I really want to make one of these leaf bird baths. I have several magazine articles saved showing the step by instruction and then I stumbled upon this article at Birds & Blooms: a step-by-step tutorial on how to use a large leaf from your garden as a pattern for a cement birdbath.
Photo from Birds & Bloom
I have made cement orbs for the garden and that was pretty easy. I think I need to try this and report back to you..
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Theresa Loe blogs here about taking the garden full circle while striving for a more local, fresh-from-the-garden lifestyle. She is a TV producer, video host, freelance garden writer and a wrangler of chickens and children. (Not necessarily in that order.) For more information on these topics, you can subscribe to her free monthly newsletter.
Theresa Loe is the award- winning Co-Executive Producer & Canning Expert on Growing A Greener World TV. She blogs here about Living Homegrown®, local and fresh-from-the-garden. 
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
You’ll love them! We do them with different sized Colocasia leaves too. They are a lot of fun to make- so much that I’m attempting a fountain with them this year. Can’t wait to see your leaves
Great Rhonda! I’m so glad to hear that they worked for you. I just love the lines and the texture. The whole idea!
Now I am REALLY excited about trying this! Thanks for you comment.
What a beautiful and functional piece that is! The kids and I made leaf-shaped platters in ceramics, but they don’t have the heft of cement and the birds would knock them over in no time.
It doesn’t say what kind of paint to use after the cement dries; I wonder what would work best?
Hmmm Teresa – I’m not sure. I’m guessing some sort of exterior paint would work. But you know, they also make cement pigment that you mix in while you mix the cement. Then the color is all the way through the birdbath.
I’m thinking pigment would be better than paint because it would not peel or chip off.
My step father made me one out of a gunnera leaf. It’s beautiful! I’ll take a pic and twit pic you it to you later.
Sounds GREAT Suzie. I can’t wait to see!
Cement pigment is a great idea…thanks, Theresa!
You are welcome!
I’ve made these with hypertufa mix of 1 part cement, 2 parts sand, 2 parts peat moss and water with a big rhubarb leaf. To paint them I just used cheap acrylics then spray painted them with a clear coat of outdoor polyurethane. I’ve had several now that are over 3 years old, weathered outside in northern Wisconsin winters and they haven’t cracked, paint peeled or leaked on me yet.
The photo on the bottom of this link will show my rhubarb bird bath bases.
link to upnorthwithmel.blogspot.com
thanks for the link. I have been wanting to try this. My friend used a couple of giant hosta leaves for hers.