Rhubarb Leaf Stepping Stones

Have you fallen in love with the stepping stones ("flag stones") sold at the building supply or garden store, but are aghast at the prices?

Here's a project that produce some distinctive stones with a classic, natural motif in a way that adds a personal touch to your garden.

Get organized for your project. You'll need the following.

Tools:
wheelbarrow;
trowel;
wire cutters;
scissors;
garden hose and sprayer head.

Materials:
"Ready Mix" concrete (one bag per three leaves/stones);
several large rhubarb leaves, freshly cut;
small mesh chicken ("chick") fencing wire;
heavy poly ethylene sheet.

Spread the poly sheet on a flat (preferably paved) area of your yard, clear of pine cones, etc.

Lay the rhubarb leaves, vein side up, on plastic.
Cut chicken wire roughly to the shape of the leaf for strengthening the concrete.

Mix the "Ready Mix" concrete according to the manufacturer's instructions on the bag.

Put approximately one inch of concrete on top of bare leaf.

Put your chicken wire on top of the one inch of concrete then scoop on an additional inch on top.

Smooth pat and shape into the heart-like shape of the leaf.

One bag of premix concrete should make three leaves.

Cover the finished leaves for two days then uncover them and sprinkle with a bit of water for an additional five days.

When you uncover the stones and turn them over, you can pick the rhubarb leaf out of the concrete, or just let nature take its course and it will rot and wash away.

Congratulations - they are ready to use!