I haven't even started yet, except to buy some plants, but seem to be instantly and completely addicted to mini gardening. There are even niches within this concept like fairy gardens and dollhouse gardens. I've always been attracted to tiny plants and they get messed up so easily, so putting a bunch of them together in a bigger pot seems like a great idea. And how cute would it be to make some little scenes with them while I'm at it? If I'm doing this right, this should get you to an album I made of this. There's a garden at a store that I saw, then some pics of tiny plants I've gathered... There are a couple plants I don't know although I'm sure they're some kind of succulents so should be happy with the others whether I know their names or not. View Photo Album: Mini plants and gardens Do you have tiny plants or even a mini garden of them? How cool is this if one doesn't have a ton of space? If you don't have a back yard, you can make a tiny potted one!
Thanks, Mel! Excuse me for not saying so sooner. I've been making little doodads and have gathered more tiny plants, pics in the album linked above. Below is the planting table DH made for this endeavor. It doesn't seem like I should put "dirt" directly in it though. What would you do with this to line or weatherize it? Deck paint? How could I make a lift-out metal (or some other material) liner? It will be inside, I don't trust the squirrels and storms to not ruin it. I will be watering with "fat mist" from a squirt bottle, so not much drainage to consider. ANY INPUT welcome! I need some help brainstorming ideas to consider. Thanks!! DH made this awesome table to hold the mini garden ( photo / image / picture from purpleinopp's Garden )
I imagine plants that are suitable for a terrarium are candidates for a small or fairy garden. Mosses and ferns especially would fit in between flowers or covering rocks. Jerry
Hi Jerry, thanks! I've collected possibly too many plants at this point, but am having trouble forming a plan for finishing the table they'll be planted in, pictured above.
I'm thinking that large pieces of vinyl stapled up the sides of this box would be a good solution. I could also create sections this way, with interior wood partitions (that would be invisible under the top surface) to separate the succulents from the other plants. Also think it could have a lid with some type of wire or screen so it could be outside w/o worrying about critters messing with it. Put a couple latches so the wind doesn't throw it around. I've been making some tiny decorations, wind chimes, tiny chain to hang them, and more furniture. DH hollowed out some wine corks to be tiny pots.
Sounds like fun little gardens. I have one little mini garden under glass. (Guess that makes it a terrarium). The mini fern and mosses are growing in about an inch of soil or less. It even has a mini snail that must have hitched a ride in the moss.
That sounds so cute, Jewell! Feel free to show a pic if you feel like it. Here's what I've been working on the past few days. Chairs, a wind chime, put that pendant on a "shepherd hook," DH hollowed the corks for tiny pots, and I strung some jewelry rocks I had on florist wire to use as borders for tiny flower beds or a path. Stays in the shape you bend them. This week's mini creations ( photo / image / picture from purpleinopp's Garden )
Those are really clever little chairs. These are photos of three little potted gardens that have a mix of plants and stones. This first one has been planted in a cut down plastic water catcher and has less than an inch of soil. I have only had to weed out the volunteer fern starts. It has been under glass for about a year I think. I have only had to water it twice during that time since it is self contained. mini garden ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) mini garden under glass ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) This next one is a planter for a stag horn fern on a piece of thick bark. I used a piece of fossilized bark and other smaller rocks to stabilize the plant/bark. I tried to add mother-of-thousands for a more natural look. The hardest part was finding a container to put the arrangement into. This arrangement I created last summer. stag horn bowl with mother of thousands, rock, and bark ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) stag horn bowl ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) The last plant group is a bonsai with volunteer ferns and moss, and fir cones. The bonsai has been in this container 1998 and is ficus retusa. I pruned it shortly after this photo was taken. The secret of keeping it healthy has been the base it sits in. The base holds water in the rocks and makes keeping the moisture level for the plant just right. Buddha at the bonsai with volunteer fern ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) I think those are perfect places for fairies to visit indoors
Jewell, those are seriously awesome! Thanks for sharing. Still waiting on the weather and other life issues to fall in place to get back to work on this mini garden thing... The plant database now has a choice for "mini/fairy gardens" in the "suitable for" part of describing plants. If anyone has any plants they would describe that way, please add that to their description. Thanks!
I've decided to decorate my Mom's planter box like a quilt (she's a quilter) with little squares of fabric samples I saved from when I worked at a furniture store. With enough coats of polyurethane, it should be smooth, waterproof. Mini garden box for Mom ( photo / image / picture from purpleinopp's Garden ) More of the new mini plants I've been gathering in my "mini plants" photo album.
These little wedding cake things look like Roman pillars to me, had to have 'em. No idea why they sell these bottle cap things, which are perfect plates for a mini table... (from Hobby Lobby) More mini stuff ( photo / image / picture from purpleinopp's Garden ) Had this little cabinet for over a decade but finally going to use it. Got it painted, needs a little touching up before coating with polyurethane. Camera flash is very unforgiving with metallic paint! Mini cabinet is blue, purple, ( photo / image / picture from purpleinopp's Garden ) Mini cabinet ( photo / image / picture from purpleinopp's Garden )
Thanks, Droopy! Just realized I hadn't said anything about how I made those chairs, really thought I did that a while back. The main thing is to make "wrought iron" first with the florist wire. Bend a piece in half, grab both ends with pliers and twist a bunch of times, until it looks right. Then it's ready to make into a chair or whatever.
Now that's what I call mini-garden or more likely tiny ( photo / image / picture from pol_bishop25's Garden )
Hi Pol! Those are so cute! Are they yours? I've seen a couple of those pics before. Still working on the containers for mine. I did finish "quilting" this one. Now to cover with polyurethane... Need to move into a quicker gear, Mother's Day is right around the corner! "quilted" planter box ( photo / image / picture from purpleinopp's Garden )
