Not Stone: Make Garden Edging Full Of Vintage Charm With An Impressive DIY

If you're looking for garden edging ideas that make for the perfect landscaping and want a unique option that harks back to an earlier era, this impressive DIY creates custom garden edging overflowing with old-school charm. Gardener and YouTube creator Suburban Homestead created ornate concrete Victorian-style garden edging using materials that can be found at your local home improvement store. While it's not exactly a speedy or simple solution, if you love a challenge and have the time, patience, and even some artistic skills, you can create your own concrete Victorian garden edging from scratch.

This DIY involves carving a mold for a single piece of edging, then pouring concrete into the mold to make multiple pieces. To pull off this fantastical feat, you'll need rigid foam insulation, a rotary tool, fast-setting concrete and colorant, and a container to mix your concrete in. You'll also need waterproof and alkali-resistant gloves, eye protection, and a respirator to prevent safety issues — not wearing the proper safety equipment is a DIY concrete mistake that could leave you in serious pain. 

To create your design, draw half of your desired shape on a folded piece of cardstock, then cut out the silhouette to serve as a symmetrical template once unfolded. Next, trace the template over your foam with a pencil and use your rotary tool to scoop out foam and add detail. You could also use a hot wire tool like this RONGTER 4-in-1 Hot Wire Foam Cutter Kit. The resulting mold should be at least an inch deep to prevent your concrete from cracking. Once the design is done, brush petroleum jelly onto the mold, or apply a canola-based cooking spray to help the concrete release more easily. 

In a separate container, take the bagged concrete and add just enough water to make a thick but pourable mixture, and add colorant to a hue that suits you. Pour your concrete into the mold and gently shake or tap to get rid of any air pockets, then leave it to dry according to package instructions. After about a day, the concrete should be hard enough to be gently removed, though letting the piece cure for an additional week in a plastic bag can strengthen it more. To speed up this process, you can make multiple molds to allow more pieces to set at once; mixing your concrete with warm water can also make concrete set faster.

As a shortcut, you can pick up a piece of Victorian-inspired garden edging from an antique store and create a silicone mold of it with something like this LET'S RESIN Silicone Mold Making Kit. And if you don't want the hassle of making a mold yourself, a ready-made one like this Mold Creations Greek Roman Floral Border Edging Plastic Craft Mold can get the job done.