How To: Get that rusty look

We wanted our steel planters to have that nice rusty look that says, "I've been here for a long time, but I still look darn good." To do that, we had to find a way to create rust, but stop it from destroying the steel. Here's what we did:

How to Get the Rusty Look

1. Mix 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water in a garden sprayer.
2. Spray a heavy coat on the steel.
3. Let the steel get as rusty as you want.
4. Mix 1 part baking soda to 3 parts water.
5. Spray the steel to neutralize the vinegar. 
6. Hose down the steel with water to remove any lasting vinegar.
7. Let steel dry completely.
8. Coat the steel with polyurethane to keep it from rusting any more.

Planters in the front yard, part deux

What's this handful of loveliness? It's decomposed granite, and it's going in our walkway. It compacts easily, and it looks great against our steel planter. However, it's not soft and cushy, so I don't recommend it for areas where little ones will often be playing.

Here's where we began to fill the area with the granite. We had a lot of this stuff delivered. I think it was 3 cubic yards.

And here's our lovely steel planters that Mr. Venture built himself out of steel plate, angle, nuts and bolts.

 

We went for the terraced look, which I ended up loving. 

 

And voila! All the planters and granite are installed and cleaned up. Next comes some pavers for the walkway and some plants for the planters. Until next time...

What plants would you put in this front yard? Leave us a note in the comments!