How To DIY Painted Rock Flowers Garden

Decor Home Ideas
by Decor Home Ideas
1 Material
$50
1 Day
Easy

These colorful blooms are a pretty addition to any outdoor space — and you don’t need to worry about watering or weather!

I finished this easy DIY project in an afternoon with supplies I had on hand.


All you need is a few cans of spray paint (you can also use craft paint) and a few rocks. The best part?


Painting the rocks is easy-peasy; you can even get your little ones involved for a fun family activity.


If you are worried about lawn mowing see option 2 - where the garden bed could be made of mulch, dirt or pebbles.


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You can watch a video to see detailed instructions here:

Supplies:

  • Rocks for flowers: Smooth river rocks, which have smooth surfaces and rounded edges, work best for the flowers.
  • Rocks for a border: While you’re collecting rocks for your flowers, pick up a selection of smaller rocks to create a border around your painted rock flower garden.
  • Acrylic spray paint in varying colors: This is the fun part! Choose spray paint in a variety of colors — the more you have, the more creative you can be.
  • Clear spray for sealing: A clear sealing spray protects the paint on your flowers, helping them stay bright and beautiful in the sun, wind, and rain.


Choose a Construction Option for Your Rock Flower Garden

1. Lay the painted rocks directly on top of your grass

2. Lay the painted rocks on a prepared garden bed For a low-maintenance option, set your painted rock flowers on a bed of pebbles, mulch, or dirt.


The arrangement is completely up to you! You might choose to make flowers with one color for the center and a different color for the petals. Alternatively, consider making rainbow flowers with petals in different colors. If you’re bringing your kids in on the fun, this is a great time to let them use their imaginations for a truly personalized rock garden..


How To Make Painted Rocks into Flowers


1. Decide how many flowers you want to create. For each one, collect 6 petal stones and 1 center stone.

2. Arrange the flowers in your driveway or yard. This step takes a little bit of time, but it’s a big help when you start to paint!

3. Gather your spray paint and prepare a painting area. Collect all of your spray paint colors and set them in a well-ventilated outdoor space.

Protect the cement or the ground by laying down a large piece of plywood. Cardboard and paper are also good options; just keep in mind that the wet paint tends to stick to both materials, so you’ll need to do touch-ups.

4. Paint the stones, using one color at a time. Pick a color to start. Find all of the stones for that color, and arrange them on the wood or cardboard pad.

Before you start painting, shake the can according to the instructions on the package. Hold the can about 20-40 cm from the rock and start spraying.

After you spray paint one side of the stones, let them dry completely. Then, flip them over and paint the other side.

The painted rocks can be left on newspaper pages waiting to be arranged in the garden.

These are the acrylic sprays I used to paint my rocks. I prefer Dupli-Color paint, but you can use a brand such as Rustoleum or any brand that’s available at your favorite store.


Option 1: While your painted rocks dry, it’s time to start preparing the ground for your garden.

Pick any open space in your yard or garden.

Create a border around your chosen garden plot using the rocks you chase earlier.

After you’re done creating the garden bed edging, the fun starts! It’s time to arrange your painted rocks into flowers.

Lay your center stone and arrange the petals around it. Continue with the rest of your flowers.

I didn’t use a pattern; I just kept moving my rock flowers until I was happy with the result.

The more flowers you painted, the more colorful your rock flower garden will be.

Here is how my garden looks after I made all of the adjustments. For this version, I laid the rocks directly on the grass.

It’s beautiful from every angle!

Option 2: Preparing the Ground for a Painted Rock Flower Garden on Dirt, Mulch, or Pebbles

Before you lay down a border of rocks, place a sheet of plastic or nylon. Alternatively, use a mesh that prevents weeds and grass from growing through. Once your plastic sheet is in place, create a rock border around the edges.

Cover the plastic with soil, fertilizer, mulch, or pebbles. You can also use wood chips if you have them on hand. As you can see below, I decided to use fertilizer.

Spread out your material evenly. The fertilizer should be the same depth across the entire garden bed.

Once your bed is ready, it’s time to arrange your flowers! I love how the bright colors pop against the dark soil.

It’s beautiful both ways — all you need to do is choose which option looks best in your yard.

Isn’t it pretty? A bed of soil is a great option when you have limited grass or you want to use painted rock flowers around the edge of your home.

Final result

Resources for this project:
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 8 questions
  • Dee Hagan Little Dee Hagan Little on Mar 29, 2021

    Where can I buy river rocks in Philadelphia area?

  • Janet F Janet F on Mar 25, 2022

    How do you ‘mow’ the grass?

  • Ka Ka on Aug 10, 2022

    I would love to do it, but what if there is a hard rain, want the black dirt, or fertilizer splatter all over the rocks and make a big mess?

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 58 comments
  • Nad65961725 Nad65961725 on Jun 01, 2022

    Best place to find rocks is landscaping yard...buy by the pound...you can pick and choose.

  • DW DW on Jun 29, 2023

    We have a section of white gravel alongside our walkway that we have made paver stones with pet paw prints, handprints, etc. These rock flowers (in a smaller size) would be perfect addition to our rock-bed. Thank you for such a creative and simple idea for the garden!!!


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