Tag Archives: rock plants

Make a Painted River Rock Cactus Garden-Fun Craft Idea

If you liked our earlier post where we made candy corn out of river rocks, you will love this new river rock project! Let me show you how easy it is to make this Rock Cactus Garden. This is a fun craft for all ages and best yet, this cactus garden will thrive even if you have two brown thumbs.

When I was gathering river rocks, I looked for shapes that resembled cactus plants. Flat oval or round shapes are best. Choose a variety of sizes. I painted the rocks on both sides with craft paint that you can find in any craft store or in the craft aisle of mass retailers.  Pick a green you like and get to work.  When the green paint dries you can embellish the stones with some accent painting to make them appear more realistic.  Seal the rocks with a Mod Podge or similar sealer.  After the sealer is dry, choose a container to showcase your cactus garden.

Cactus

I used clean play sand as my base and packed it tightly in layers.  When the sand reached the top, I arranged the rocks and used decorative stones to cover any sand that was showing.

Cactus 1

Cactus2

cactus 3

Cactus 4

The result was a beautiful, bright, non-prickly cactus garden that I placed on the ledge alongside my whirlpool tub. Now, when I am relaxing in the tub, I can look over and smile at the memory of fun summer days at the river and crafting at home.

Cactus 6

Cactus 7

So what do you think? If you make one, please share your results.


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