Raised Planters Made with Donated Trash Rock and Stone

It's time to create some rock raised planter beds

Every now and then somebody from the community needs to get rid of some rock and stone. Throughout the years I've stockpiled the donated rock and stone in a "rock-hold" located out back.

Stockpiled Rock

With no level or guides available, everything will be installed by the naked eye (so natural will be the way to go for expediency)

Start with a shape at the base location and go from there.

Find a shape for Rock

At times, a sledge hammer is required to break up the larger rock. A common brick hammer will handle the trimming. Sledge-hammer to rock

Debris rock Planter

Re-using Rock...and whatever else

As seen in the photo, if something fit (such as a column of old brick wall), it was incorporated.

Random Rock Bond

One-inch bore-holes are drilled at the base from the outside to the inside.

The bore-holes will allow for water buildup to escape and prevent the planter from premature cracking during the winter-time.

Rock Debris repurposed

Brick Filter

Debris repurposed

To prevent the bore-holes from becoming plugged by the dirt that is later added to the planter, a thick base of old donated used-brick is broken up and thrown in first.

As seen, there wasn't too many brick that were the same length, width, or height.

Although I could have just as easily cut the brick narrower toward the inside circumference, the time and cost was not available to do so.

Rock repurposed

Rock Raised Bed

Curing of Masonry

Overnight the mortar color begins to show curing and a lightening of color (from dark-grey to light-gray).

Rock Debris repurposed for Raised Bed

Work on the first planter is almost complete.

Seen within the photo are missing pieces, circled in red. The voids will later receive fitting rocks.

Also shown circled in red are the lower weep holes to allow for drainage.

Made with Rock Debris repurposed

Added Statue into stone work

In a few weeks, a moderate acid-washing will remove unwanted smears upon the stone. Following the final cleaning, more stone and brick will be made visible compared to its present state.

Raised Planter Bed of Rock Debris

Rock and Masonry repurposed

I would like to interject some history into the derivation of these rocks.

The rocks did not come by themselves. The dumptrucks that brought our soil for the front lawn contained these rocks and they were hand-pulled and stockpiled out back.

Now these dirty old rocks were washed and installed to see the break of day!

If your device doesn't play the video, try this .mp4 version instead (or just right-click and download the video to your own computer for the smoothest play).

Potential plumbing problem solved using masonry

Bad Plumbing

As can be seen within this image is very heavy, presumably iron of some sort, comprised into the plumbing of the bathroom fixtures.

The problem with the scenario of having heavy pipes connected to the pvc of the bathroom fixtures is obvious (plastics do not last forever, for example), but as shown in this next image, the heavy iron piping is actually sandwiched between plastics.

Steel sandwiched

Plastics holding up steel, masonry holding up plastics

The easiest resolve was to simply reinforce the lateral plastics using masonry to create a cradle and wall for it all to rest upon.

See what happens next.

Today's Date is Tuesday, 03-Feb-2026 21:29:09 EST

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