Tag Archives: plants for miniature gardens

More Miniature Gardens

A succulent miniature garden...

A succulent miniature garden…

The miniature gardening trend continues, and we’re sure having fun with it. From tiny gardens in glass terrariums to a saucer planted with driftwood and a place to sit along the “water”, these little gardens spark the imagination of gardeners of all ages.

Tiny temptations...

Tiny temptations…

 

 

 

 

 

Two 20-something women walked in the other day, and one of them immediately spotted the miniature garden display. “Oh, look!”, she said excitedly. “Aren’t these cute?”  Her friend was skeptical. “Uh, sure…”, she answered. “Whatever you say.”

Tending a tiny garden...

Tending a tiny garden…

 

 

 

Not swayed by her friend’s decided lack of enthusiasm, the first started looking through the miniature accessories, oohing and aahing at each tiny piece.

 

 

A cozy spot to sit...

A cozy spot to sit…

“I want to make one of these gardens!”,  she declared. Her friend walked closer and looked at the pieces she had in her hand. “You should have a bench.”, she stated. “And look at this tub with wine bottles in it. That would be really cute, wouldn’t it?”

As I listened to them, it became quite clear that the skeptical one (I was beginning to call her this in my head.) was being completely drawn into the fun of creating a tiny world with her friend.

 

A pumpkin patch under a windmill...

A pumpkin patch under a windmill…

I walked up and started talking with them, asking if they had any questions about the miniature gardens.

The first one again said she wanted to make one and asked if I would help her because she thought it would be so much fun.  “Of course.”, I said. “It’s summer and pretty slow, I think we could put something together for you today.”

On the other side of the bridge...

On the other side of the bridge…

Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures of the garden she made with a lot of helpful suggestions from her friend, but I can tell you it turned out really well. A red Adirondack chair, the tiny tub with iced drinks, a beach along the water, some succulents planted  in strategic places, and – Voila! – a miniature garden completed.

 

 

A broken pot is home to morel mushrooms...

Little chickens…

Soon new miniature garden accessories will be arriving, including tiny gourds and white pumpkins for fall gardens…and scarecrows too.

Meanwhile, the pictures here show some we’ve planted this summer using a windmill, tiny chickens (Everyone loves chickens!), little wooden chairs, driftwood benches, morel mushrooms, and more.

Maybe it’s time to let your inner child out…or create a miniature garden with your children. You just might get caught up in the magic like my friend, the skeptical one at the start of this post!

As with any container garden, these are designed to last as a true garden. Be mindful of the amount of light your garden will receive when you choose your plants. There are many  houseplants that work well together, including fittonia, Neanthe bella palms, and many ferns. Succulents work well in higher light and will need less water. Haworthias, aloes, crassulas and sedums are just a few of the many succulents you can use. Have fun!

Tiny Plants…Great For Terrariums Or Small Containers Too!

photo (6)If you haven’t noticed, terrarium plantings, miniature gardens and anything tiny seems to be the name of the game the past few years. Growers have taken notice and now offer a wonderful variety of plants for the smallest of indoor gardening opportunities.

Mini fittonia

fittonia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very little two-inch pots are just the right size for these starter plants. Some are quite easy to grow houseplants that are usually available in larger containers, and others are small succulents. Because of their diminutive size, it’s quite easy to incorporate them into mixed terrarium plantings or miniature gardens.

An assortment of tiny houseplants...

An assortment of
tiny houseplants…

Small ferns are perfect for terrariums....

Small ferns are
perfect for
terrariums….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rex begonias appreciate the humidity in a  terrarium....

Rex begonias appreciate
the humidity in a
terrarium….

For terrarium plantings, choose from many easy to grow moisture loving plants. These include ferns, fittonia, Rex begonia, aluminum plant, pilea, strawberry begonia (It’s a good perennial groundcover in the shade too!), creeping fig, and others that enjoy high humidity in an enclosed environment.

Hoya...

Hoya…

 

 

 

 

Small succulents and other houseplants, like jades and hoyas, are best used in open containers and miniature gardens.  They offer a wide range of colors, shapes and textures and are quite easy to take care of too. The hoya pictured here in the open glass container has been growing for months, quite happily!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Miniature Garden Magic

miniature world...

miniature world…

Oh my goodness…last week the first shipment of new miniature garden pieces came in – and what a delight! There will be even more in the weeks to come, but now we will content ourselves with brand new miniatures of weather vanes, picnic tables, tiny metal wagons and even the smallest bottles of wine for an early evening garden party..let your imagination go!

it's a garden party...

it’s a garden party…

We have everything you need if you’d like a fun summer project with your kids…one of our customers had a great idea – she purchased containers, pea gravel, little rocks, plants and miniature garden accessories; then she put everything in the middle of a table and let the kids go to town putting their own miniature garden/landscape together. It is really so much fun, and even more so if you let them use their imagination…it’s amazing what kids can come up with!

Billy's zen garden...

Billy’s zen garden…

We even came up with a miniature garden for the owner, Billy Angell, pictured here – it had a temporary “cookie stack/cairn” because he is a cookie fiend! It’s really a very simple garden, using a stone bridge and Japanese lantern to create his “Zen” garden…this was in the middle of a hectic spring at the shop and we felt he needed a little calm in is life! We added a little rock, and, using a sharpie, labeled it “Billy’s Zen Garden.” It made him smile – and isn’t that the point of these little gardens?

don't they look like the real thing?

don’t they look like the real thing?

We’ve also gotten in some very detailed “concrete” urns, “retro” red tables and chairs (Remember the ones your parents or grandparents had?), a sweet pair of frogs sitting on a cut log piece, a “stone” table with stools, and sets of tools, rakes and brooms – after all, you have to tend the garden and sweep the paths, right?

imageIf you’d like to have us put one together for you we have containers here, or you can bring something of your own in and we’ll create one for you. All we ask is that you give us ample time to put your miniature garden together – they may look less time consuming to make than a full size garden, but we promise you the devil is in all those minature details!

imageSome plants that can be used for gardens that will be used outside are many low growing sedums, echevarias, hen and chicks, euonymous standards (They make great trees!), tiny bromeliads, air plants and miniature jade plants to name just a few…indoor gardens (or terrariums) can be planted with fittonia, selaginellas, many small ferns, palms and more…there is always something in the greenhouse or in the nursery to use!

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