Welcome to the Hyper-Tufa page

    For a decorative and fuctional "primative" element in

the garden - we offer hand-cast 

                                "Hyper-Tufa"

         Planting Troughs  and Birdbaths

   "Hyper-Tufa" simply refers to a mix of materials used that replicates lightweight volcanic rock.  Portland cement, peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, sand, and re-inforcement filiment, in various porportions, are the usual ingredients.  The finished piece is "natural like" in appearance, having a porous surface that promotes the growth of moss.....most appealing to the primordial instinct of the true garden connoisseur!

    Most gardeners are familiar with the the "English Garden Trough".....lets examine a brief history.....

     Troughs were used in England and early America, as animal feeding & watering containers, during a time when commerical vessels were not available or too expensive.  Tradionally they were made of hollowed out rock, usually volcanic or limestone.  As commerical vessels became available, these troughs found other uses, such as planters or bins.

     In England, when gardening became an art form, troughs were discovered to be wonderful containers for alpine plantings. English troughs were carved from native volcanic rock, thus were lightweight & its porosity promoted the growth of moss.  Most have been passed down from generation to generation.  Today they are considered to be "artifacts" and do not leave the country.  Many of the early American troughs were carved from sandstone & a few of these survive today.  The replica material was developed, to supplement the supply, as orginals are scarce and very expensive due to demand.

We offer bare planters or planted with your choice of botanicals, in round and square shapes, in a variety of sizes. Also we produce some of the largest and most functional Birdbaths available in the field. We have over 7 years experiance producing and occasionally offer classes for groups.  Contact us with your needs or questions,( vinehaus@vinehaus.com ) as the variety is so great that we can't list everything in detail.  Hopefully the pictures will help you understand our offerings.