Twig Handled Hypertufa Basket

by Jacki
(Grand Forks, B.C. Canada)

I love finding wiggly twigs on my walks in the woods, but finding ways to use them that will set off their beauty is another matter. Here's one way that I thought of; salvaging baskets from the thrift store or garage sales gives you lots of great hypertufa molds - I line them with thin plastic film, and make the hypertufa pot inside it.

These ones were a little different; I made a loop of two strands of wire and embedded it right in the hypertufa, so that the ends of the wire stuck out. Then, once the pot is cured properly, I attach the twig to the pot with the two ends of wire. I don't know if this would stand up too well to being carried with the wire, but it sure is cute!

Plant with your choice of small hardy succulents like the many species and varieties of Sedum and Sempervivum that you most likely have available (if you're obsessed like me, and can't turn any down) and mulch with pea gravel, pumice or lava rock to keep the moisture in and the weeds down.