of each month at the Jon Archer Agricultural Center in Mobile, AL. Attendees bring their lunch and learn something new each class. We thoroughly enjoyed the class and I can foresee a hypertufa planter in my own garden. These make great additions to roof top gardens, as they are light weight and long lasting. Just be sure to add a drainage hole as you are making them. You can also find more information with Martha Stewart.
The Big Reveal
I’d like to personally thank Ellen Huckabay and Mary Ann Days for welcoming me and …
A very special thank you to Judy Pimperl for writing in this lovely name, and to all of you who voted for it! I love it and an added plus… so does Mr. Cozi.
A rose by any other name…
I think my first hypertufa should hold a gorgeous Knock-Out Rose, don’t you?