Journal3 min read
How to Age Stone Garden Ornaments: Yogurt, Moss and Time
Short answer: To age new stone, paint natural yogurt over bare, porous stone, keep it in a shady spot out of the rain, and wait. In one cast stone maker's trial the surface darkened within three weeks and moss and lichen appeared by week five. Time and a damp, shady position do the same job more slowly, with nothing to apply.
Want a piece with character from day one? See our unusual garden ornaments.
How do you age stone with yogurt?
- Choose bare, porous stone or cast stone, with no paint or coating.
- Brush on a thick layer of natural yogurt, with extra where you want the most character: eyes, folds and hollows.
- Keep it out of the rain so the yogurt is not washed off; reapply if it is. In warm weather, a shady spot helps.
- Wait. It smells at first, so keep it away from the house for a week or two.
The cast stone maker Chilstone ran this on one of its statues: red spots and black patches in the first week (a phase that passes), a deeper patina by week three, and small clumps of lichen and moss by week five, "from gleaming white to moody Gothic in a month."
What about a moss wash?
Gardeners also blend moss with buttermilk or yogurt and paint it into shady faces. Use moss from your own garden only; never take it from the wild. It works on the same principle as yogurt and needs the same damp, shaded spot.
What is the slow way?
Put the piece where it stays damp and shaded, under shrubs or on a north side, and leave it. The RHS says algae, lichen and moss do not damage the surfaces they grow on, and encourages gardeners to let them grow on stone sculpture. An aged look is weathering, not damage.
Can you age a painted ornament?
These methods rely on growth taking hold in a bare, porous surface. A painted piece is a different surface, so keep yogurt and moss for bare stone. Our garden ornaments are hand-painted cast stone, and their care is a soft damp cloth and no harsh chemicals; they are made to look finished from the start.
What if you want it clean again?
Clean water and a soft brush lift most growth. See how to clean stone garden ornaments.
Questions
How long does it take to age stone with yogurt?
In Chilstone's trial the surface darkened within three weeks and moss and lichen appeared by week five. Shade, damp and mild weather speed it up.
Does yogurt damage stone?
It is a food wash that feeds surface growth rather than an acid or abrasive. Use it only on bare stone, test a hidden area first, and keep it off paint.
Does moss harm stone ornaments?
The RHS says moss, algae and lichen do not damage the surfaces they grow on.
Can I age cast stone the same way as natural stone?
Yes. Chilstone's trial was on porous cast stone, and cast stone takes moss and lichen like natural stone.
Browse our unusual garden ornaments.