Miniature Gardens - Tabletop and Landscape

Winter is rearing its cold, snowy head today.  But we gardeners have our ways to garden regardless of the weather.

Local garden centers and garden clubs have workshops planned in the coming weeks to build terrariums and  dish gardens. So I thought we could take a look at this type of garden.   This muffin tin of baby's tears, a moss type creeper, is quite easy to grow if kept moist. Place on the kitchen counter under a florescent light and enjoy.

herbs on the windowsill is another small garden we can ease into the home. We can get our fresh herbs as well as our gardening 'fix'.  Parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary all at our fingertips.

Now who doesn't have room for this little guy?  Sempervivum , or a succulent known as Hens and Chicks, is so cute.

Now just imagine our little fairy friends come to visit.  Make a welcoming sitting area for them and surround them with mini-thymes. All of these dollhouse accessories can be found at the craft store or I've seen fairy garden sites on the web if you are searching for something a little different.

 Terrariums are a garden in a glass container.  These small plants can be inserted into potting soil with a base of charcoal and sand to filter the moisture and keep the plant material fresh. The houseplant section of the hardware store has a variety of plants that will do well in low light and a moist environment.

Cacti or succulents sitting in a sand base have a nice contemporary style. And with this one, keep the moisture to a minimum.

Fairy gardens can be incorporated in the outdoors too.  Using miniature herbs miniature herbslike thyme, or even mini hostas can make the setting charming.  Rocks offer an added dimension  to replicate caves where the fairies would live in the forest.  Dwarf conifers would also be appropriate in a mini-forest. This mini-hinoki is just one example.

Here the gardener has created paths and walkways with small gravel and pebbles. And, don't forget the door to enter the world of the fairy.

Succulents make a great dish garden.  The arid terrain can be copied with sandy potting mix, gravel, and the dry environment will need little water.  Succulents come in many colors, so you won't miss the blossoms - but wait!  They do bloom - too cool!

Here is that muffin tin, again. 

Conifers make a great small garden.  Evergreens make this one a year round event. I would suggest picking plants that will sit out year round, to be hardy to one zone colder than your area.  The above ground roots that are exposed to the winds will withstand the cold better.

Mini hosta make a great dish garden.  They come in shades of gold, green, blue, variegated and, in a container, they are not on the slugs radar.  A fresh little garden I enjoy.

Well, I hope you have time to create a mini-garden.  Whether it is a fairy garden, a succulent garden, a terrarium, or a tiny corner of your landscape,..... we can always smile and say the 'size' does matter.

A Trend in Gardening for 2011

This past year has been a tough one.  The economy is down and we are having to spend more on food, clothing, fuel.  One of the obvious victims of this belt-tightening has been the nursery and garden center industry.  Gardeners are resisting the purchase of annuals and opting for perennials.  The smaller containers are being selected rather than the gallon pots, and this may indeed be the trend for several years to come. 
As households adjust their spending, we, as passionate gardeners, are looking for ways to get our gardening ‘fix’ and not break the bank.  I had such a ‘fix’ last evening as I attended a garden club meeting of the Here and There Garden Club.

Bob Iiames is a local gardener and speaker.  His topic was “Perennials That Pop”. 

Bob’s passion was evident as he showed us his garden.  The focus of dwarf and unusual conifers was delightful.  The four seasons of color showed how his investment in plant material paid big dividends. 

How does this fit into the ‘trends’ we were talking about?  Glad you asked!

Consumers like me are seeking out ways to educate ourselves.  We want to make good choices.  GREEN ideas are out there, we just have to look for them.  Gardening books, magazines, TV and radio programming, and classes are being offered.  Local parks and Garden Clubs are seeking out good, knowledgeable folks to help us.  Web sights and Podcasts are becoming more and more available – and easy – to access.  We do not want to waste our Money, our Water, Our Time, and we want to leave our environment better than when we started.

So my #1 Trend for 2011 would be ……(wait for it!)……. Education. 

Plant groups of all kinds are a source of information. Whether you like Hosta, Daylilies, Conifers, Iris, Native Plants, or any number of other plant types, you can find a regional and national organization to suit your interests. Local County Extension offices can offer Master Gardening Courses as well.  Gathering with other gardeners is always a source of good information, and good company.

What groups do you attend?  I'm sure I have left out some.  Thanks for visiting today.