One of the newer gardening trends is building a miniature garden. For those of you who enjoy miniature dollhouses and gardening as a hobby, this is a great project combining the love of both. Miniature gardens contain live plants, chairs, arbors, tools, rocks and patios just like a real garden. The plants that are used are small in size and kept pruned to stay small for the garden. The garden can be any size you want or have space for. I have seen some gardens that are growing in baskets and containers that can be placed on a table top outside or large raised gardens on the ground. It is up to you and your imagination on what you create.
After you decide on a size and design for your garden you will want to use good soil that will drain well. Fill your container or raised bed with soil and start creating your hardscape. Use small flat rocks for stepping stones, patios or walls in your garden. You can add waterfalls, stream beds and even ponds with real water in them. Use your imagination!
Add interesting shaped trees, shrubs and plants that are small in size with very small leaves. You can purchase small yews, boxwoods, alberta spruces or junipers for larger trees in your garden. Miniature roses, herbs like thyme and oregano, creeping jenny, sedums or moss can be used for smaller plants. Miniature hostas and small ferns can also be used in your garden.
Miniature hostas and ferns
Small flat stones make a simple stepping stone path with sand as the gravel in between the stones. Do you see the trimmed boxwood hedge?
A working waterfalls and stream in miniature
You can add small building in your garden just like the one in the picture. If you have houses from a Christmas village or building from a train set, these could also work.
After you have your garden hardscape installed and the garden planted you can add small tables, chairs, arbors, garden tools, flower pots and other items that would be found in a garden. You can add small figurines of animals, people or fairies that will make the garden their home. You can purchase items from local hobby shops and nurseries or create items for the garden from found objects around your home. I have found several garden related Christmas ornaments that could be used in my garden. Just keep in mind that everything must be in proportion in size to each other. After you have your garden completed, make sure that it is kept watered and fertilized regularly. To keep your plants in good shape, keep them pruned to maintain their size and shape during the growing season. Remember that some containers or plants may need protection from the elements during the winter.
Add interesting shaped trees, shrubs and plants that are small in size with very small leaves. You can purchase small yews, boxwoods, alberta spruces or junipers for larger trees in your garden. Miniature roses, herbs like thyme and oregano, creeping jenny, sedums or moss can be used for smaller plants. Miniature hostas and small ferns can also be used in your garden.Miniature hostas and fernsSmall flat stones make a simple stepping stone path with sand as the gravel in between the stones. Do you see the trimmed boxwood hedge? A working waterfalls and stream in miniatureYou can add small building in your garden just like the one in the picture. If you have houses from a Christmas village or building from a train set, these could also work.After you have your garden hardscape installed and the garden planted you can add small tables, chairs, arbors, garden tools, flower pots and other items that would be found in a garden. You can add small figurines of animals, people or fairies that will make the garden their home. You can purchase items from local hobby shops and nurseries or create items for the garden from found objects around your home. I have found several garden related Christmas ornaments that could be used in my garden. Just keep in mind that everything must be in proportion in size to each other. After you have your garden completed, make sure that it is kept watered and fertilized regularly. To keep your plants in good shape, keep them pruned to maintain their size and shape during the growing season. Remember that some containers or plants may need protection from the elements during the winter.
I started picking up plants last fall for my miniature garden. I plan to build a raised garden bed for my miniature garden this spring. It will have a working waterfall, stream bed and small garden rooms just like my real garden. Designing the miniature garden is just like designing a large garden, but with less expense and work. It should be a fun project!
Happy Gardening!
The Creative Gardener