You should be able to grow rhubarb in your area. talk to your county agent for help. It is a perennial in the north. It won't survive here in zone eight, but I have grown some here as an annual. I got enough for a few pies and some nice leaves for hypertufa. I started plants from seed in the winter in my shop. They were planted in the garden in a cold frame in late February. It took more effort than most are willing to give, but it was an interesting experiment. When it started getting hot in June, I shaded plants during the heat of the day with shade cloth and kept them always moist. By the middle of July they were history. You might try this, but perhaps you can grow them as a perennial.

I wonder if the tannish speckles (some with bug holes) were caused by the release of the oxalic acid from the leaf. I'll try another leaf in a day or two and use a thin slurry as is being discussed elsewhere on this forum. Maybe if I vibrate more I won't pat as much.

A couple of things jumped out at me. 1. I'm not positive but I don't think patio paints are meant to be used in a submerged environment. Rain OK, occasional soaking OK, underwater? Probably not OK. They are called "patio" paints and patios are seldom submerged. 2. Not to disparage Rust-oleum sealer but there are better sealers out there. And again, is the product OK to be used underwater? It says ideal over concrete, etc. but does it say "can be submerged"? Also a lot of sealers are meant only for vertical surfaces, they're basically water "shedders" instead of waterproofers. Read the label carefully. I use a Behr brand sealer that is meant to be used around pools. Note: most sealers go on cloudy but cure/dry clear. 3. Re: painting a birdbath. Birds have very sharp talons, any little scratches through the sealed surface will allow water underneath the sealant. This in turn will either react with the concrete causing it to flake or become grainy or let "bubbles" form under the paint and sealer skin. 4. Was your concrete leaf completely cured? If not, any paint/stain/sealer applied to it may come off. 5.I wouldn't seal and then paint, the paint may not adhere or go on smoothly. 6. Personally I would recommend using a non-painted leaf for the bath and using a painted leaf as decor. Perhaps paint the under side of the bath leaf? Don't know if any of this helps or not. Let us know how things turn out.

Thank you for the nice comments. I've seen many of these on the forum recently. Aren't the leaves fun to make? Kat, below is a link that shows how to make them. If you click on the links on the bottom of that page, you can see how they can be painted in different colors. Hope you get the chance to make some! Carol Here is a link that might be useful: Rhubarb Castings