Miniature Garden Trees: A Visual Feast

27/01/2012 at 12:19 pm · Filed under Conifers, Fairy Gardening, For the New Gardener, Indoor Mini Gardens, Miniature Plants, Resources ·Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

White Pygmy Cypress

White Pygmy Cypress have charming cream colored tips. Shear it every winter to keep this happening. Without shearing, it'll turn to a drab celery green color.

Miniature Garden Trees: A Visual Feast

The spring order arrived early for the Northwest Flower and Garden Show! We have some exciting new additions to our Miniature and dwarf conifer line. Here’s a sneak peek ~ most of them are now up in the store now. The rest will be up mid-February. Email for more info if needed.

Fernspray Gold Hinoki Cypress

Fernspray Gold Hinoki Cypress in its winter blush. Underneath the amber foliage is a wonderful live green. It's really quite charming.

A brand new, true miniature Hinoki cypress – yet to be named, it’s called ‘E1 Evaluator’ for now. I wonder if I can call it ‘Janit’… ;o)
Miniature Garden Trees

Some of the Miniature and Dwarf Mugo Pines are hardy to -50F and can withstand the harshest of winters - and tolerate dry, full sun conditions in the summertime when they are established in the garden bed.

Miniature Garden Trees

The pink Moonfrost Canada Hemlock is flanked by the Snow Sprite Cedar. Perfect eye candy for the conifer lover.

Miniature Garden Trees

The new Chirimen Hinoki Cypress continues to be a favorite for the miniature garden with its whimsical shape. Note its winter blush. Amber tips that merge into the grey-green foliage further down on the trunk creating a stunning color combination - only from Ma Nature.

Miniature Garden Trees

Photo-Op - the colorful spires of the Chirimen Hinoki Cypress against the neutral colored soil and box makes an unusual sight.

Miniature Garden Trees

The new Jersey Jewel Japanese Holly has oval shaped leaves and appears more columnar in shape than it's sister, the Dwarf Pagoda. I'm looking forward to growing this one.

Miniature Garden Trees

Dwarf Spruces, Junipers, Cotoneasters and the Gold n' Rubies Spirea.

Your Miniature Garden Center

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Miniature Garden Plant Focus: Hardier Than Thou

19/01/2012 at 1:26 pm · Filed under Conifers, Miniature Plants, Resources ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Gardens frozen in time

Miniature Gardens frozen in time, but they'll come out of this freeze just fine!

Miniature Garden Plant Focus: Hardier Than Thou

It’s here again.

That freezing, fluffy white stuff is all over the place. That four-letter word that seems to occur annually and stay for least a couple of days each winter. Now it’s ice. Why am I not in Hawaii?

It’s not really what I signed up for by moving here to this wonderful garden Mecca otherwise known as Seattle…

Miniature Garden Plants, Mitsch Mini Mugo Pine

One of our hardiest Miniature Garden trees: the Mitsch Mini Mugo Pine will be back in stock next week!

Fortunately, “my babies” just love it.

I’m talking about the wee miniature and dwarf conifers that I’ve been miniature gardening with for the last ten years – thankfully, they are hardier than me.

Much hardier.

Here is a quick snapshot of the different dwarf and miniature conifers that are ideal for the freezing/sub-freezing temperatures. This is only an overview of the hardiness of each species, as the hardiness of some of the varieties may vary. (A good example is the darling Mhondoro Hinoki that is hardy to -20F while the Jean Iseli Hinoki is hardy to -30F.)

Canada Hemlocks: -30F or Zone 4
Hinoki Cypress: -20F or Zone 5
Dwarf Alberta Spruce: -30F or Zone 4
Dwarf Cryptomerias: -10F or Zone 6
Mugo Pine: -40F or Zone 3
Dwarf Fir: -30F or Zone 5
Dwarf Norway Spruce: -40F or Zone 3
Japanese Holly: -20F or Zone 5

Some of them are pretty hardy / hardier than me / as you can see. ;o)

We’ve included the cold hardiness zones within each listing in our online store so you know exactly what you can plant with success for your area. For warmer regions, please consult this blog post to get to know what plants can tolerate the heat in your area.

Miniature Garden Tree, the Canada Hemlock "Hornbeck"

The Miniature Canada Hemlock "Hornbeck" - The dwarf and miniature Hemlocks we carry are perfect for temperatures down to

Getting it Straight

To keep myself straight, I rely on the actual temperatures when discussing hardiness zones. I think it’s because I was raised in Toronto, Ontario, and often get the Canadian/American/Sunset Zones completely mixed up plus, I interact with a variety of gardeners throughout the world. So it gets a little embarrassing with a name like Two Green Thumbs when I get the zones wrong.

So, I stay with one way to gauge and discuss hardiness and, for me, that is Fahrenheit. I don’t have to remember to convert anything in my head, I don’t have look anything up and I can eliminate a lot of errors that way. More often than not, the plant’s tag will have the minimum winter temperature on it. It’s better to be accurate than conventional sometimes.

Miniature Garden Tree, the Shimpaku Juniper is great for bonsai too.

The Shimpaku Juniper is a really great starter tree for bonsai too. It always has a nice trunk and branching system underneath the foliage.

Choose Hardier Plants for Your Containers

Now keep in mind the rule if you are planting in containers. There is a 15 degree difference in the hardiness of the plant when it is planted in a container. When planted the ground, the earth insulates the roots of the plant. When you plant in a container, you adjust for the hardiness by adding 15 degrees to the lowest minimum temperature. Here’s an example: let’s say the Mugo Pines are hardy to -50F. If we plant one in a pot, that Mugo is now hardy to -35F because it doesn’t have Mother Earth around it, keeping it warm.

Now stay tuned and join our email list in the meantime! The new miniature garden trees are due in any day now and we’ve got a lot to choose from! New, different, true miniature trees that are perfect for the miniature container garden or right in the ground… – we’re just waiting for the snow and ice to thaw so the truck can get through… ;o)

Your Miniature Garden Center

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Keep up the fight against #PIPA/SOPA. Wa

19/01/2012 at 11:13 am · Filed under Uncategorized

Keep up the fight against #PIPA/SOPA. Watch Video for clarity, Sign Petition to help: http://fightforthefuture.org/pipa

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Miniature Gardening 103: The Water

04/01/2012 at 11:52 am · Filed under Because it's fun, For the New Gardener, Indoor Mini Gardens, Miniature Plants, Resources ·Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Garden with Custom Pool

A custom, double-sided Miniature Garden made for a favorite customer, 2005. This side was an Hawaiian theme, the other side was a Northwest theme.

Miniature Gardening 103: The Water

Welcome back to our Miniature Garden Series of tutorials to get you started in this wonderful hobby! If you missed it, Miniature Gardening 101 was about soil, Miniature Gardening 102 is all about indoor vs. outdoor plants. Today we are discussing how to know how much water your miniature garden will need.

A Miniature Garden for dry, full-sun conditions.

A Miniature Garden for dry, full-sun conditions. From left to right, Wooley Thyme, Blue Star Juniper and Sedum Cape Blanco - can be grown with success in the same container.

Huh? Different Types of Watering?

Water is a big factor to consider when choosing plants for your miniature garden, especially for a miniature garden in a container.  Different plants have different watering needs, so plants in the same miniature garden should all tolerate the same water schedule.

Some plants like their root zone to dry out between watering, others like to have a moist root zone at all times.  Planting these two types of plants right next to each other in a small container can result in disaster. The following chart will help to familiarize yourself with the terms you will usually find on the plant tag, or in the plant’s description:

Our Water Chart

Type Meaning Example
Wet The plant pot sits in shallow dish of water, or is in a container without drainage (called a cache pot), and the soil is kept constantly wet. African Violets, Miniature Sweet Flag
Moist Pot has a drainage hole, but is watered often to keep up the moisture level of the soil. Begonias, Baby Tears
Damp Regular water, but let the soil almost dry out in between, like the dampness of wrung-sponge. Lawson Cypress, English Boxwood
Dry Let the soil dry out completely between watering. This avoids over-watering too. Succulents, Sedum, Jade, Cacti

But, How Do I Know?

The only way to really test a plant’s thirst is to put your finger down at least 1” into the soil to feel the level of

A Miniature Cactus Garden

A Miniature Cactus/Aloe Garden, all the plants like the same soil and water conditions.

moisture in the soil. There are many types of water meters available that you poke into the soil to get a reading from, but they are not too reliable and tend to register the degree of moisture differently – and it’s also a question of where on the meter they read – at the tip? Along the side of the poker-thingie? I can never figure it out.

Another good indicator is how the soil feels is how it looks. As you become more familiar with your miniature garden, you will be able to actually see the difference between moist soil and dry soil. Dry soil is lighter in color and will eventually pull away from the sides of the pot. Moist soil is deep in color and looks full and rich. Too-wet soil will look very dark and flat, it will start to breed moss and eventually attract bugs.

Water is something that you need to stay on top of. Light can be added or taken away and most soils can be amended to accommodate any plant, but watering isn’t negotiable as far as the plant is concerned.

So, How Do I Decide Which Plants to Use?

An indoor Miniature Garden

An indoor Miniature Garden. All the plants like bright, indirect light and regular watering, letting the soil dry out to damp in between watering sessions.

Choose the plants that go with your lifestyle for the best results. If you are not home very often and don’t want to dote on your mini garden, go with succulents and plants that like to dry out in between watering. If you are home all the time and love to pamper your miniature garden, choose plants that like to be watered often.

One more thing to consider if you are using pots with drainage holes: how are you going to collect the water as it drains out of the bottom of the pot? If the pot doesn’t come with a saucer, your local garden center has clear, plastic saucers which are very noticeable. If the pot does come with a saucer, be careful of the saucer wicking moisture on your wood surfaces. Again, your local garden center will have a variety of plant coasters to use underneath the saucer to protect the wood. If anyone tells you the a saucer is waterproof because it’s glazed, please don’t believe them, I have the water marks on my tables from years ago to prove it.

Understanding the basics of light, soil and water requirements will help you make the right choice when selecting plants for your miniature garden design. Asking the questions, “Where is the garden going to be placed and how am I going to maintain it?”  and it will narrow down your plant choices and direct you to the plants that will work for you. Designing your miniature gardening with plant care needs in mind will make tending your mini garden rewarding for you, and keep your plants happy and healthy.

Stay tuned for ‘Miniature Gardening 104: The Food’ by signing up for this blog on the right ~>

Ready to get started? If you liked this, then you’ll like this:
How to Make a Miniature Garden PDF Instant Download

Your Miniature Garden Center

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Let It Snow While You Grow! Let It Snow!

24/12/2011 at 1:52 pm · Filed under Because it's fun ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Garden Christmas, 2005

Christmas in the Miniature Garden from 2005. These were sold at the West Seattle Nursery over the holidays.

Let It Snow While You Grow! Let It Snow!

To be sung to the tune, “Let It Snow!”

Oh, the garden outside is frightful,
It’s full of snow or cold or unsightful,
And since I’m stuck indoors,
I wanna grow! Wanna grow! Wanna grow!

I’m giddy with the thought of creating,
I’ve got dwarfs trees all ready for planting,
I can design and plan and play!
I can grow while it snows, I can grow!!

Well I finally have everything together,
The mini trees, the soil, and the stone,
A little bench, birdbath and pot,
It’s so cute and it’ll be all my own!

Now the miniature garden is thriving,
And, my dear, it is just charming!
So as long as it wants to snow,
You can grow! You can grow! You can grow!

See last year’s song, “My Favorite Miniature Garden Things” here.

Miniature Garden Christmas, 2005

From the archives. Miniature Garden Christmas, 2005. That's a Pixie Dust Dwarf Spruce paired with a Mugo Pine on the right for full sun garden.

Happy Holidays!
Joyeuses Fêtes!
Joyeux Noel!
Felices Navidad!
Trevlig Helg!
Boas Festas!
Mutlu Bayramlar!
Sarbatori Fericite!
Tanoshii kurisumasu wo!
Buone Feste!
Merry Christmas!
Ii holide eximnandi!
Forhe Feiertage!
Hau’oli Lanui!
Beannachtaí na Féile

And have a wonderful New Year!

From Janit and Steve Calvo,
Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center

Miniature Garden Christmas, 2005

Tried, tested and true, from 2005. A Miniature Garden wall holds up after years of being tested in the miniature garden. That's just what we do here at Two Green Thumbs!

If you like this, you will like our free Mini Garden Gazette Newsletter.
Join us today.

 

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Top Mini Garden Ideas for Last Minute Shopping

16/12/2011 at 4:12 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, Miniature Garden Accessories, Resources ·Tagged , , , , ,

Miniature Garden Potting Bench

Miniature Garden Potting Bench with Games and Gags is One of a Kind. Miniature plants are real.

Top Miniature Garden Ideas for Last Minute Shopping

These gift suggestions will be shipped by Priority Mail. Choose Parcel Post when checking out of our online store and we’ll upgrade the postage for you to get it under the tree in time for the Big Day! It’s our way of saying, “Thanks!”

The Fiddlehead Fairy Garden Kit

Poke the arbor down into the soil beside your tallest miniature tree. Open the gates to get through to the pathway that lead into the garden. Plant a Sedum cutting in the watering can and place it next to the gate. Now the birdhouse can go back in the garden bed next to the shrub, along with the birdbath too. Your going to need a place to sit now – luckily there is one included. Hmmm…. what else? Oh, wait now, there’s a wheelbarrow, hoe, rake and shovel to complete the set.

This kit is the hot seller for the season and the colorful box makes it a great gift idea:

Fiddlehead Fairy Garden Kit makes a terrific last minute gift!

Fiddlehead Fairy Garden Kit makes a terrific last minute gift!

The Mini Patio Mix Kit

Mini Patio Mix Kit can be used with a variety of stone, tile or marbles.

We used the Mini Patio Mix Kit to lock in the stones and tile pieces. The Mini Patio Mix Kit is very versatile, and can be used with a variety of stone, tile or marbles.

Miniature Patio Mix Kit for the Miniature or Fairy Garden.

Mini Patio Mix Kit for the miniature or fairy garden to create authentic mini patios that won't wash away when you water the garden.

Tired of watering your miniature or fairy garden and watching the pathway flow away with the stream of water? Are you always having to fuss and fix your miniature garden after Squirrel comes through, pretending he’s Godzilla and destroying your mini patio? You need the Mini Patio Mix Kit to lock in those stones and add an authenticity to your wee garden-scape that you can’t get anywhere else.

The Complete Miniature Garden Kit

Want to get into this new miniature garden hobby but don’t know how? Here’s a Miniature Garden Kit that is just for you. It includes everything you need to create a miniature garden for indoors. The only thing you’ll need is a pot, potting soil and about 3 hours – it can be done in one afternoon! Exclusively Two Green Thumbs:

Miniature Garden Kit has everything you need.

This exclusive Miniature Garden Kit can be done in 2 to 3 hours.

One of a Kind Miniature Garden Potting Benches

Truly One of a Kind miniature potting benches are just the bees knees. Customized by hand right here at our studio in Seattle. The details are where the fun is. Nothing is attached to increase the play factor. If you don’t have a mini garden, think desktop, windowsill or mantle. Available from our Etsy store:

Miniature Garden Potting Bench

Miniature Garden Potting Bench with a variety of authentic accessories. Miniature plants are real.

Can’t decide? Get ‘em a gift certificate!

Please help spread the joy of miniature gardening with the links below.

Subscribe to this blog over there on the right… ~> ;o)

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Miniature Gardening: Chats and Forums and Groups, Oh My!

06/12/2011 at 7:17 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, Customer Interaction, For the New Gardener, Life-sized Gardening, Resources ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Gardening: Chats and Forums and Groups, Oh My!

You can almost hear the glasses tinkling, the lively chatter in the background and the occasional burst of laughter. They chime in from all over the country, Canada and throughout the world. People asking each other how the weather is, what each other is drinking tonight and exchanging quick personal updates along with their hellos.

The banter is chummy and fun; you never know who’s going to comment on what you said, or what bad joke lies in wait…

About 10 minutes into the session, the purpose of the friendly gathering starts with a question. Suddenly, the chatter picks up, answers are flying and jokes are passed around and repeated to make sure they are spread far and wide.

“What was the question again? I missed it…,”

“I’m late, what’s the topic?”

“Hey, Helen, how’s the planking?”

“Hold on, I need more wine…”

A wide range of topics are shared and deliberated each week. Celebrities are brought in to host the discussions, an endless stream of discussions. More industry celebrities drop in to say hi, and stay for a question or two at the very least. Prizes are given away freely. The laughter and jokes carry on even after it ends.

And it all happens within one hour, on Twitter.

It’s called #GardenChat, and it’s an open chat just like a party, hosted on Monday nights between 9 and 10pm, Eastern Standard Time, on Twitter.com.

Just by scrolling through the last couple of months of the event calendar, you can see the myriad of garden topics that Brenda Haas covers with the help of her loyal #GardenChat following. It’s an easy crowd to get into, and it’s even easier to join the discussion, ask questions and get answers and opinions from the people who actually garden in your area. And you never know who will drop by.

All kinds of gardening are discussed, garden art, moss gardening, garden designers, vertical gardening, tomatoes, P. Allen Smith, websites, roses, herbs, container gardening, new garden happenings, houseplants, organic gardening, vegetable gardening, drought tolerant gardening, open discussions, did I say garden designers yet? Links are exchanged and garden know-how is shared freely – it really is a terrifically fun resource for any gardener, anywhere.

And the big news: This coming Monday, December 12th, Yours Truly is hosting a #GardenChat! Really! It’ll be my first one. I will be answering any questions about miniature and fairy gardening. I plan on showering you with yummy eye candy, and filling up your head with lots of ideas for your miniature gardens. Come and join in the fun, it really is a hoot.

You don’t have to register, join or subscribe to anything – heck you don’t even have to read every tweet that rolls by either. Brenda captures each #GardenChat in a transcript after the show, and you can download it after the chat and explore the links and resources at your leisure.

Find out all about #GardenChat right here. If you are new to Twitter, don’t fret, sign up with Twitter.com, then some back to here and these instructions will walk you through how to connect to #GardenChat. Lurk if you need to at first, but at least say “Hi!” so we know you are there.

And here is a list of other Miniature and Fairy Garden Forums and Chats on the Internet that have opened up in the last few months. I think you can nose around into each group, to see if you like it, and then sign up if it feels right. (Some of them, like Dave’s Garden, have subscription fees.)

All Things Plants – Miniature Gardens Forum

Garden-Share – Fairy and Miniature Gardens

Dave’s Garden – Tiny Gardens Forum

Garden Web – Terrariums

Facebook – Miniature and Fairy Garden Chat

Facebook – Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center

[If I missed any, please let me know. Only direct forums please, not threads within forums.]

There is a wealth of knowledge in the Interwebs, fun to be had, friends to meet and no reason to stop thinking about your miniature gardening either. See you on Monday December 12th on #GardenChat!

Miniature Garden Center

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A Miniature Garden Anniversary: 10 Years of Inspirational Stories

30/11/2011 at 5:29 pm · Filed under Customer Interaction, The Business ·Tagged , , , ,

Miniature Garden Tree Lot

A Miniature Garden Anniversary: 10 Years of Inspiration

As we wind up our 10 year anniversary celebration this month, I thought to share some of the random interactions with people that helped me get through the years. It never failed that when I was ready to give up, pack it in, and get a job a Target, I would get an email, phone call, or stumble into a chance meeting from a fellow miniature gardener that gave me the inspiration to keep focused. Here are just a couple of the stories:

Miniature Holiday Garden Shed

- Many moons ago, when we were gritting our teeth through another long Sunday at the Fremont Market in Seattle, a man who bought a miniature garden the week before, came back to our booth. He told us about his mother, who was stuck in grief over the loss of her husband, his father. There was nothing that he tried that would shake her out of her sorrow. When he saw one of my miniature gardens, he knew it was worth a try because she always enjoyed gardening. When he brought the miniature garden to her that day, it was the first time he saw her smile in months.

Miniature Holiday Garden Shed

- A woman from Texas was so moved by miniature gardening, she picked up the phone to thank me in person and told me her story. Her sister had been diagnosed with cancer, was going through brutal chemotherapy and had almost given up the fight. One day, she got her sister together enough to at least sit in the garden and get some fresh air. She wrapped her sister in blankets and proceeded to make a miniature garden right in front of her. The ailing sister could not resist, and began interacting with the mini garden, smiling all the while. With miniature gardening to occupy her mind and get her moving in the fresh air, the sister recovered and the two of them went on to start their own miniature garden business.

- Years ago, when I was at my wits end one day, I was wandering through the West Seattle Nursery trying to avoid my self-inflicted work-load. One of the staff members flagged me down and said there was a woman asking about my miniature gardens that I had there for sale. After I spent a few minutes teaching her about miniature gardening, the woman hugged me with tears welling up in her eyes. She was thrilled and relieved to have a new and do-able idea to implement at the adult family home where she was working.

Miniature Holiday Tree Lot

- “I’ve ‘seen’ you around the forums, but didn’t realize that you were associated with Two Green Thumbs. I love your stuff!! I remember when I first became interested in miniature gardens as an adult (I was always into dollhouse stuff as a kid,) I saw many of your gardens while Googling, and they inspired me. IN FACT, they had a lot to do with what inspired me to ask Dave to start this forum! ;0) So see? In a way this forum is here because of you. Keep up the great work! – Taylor” [– The Tiny Garden Forum on DavesGarden.com]

It’s funny where inspiration comes from. These are just a couple of the stories among the many emails I get each week. People thanking me for inspiring them, but I’m not sure if they know that they inspired me too.

Join our mailing list for your free monthly Mini Garden Gazette here.

See what’s up in our store here.

Join the other 1400+ miniature gardeners on Facebook here.

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Miniature Garden Plants

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Miniature Garden Beginnings: Still Crazy After All These Years

19/11/2011 at 3:00 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, Customer Interaction, The Business ·Tagged , , , , , ,

The first group shot of Miniature Gardens by Two Green Thumbs

The first group shot of Miniature Gardens by Two Green Thumbs, 2002

Miniature Garden Beginnings: Still Crazy After All These Years

In celebration of 10 years of miniature gardening, here is a visual trip back to the turn of the century.

Did I make mistakes? I made quite a few.

Did I get weird looks when people found out that I was doing this for a living? Yes.

Do I ask myself questions in the third person? Apparently, I do. ;o)

Click into the photos to enlarge them. All of the photos were taken on 35mm film and were scanned from prints. (Was it only 10 years ago that we didn’t have digital cameras, iphones or portable video cameras?)

The very first miniature garden was an impromptu board with soil on it.

It started as an idea for a backdrop for our greeting card line, having fun with one sixth scale scenes.

The very first miniature garden was an impromptu board with soil on it that was created for the greeting card line. I used small weeds and rocks to fill up the space. Lake Union in the background in the above photo.

The original Miniature Garden that lasted for 3 years before the container fell apart.

The original Miniature Garden that lasted for 3 years before the container fell apart. The above scene was 1o 1/2" across and fooled one of the experts at the Swanson's Nursery.

At about the same time, I was working at Swanson’s Nursery here in Seattle and found the miniature and dwarf conifers that suited my purpose perfectly. The search for miniature “bedding plants” opened up a wealth of choices. My brain was doing flips at the possibilities! After assembling the above scene in a homemade, 3 foot container, it grew together quite nicely.

It soon attracted everybody’s eye who visited. Friends wanted one for themselves, for their sister or their mother. I brought the above photo to Swanson’s Nursery and showed it to one of the gurus that worked there. She passed it back quickly and said, “That’s nice, Janit.” She did not notice that it was a miniature garden scene. I knew I had something then…

The first Miniature Gardens weren't quite right, and did not stand the test of time.

The first Miniature Gardens were not quite right, and did not stand the test of time.

When I started making miniature gardens to sell, I wanted to put them in pots to be carry-able so I shrunk the idea even further. At first, I was designing with color and texture, and not paying attention to what plants needed to survive. In the photo above, I mixed full-sun plants with part shade plants, a combination that did not work for long.

The very first Miniature Garden Patio was sand base that kept washing away every time I watered.

The very first Miniature Garden Patio was sand-based, with broken marble tile pieces haphazardly arranged.

I got the look of the patios down just by mimicking “full-sized” gardens and used flagstone, marble, stones with miniature sand as the “grout.” (Yes, play sand was too big! ;o) The patio kept getting washed out with the overhead watering and the Seattle rain – I had to fix it all the time! I developed the Mini Patio Mix Kit to create a permanent miniature patio keep it looking nice all the time. I don’t like fussy things.

Our first test of the miniature garden idea at Fremont Market, Seattle, Wa

Our first test of the miniature garden idea at Fremont Market, Seattle, Wa. in 2002.

It was a cold, wet, rainy November day in Seattle. Yuck. As you can see by the look on my face in the photo, I wasn’t completely sold on the idea at first. But right after this picture was taken, we got a flurry of activity that made me come back the next Sunday and the next… It got to the point where I could not make the gardens fast enough. Then something changed and the do-it-yourself movement started; people wanted to make their own miniature gardens. So, I switched gears and started to supply the plants, parts and the pieces instead.

By 2004, with help from Steve, we got the Miniature Garden setup down to a system.

By spring of 2003, with help from Steve, we got the Miniature Garden setup down to a system.

By 2003, with help from Steve and the purchase of a used pick-up truck, we got the Miniature Garden setup down to a system. It was not easy work maintaining and schlepping the heavy, “living” inventory with the tiny and meticulous, miniature accessories.

During the summer months, I did up to 3 markets a week with Steve helping on Sundays. It really help spread the word. The Fremont Market was where I met the most out-of-town visitors and tourists, so I gave out postcards, set up a website, started a mailing list. I began to sell plants on Ebay to test the idea online.

Experimental Miniature Gardening

Experimental Miniature Gardening with Cacti and Aloe. The wee engraved rock is from JaensRocks on Etsy.

Old Fashioned Miniature Gardens

I called this kind, Old Fashioned Miniature Gardens, the type your Grandma used to make.

“If people aren’t laughing at your ideas… you are not dreaming big enough.”

- Loosely quoted, until I find the source. – J.

I had fun planting Miniature Gardens in anything I could find.

I had fun planting Miniature Gardens in anything I could find.

Improving with experience, a true garden in miniature.

One of the early pots where I was not combining the plants properly. That yellow grass on the right, the Miniature Sweet Flag, will not do well living with the Sedums and the Spruce, it likes moist and some shade.

This group of Miniature Gardens was taken in 2004.

This group of Miniature Gardens was taken in 2003.

It's a little bit of miniature garden fun, every season of the year.

It's a little bit of miniature garden fun, every season of the year.

Join us for the Anniversary Edition of the Mini Garden Gazette, sign up here.
Visit our main website here.
Visit our Miniature Garden Center here.
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Subscribe to this blog over there on the right…~~>>

 

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Press Release: World’s smallest garden center celebrates huge miniature garden trend.

08/11/2011 at 4:45 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, Product Reviews, The Business ·Tagged , , ,

Miniature Hemlock in the Miniature Garden

A Dwarf Hemlock 'Moon Frost' is delightful for the Miniature Garden

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

http://www.TwoGreenThumbs.com

November 8, 2011 – The world’s smallest retail nursery, Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center, turns 10 years old this month and is leading the brand new miniature garden hobby into the most popular trend to hit the garden industry in years. Industry professionals, garden center owners and growers are quickly discovering this huge surge in interest in the smallest of plants and the tiniest of gardens.

“Miniature gardening is the perfect blend of the two most popular hobbies in the world: gardening and miniatures. There is nothing else like it.” says Janit Calvo, founder of Two Green Thumbs.

The Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center was formed in 2001 after discovering that the art of gardening small was just too rich of an idea to let go. The miniature garden hobby is not new, but their approach to it is. With the power and reach of the Internet, Two Green Thumbs has supplied quality products and services to new hobbyists, crafters and gardeners throughout the world, and the trend shows no signs of stopping.

A Double-Sided Miniature Garden

A Double-Sided Miniature Garden - Northwest on one side, Hawaiian on the other.

These miniature, magical gardens are made of slow-growing plants that are “dwarf” and “miniature,” terms describe the growth rate of the plant. The plants are combined with miniature accessories and in-scale patios to make real, living mini garden scenes – that can last up for years in a container with minimal care. When planted correctly, the plants and trees stay in scale with each other to create a sustainable, true garden in miniature.

Two Green Thumbs spent years spreading the idea through garden shows, exhibits, demonstrations and clubs all over Washington State. The online store was the first store to bring the complete idea to the consumer and, since then, it has inspired other people to start their own miniature garden businesses using the same model. Now, nurseries and garden centers are including this new level of gardening into their own stores.

A Best of Show Miniature Garden

This Best of Show Miniature Garden is 3 feet wide by 2 feet deep.

“This miniature and fairy garden trend is about to explode. You’ll see a lot more options this holiday season and next spring, when the planting season opens up.”

The company’s inimitable Mini Garden Guru blog and the Mini Garden Gazette newsletter are deeply saturated with all things miniature garden, and are sent all over the world, inspiring thousands to garden small. The company’s unique Facebook fan page is exclusively their own, and reports daily on the new trend. Social media network connections like Twitter, Flickr and Etsy have helped reach thousands of crafters and gardeners, and have spread the word so much that the trend is snowballing. To find out what all the fun is about or to learn more, visit their website, http://www.TwoGreenThumbs.com.

“There is no limit what can be done: large, small, gifts, parties, or create your own miniature empire in your backyard. It is possible on any budget, now everyone can have a garden.”

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 Contact Details:

Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center
Janit Calvo, Owner
Mailing Address Only: Please Contact.
Office Phone: 206-352-0494
Office Hours: 10am through 4pm, Monday to Friday, or by appointment.
Email Contact: Janit@TwoGreenThumbs.com
Main Website: http://www.TwoGreenThumbs.com

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