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*Hypertufa (pronounced hyper-toofa) is a man-made stone made from various materials like peat moss, Perlite and Portland Cement. It's perfect for making long lasting garden ornaments such as pots, troughs, bird baths, etc. It looks like rock, can be cast into almost any shape, is environmentally friendly, very lightweight and can withstand harsh weather conditions. It is also fairly easy and fun to make. The hypertufa creations are lighter in weight than concrete and have an ancient look about them, as if they had been sitting outside for the past couple of centuries. They sustain the growth of surface mosses and lichens further adding to their natural appeal and are very plant friendly. They have porous walls that act as a reservoir for water which the plants can use during dry spells. Porous walls also allow for easy passage of air to the root systems. Hypertufa was created to be used as an inexpensive replacement for the natural volcanic rock called Tufa. Tufa was used for many things - it was hollowed out and carved unto coffins, sinks, bath tubs, animal troughs and also used for planters by English gardeners. Natural tufa rock was quite popular among gardeners in England before it became hard to find.