DIY Concrete Garden Globes: 4 Recipes, Step-by-Step

Store-bought garden orbs cost a fortune. We made three gorgeous globes for under $15 total, testing four mix recipes so you can choose your favorite look—from rustic hypertufa to smooth, modern spheres.

Materials

• Glass lamp globes (thrift store) – playground balls work but distort roundness
• Portland cement
• Peat moss
• Perlite (indoor plant aisle)
• Potting soil
• Water, mixing tub, stir stick (or gloved hands)
• Cooking spray (mold release)
• File, wire brush, hammer, safety glasses, gloves

Four Mix Recipes

Recipe	Ratio (by volume)	Character
1. Hypertufa	2 cement : 3 peat : 3 perlite + water	Light, porous, rustic, great for moss
2. Peat-Cement (our pick)	1 cement : 1 peat + water	Balanced—organic texture, holds shape well
3. Soil-Cement	1 cement : 1 potting soil + water	Denser, smoother, subtle organic flecks
4. Pure Portland	Cement + water only	Heavy, ultra-smooth, polished stone look

Step-by-Step

1. Mix chosen recipe to thick cake-batter consistency. Adjust water as needed; break up peat clumps.
2. Spray globe interiors with cooking oil.
3. Fill globes—avoid filling the neck for a rounder result. Set upright in a plastic bag (old towels stabilize). Cure 2–3 days in a cool spot.
4. Break the glass: Keep globe in bag; tap with hammer side. Wear eye protection & gloves.
5. Finish: File off blemishes. Wire-brush for weathered texture (skip if you prefer smooth).

Left to right: Hypertufa, Recipe 2, Recipe 3, Pure Portland.

Tuck them into borders, float in water features, or cluster on a patio. Next up: growing moss on your new globes for instant antiquity.