Blooming lovely

1

Lay the slab on the cardboard and paint the top face and sides, then leave to dry thoroughly.

2

Apply a good layer of adhesive around the four sides of the slab. A wiggly line is easiest to apply.

3

Wind the rope tightly around the sides, pressing it down. Trim the end and apply an extra dab of adhesive to secure.

4

Fix the stencil in one corner with masking tape, and use a stippling action to apply the paint.

Apply a bead of glue inside the line, fix the top of the pot to the slab, and leave to dry.

5

Carefully lift the stencil and reposition in another corner, and paint. Repeat in the other two corners and leave to dry.

6

Lay the paving slab face-down and position the planter centrally on top. Draw around the edge with a pencil.

BESPOKE DESIGN

Can’t quite find the perfect stencil? Then make your own! Draw your design on a piece of paper, or print a design you’ve found online at the correct size. Tape this to a cutting board and lay a stencil sheet (£3.50, hobbycraft.co.uk) over the top, taping that in place too. Use a craft knife to carefully cut out your design.

Make your own stencil