real stones as containers

prestontolbert wrote:Whats all this about rocks being hard to find? Why not find an acceptably shaped piece of granite, gneiss, or basalt and carve it out with an angle grinder and diamond wheel? I've done lots of stone carving and it is much easier than ceramic work.

prestontolbert,

if you can carve your stones to look like they were never touched by man then it is probably OK.

This is much like saying 'what's all this ado about natural deadwood, I can carve any branch or trunk with my tools to look like this'. So am I a fool to pay 400 us$ for a stone slab instead of 20 and grind it myself? Are you familiar with the suiseki world? A carved stone there is worthles, regardless of how well you thouhgt the carving was done.

Your trees are amazing Walter. So the only thing that is not natural on the stones is holes for drainage? It must be nerve racking when they have to drill the drain holes, if they do. It is so much fun to follow your blog, and see what your beautiful collection is doing.

Neil,

so far I have refrained from drilling holes in these stones. As you see the trees don't mind. I tried to drill once and gave up. It is just too tough and the stone could brake any second.

Can travertine or tufa (I don't know right expression in English) be used as pot?
I am searching something for accent plants, but maybe also something larger can be used for trees if it will not crack on low temperatures?

Marija,

this looks great to me. Lots of wabi sabi.


Whatever that is. But it maybe exactly this.

This is a tufa pot which was handcarved carved by Simon Temblett the astilbe has been in it for 30 months now and is starting to grow mosses on it.
The ferocious winter last year has had no effect on it.

I like that one Dave...very much.

Mike