Painted Rock Cactus Gardens

People find it hard to believe that I’m horrible with plants. Truly. Don’t have me take care of your plants, or they will meet their maker. The only vegetation I can keep alive is a cactus — but even that’s a challenge. If, like me, your thumb is black instead of green, you might prefer these rocks painted to look like cactuses. They are adorbs, require no maintenance and won’t prick you with a spine. So for those who are about to paint rocks, we salute you.

What you’ll need:
Smooth river rocks
Acrylic paint
Paintbrushes
Pots

1. Select flat rocks in a variety of shapes. Wash them with soap and water, and allow them to dry.

2. Paint the rocks on one side with various shades of green. You may need to paint a few layers. When the paint is dry, flip the rocks and paint the other side.

3. Using white, yellow or black paint, paint accents on the rocks like lines, dots and crisscrosses to mimic the features of a cactus. 

4. Display the painted rock cactuses in pots, allowing small filler rocks to nestle them in place.

Jonathan Fong is the author of “Flowers That Wow” and “Parties That Wow,” and host of “Style With a Smile” on YouTube. You can see more of his do-it-yourself projects at jonathanfongstyle.com.