September, 1909 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
Concrete Ornaments for the Garden and How to Make Them 
~1—A GARDEN VASE 
By Ralph C. Davison 
VES) HERE are but few materials that lend them- 
‘3 selves to garden ornaments better than con- 
crete. Like stone, it seems to harmonize 
2 with the surroundings and gives a digni- 
¥ fied and massive appearance to the whole 
§ theme, which is most pleasing to the eye. 
_ This is particularly true if good, bold 
graceful outlines are given to the designs of the ornaments 
used. 
As a usual practise, concrete ornaments are cast in plaster 
or glue molds. If the piece is at all complicated the making 
of the mold in which it is to be cast is rather an expensive 
operation, especially so when there are but one or two pieces 
of the same design to be made. 
The author has designed and made several vases shaped 
as shown in Fig. 1, which have been much admired. ‘The 
method used in making them is simple and somewhat novel, 
inasmuch as it embraces a combination of casting and model- 
ing. A description of how these vases are made may be of 
interest to those readers who are apt at making things and 
who wish to beautify their lawn or gardens at a minimum 
expense. 
By closely following the instructions given in the detailed 
descriptions of the various operations used in the making 
of the vase illustrated, the reader will be able to produce a 
product equally as good as the one shown. 
The first thing to do is to make the outer mold, as shown 
in Fig. 2. This can be made of heavy cardboard or very 
thin, pliable wood. In the design shown the greatest diameter 
is twelve inches, therefore the length of the piece of card- 
board to be used for mak- 
ing the outside form must 
be at least thirty-six inches 
long. Make it thirty- 
eight inches. This will 
allow a lap of two inches, 
as shown. The height of 
the vase is six and one- 
half inches, therefore the 
piece should be thirty-eight 
inches long by six and one- 
half inches high. Form 
this into a circle and se- 
cure the ends by means of 
pins or by sewing them 
The finished vase 
together with string. Now cut out a circular piece of card- 
board twelve inches in diameter as shown at ‘‘A”’, Fig. 2; 
this is to be secured, by sewing, to the bottom of the outside 
mold, thus forming a circular box twelve inches in diameter 
by six and one-half inches high, as shown in the illustration. 
The next step is to make the core, or that part of the mold 
which forms the inside sides of the vase or the hole. By 
referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the core is six inches 
in diameter by five inches deep, therefore the piece of card- 
board necessary to form the core must be twenty inches long 
by five inches high. This will allow a lap of two inches, the 
same as was given to the outside part of the mold. Form a 
circle of this piece, as shown at “‘B,” and secure the ends in 
like manner as were those of the outside mold. Now with 
mucilage or glue secure small strips of heavy paper to the 
bottom of the outside of the core, as shown. Then place the 
core in the bottom of the round box, as indicated in Fig. 2. 
Locate it over the six-inch circle, which has previously been 
drawn on the inside bottom of the box, as shown at ‘‘A,” 
Fig. 2, and secure it in place by gluing down the small pieces 
of paper which have already been attached to the outside of 
the core. 
Now fill the inside of the core with dry earth, or, better 
still, sand. ‘This is done to prevent the core from collaps- 
ing when the concrete is placed in the mold. Before placing 
the concrete the outside mold should also be bound around 
with heavy twine, as shown in Fig. 3, to prevent it from 
bulging. Now insert in the sand or earth, in the center of 
the core, a wooden plug about three-quarters of an inch in 
diameter, as shown at “a” in Fig. 3. Taper it as shown, 
and shellac and oil it well 
so that it will draw out 
easily from the concrete. 
Let it project about two 
inches out from the core. 
This plug will form the 
drainage-hole in the bot- 
tom of the vase. The 
mold is now complete, but 
before filling it with con- 
crete it should be placed 
on a working-board, which 
should be at least eighteen 
inches square, as shown in 
Fig. 3. The next step is 
