Archive for Customer Interaction

More About Miniature Garden Plants

16/05/2013 at 6:28 pm · Filed under Customer Interaction, For the New Gardener, Miniature Plants, Resources ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Some of the plants used for our Northwest Flower and Garden Show display were chosen as experiments to see how fast they grow up. The Parahebe, the small plant in front of the big Hinoki tree in the front blue pot, ‘looked’ like a good possibility – until it grew up.

More About Miniature Garden Plants

I STILL do it!

I fall for the cutest little plants, especially when they are in flower. I buy it, plant it and watch it grow – and grow and grow and grow! So not cool if you are a miniature gardener.

So. Not. Cool.

;o)

After all, we ARE looking from them to stay small or grow really slowly.

I’m getting a lot of emails lately asking about what kind of plants to use for miniature gardening – or how to find out what works in your backyard and what doesn’t. So I put this mini-directory together of previous blogs that have touched upon the subject in various ways. If your question isn’t answered here, please do let me know.

How to Find the Plants

This is part four of our beginner series. You’ll find the links to the rest of the series in the post. These are the steps to take for indoor and outdoor plants:

http://minigardener.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/miniature-gardening-104-how-to-find-the-plants/

Examples of What to Look For

The main points of what to look for with a few examples of plants that we like:

http://minigardener.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/miniature-garden-plants-examples-of-what-to-look-for/

Secrets to Success

In this post, I talk about some of the plants that trick us into thinking they would work – until they grow up:

http://minigardener.wordpress.com/2012/03/14/miniature-garden-plants-secrets-to-success/

About the Plants Behind the Winning Gardens

From our annual Miniature Garden Contest – I break down the plants that each winner used in their miniature gardens:

http://minigardener.wordpress.com/2012/11/08/an-inside-peak-at-the-miniature-plants-in-the-award-winning-gardens/

The Meaning of “Dwarf” and “Miniature”

Dwarf and miniature are often used in the names of plants to help sell them – which can be misleading. Here are the definitions and what we mean by “dwarf” and “miniature:”

http://minigardener.wordpress.com/2010/03/25/miniature-dwarf-plants-the-true-meaning/

Signs of the Plants Demise So You Can Prevent It

A discussion on the signals that plants give you when they are not happy.

http://minigardener.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/how-plants-die/

NWFGS miniature garden container

Four months later: the Parahebe sure has pretty flowers – that have overgrown the scale of the miniature garden! I’ll transfer it to one of my in-ground miniature gardens in the fall.

What Can be Grown in your Area?

The very best way to get to know what plants work in your area is your local garden center or nursery – NOT a big box store. You know, one of those cozy, plant-laden stores where you hear a soothing fountain off in the corner, the air is thick with humidity and you have to duck under trees and walk over the hose to get to the cashier – and this is inside the building – THAT kind garden center.

Take some time and walk around and get a feel for where they have the plants at the nursery.  You should find the right plants in the right place too. Note the zone info and what kind of soil they recommend for the plant. Then you can retreat home and look again at the space that you are thinking for your miniature garden if you haven’t decided that yet.

Here’s a quick-list of what you are looking for:

  • Miniature or slow-growing dwarf trees or shrubs
  • Groundcovers
  • Rockery Plants
  • Alpine Plants
  • Sedums & Succulents (small leafed, of course)

For a complete discussion of the trees, shrubs and plants for miniature gardening, look forward to the first comprehensive book on miniature gardening from Timber Press:

Gardening in Miniature

Now available for pre-order through Amazon.com, or wherever books are sold. To pre-order your signed-by-the-author copy, from our online store, click here. Ask your local garden center or favorite book seller to get it for you – it’s published by Timber Press.

Join us for more fun in the miniature garden and sign up for our FREE monthly Mini Garden Gazette newsletter. You’ll get a free PDF, The Best of the Mini Garden Gazette delivered straight to your inbox after you confirm your subscription through your email. Join us here.

 

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Turtle Envy: Melanie’s Miniature Garden

18/04/2013 at 3:25 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, Customer Interaction, D.I.Y. Ideas ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Melanie's Miniature Garden

Nemo’s Miniature Garden. Melanie and her husband found a baby box turtle last spring and create a habitat for him – miniature garden style!


Turtle Envy: Melanie’s Miniature Garden

When Melanie emailed us pictures of her miniature garden the other week, we sat and giggled – and then we wanted our own turtle. Here is her story of Miniature Gardening with Nemo down in Louisiana.

“My husband and I found a baby box turtle last spring. We’ve experimented with many different habitats. Our first one did not allow sufficient drainage. While we were at work, there came a downpour, when we arrived home we found our baby turtle hanging on by the eave of his modified bird-turtle house just a paddling – so we named him “Nemo.” To celebrate Nemo’s second spring with us we created a new home for him. My love of miniature gardening also provides a whimsical habitat for Nemo.”

I consider this a very good reason to move to Louisiana. ;o)

Melanie's Miniature Garden

Turtle’s need a cool place to go when so they built a wee hollow for Nemo to take shelter in.

Turtles need proper care and diet just like dogs and cats do. There are a number of different kinds of turtles, and each one is a bit different in their needs. Here is a website that takes you through the different kinds of pet turtles here. Here’s a website with more information – and way more experience that we have on raising turtles – right here.

Melanie's Miniature Garden

I wonder what he thinks of his garden? I wonder if turtles think? Lol! You can see the white edges of the big tub that Melanie and her husband made into Nemo’s habitat on the top and bottom of the photo. Drill containers like this so the rainwater can drain freely. A bigger hole in the bottom will let the critters and bugs into the container from the ground – and more food for Nemo too!

It appears that our miniature garden pond is a good watering hole for Nemo although it not is necessarily “food-safe.” The large Lagoon shape has a ledge that helps the turtle walk in and out of the pond easily. Turtles need their water changed daily to keep it free from contaminants that may get the wee turtle sick.

Melanie's Miniature Garden

Melanie’s other Miniature Garden. Do you think Nemo sees the grass as greener over here? ;o)

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Miniature Gardening: It’s an International Affair

28/03/2013 at 2:11 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, Customer Interaction, Resources, The Business ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Gardening in Romania

Loosely quoted, “With a touch of magic, your beautiful garden will spring from your dreams. A bench leaning against a tree or a small fountain hidden among giant flowers will create a peaceful space you can escape to anytime.”

Miniature Gardening: It’s an International Affair

Sharing the new miniature garden hobby is too much fun. With customers throughout the world, it was inevitable that the international garden magazines would pick up on this latest huge garden niche / hobby. We were tickled when a couple of them came to us for pictures and input, here’s what came out of the connections. They told us what pictures they liked from our website/ this blog and our flickr-photo page and we sent back the high resolution photos for them to use.

Romania!

Here is a Home and Garden Magazine from Romania. They found some plant sources for those of you across the pond who need to find the right plants we use. Here is their website: www.casa-gradina.ro

Miniature Gardening in Romania

Gradini in Miniatura – now you know how to say Miniature Garden in Romanian!

For some of the trees we use: http://www.multeplante.ro

For the Fairy Vine or Mulenbeckia:
www.eutopiamall.com

The article tells how to use slow-growing plants, where to place them and general potting tips on soil and fertilizer. Here’s a loosely edited quote from the article:

“Finally, add accessories – they make the difference between a simple flower pot and a miniature garden. For the planting seem more real, always use same scale (find it stated on the label products). Even if you put a doll, it’s nice to create the impression of human presence, this will create a story: a rake “forgotten” on the grass or miniature cup of tea on the table. Animals add charm to the arrangement.

For the translation, we used the handy Google Translate and had some help from my Romanian friend, and fine artist, Florin Brojba. (Wave! Wave! ;o)

Want to know more? Check out our About Miniature Gardening page on our new website that we are adding to each week here.

Miniature Gardening in Romania

They even have the cover of our new book in the article too! Timber Press is everywhere!

Miniature Gardening in Romania

The photo, middle-right, is Laney’s miniature garden from MS, she was one of our contest winners from last year. Way to go Laney! ;o)

Miniature Gardening in Romania

Very sweet! A huge, warm thank you to Sabina Usurelu, the Garden Editor at Casa si Grandina!

Japan!!

This next article was such a pleasure to help with. From Japan! We’ve always known the Japanese are as equally enthralled with all things miniature, but to be ask to contribute  was such a treat knowing that the art of bonsai, the grandfather of miniature gardening, has long roots in the history of Japan. And here they asked little ol’ me for photos of my work. I’m still giggling… check out the fun they had with this 6-page article.

Miniature Gardening in Japan

Bises is a beautiful, full color, huge, glossy magazine dedicated to gardening in Japan. All kinds of flower and vegetable gardening, lots of roses, recipes, garden design and much more. I wish I could read Japanese!

I didn’t have any luck translating the Japanese in this article but I’m still going to try.

Miniature Gardening in Japan

The editors at Bises loved our miniature garden shed made in 2005.

Miniature Gardening in Japan

I love how they dissected the big garden into the smaller photos.

Miniature Gardening in Japan

And here are some of their miniature gardens and plant suggestions.

Miniature Gardening in Japan

Look for the woman in the photo in purple on the right side, just in front of the garden bed. She was ‘photoshopped’ in to look as if it was her garden. Too fun!

Miniature Gardening in Japan

I love their miniature stonework – check out the stairs that the little guy is standing on.

Miniature Gardening in Japan

“Watch out, tiny gardener! Here come the scissors!” Lol! Hey, they are probably giggling in Japan too! ;o) Check out those wonderful doors on the building. Small-leafed ivies and Baby Tears fill up the beds. I think that’s a small-leafed Sedum that the “giant” hand is cutting. Photo is from www.bises.co.jp

Miniature Gardening in Japan

See the gardener on the bottom trimming the Rosemary? Lol! A big thank you to Ms. Hanako Yagi, the Editor in Chief at BISES.

Miniature Gardening in Japan

This photo is just too sweet. Two tiny gardeners tending their miniature garden. The plants look like Scottish and Irish Moss for the lawn, Fairy Vine for the twiggy shrub in the back and small-leafed Sedums are in the pots in front of the building. Photo is from www.bises.co.jp

Hey, the Beatles had to make it big overseas before they were a hit in their own country – who knows what will happen in the brand new world of miniature gardening?

Most of the items in the photos are from our online store here.

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Miniature Beach Garden

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Miniature Garden Workshop Tips

21/03/2013 at 1:01 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, Customer Interaction, D.I.Y. Ideas, Miniature Garden Accessories, Miniature Plants, The Business ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Garden Workshop Tips

For a successful miniature workshop – and with very little effort-  you can take care not to set your students up for failure with plants that work and pots that last. 

Miniature Garden Workshop Tips

Spreading the joy of miniature gardening is just as much fun as creating one. With our beloved hobby travelling like wildfire throughout the country, and the world, there are many fellow miniature gardeners who have stepped up to teach it this year. Here are some pointers that we developed after teaching this hobby for the last decade.

Looking for a Miniature Garden class? – If you are looking for a class in your area, the first place to start is your local garden center or nursery. Give them a call, find them on Facebook or, better yet, go and visit them to see what’s going on and say hello.

Miniature Hobby Farm Garden

We punched a bunch of holes in the bottom of this galvanized tub before planting to give the excess water a place to go.

Here is a last-minute checklist for our fellow miniature gardeners who are conducting workshops and classes this spring and summer.

  • Group plants horticulturally to make it easy-peasy for your students to assemble their gardens. Put indoor plants together, outdoor plants together, full sun, full shade etc. Group plants that like dry soil together – or moist soil together too.
  • Not all plants will make a great miniature garden. The satisfaction and reward of a miniature garden is to have it grow and weave together over several seasons, if not for years and years. If the student has to repot her “investment” in two months time and buy new plants – they will be disappointed and may not try again. Simply put, plants that stay small and grow slow are the best choices to start with. See what’s in our store for more examples here.
  • Gather a wide selection of containers if it’s an open class where students choose their own. Some may live in condos and want lightweight containers, while others may have a larger space to work with and want to plant a bigger miniature garden.
  • Choose pots or containers with a drainage hole. Just about any container or teacup can be drilled.
    Miniature Garden in a barbecue

    I chose this “container” because it was new and, being a barbecue, it already had holes for drainage. My plants are true miniatures and I know I can keep this together for years before it will need repotting. (I shelter it from the hot, summer sun because it is metal.)

    Don’t set your students up for failure by telling them that anything can be used for a miniature garden, it simply will not work for everyone. Broaden your students success rates by providing a drilling service, or only recommending containers with drainage holes.

  • Give careful consideration of what you are recommending to plant in. Yes, that old drawer or broken pot may look cute for the first couple of months after the miniature garden is planted but, after a while, your still stuck with an old drawer or broken pot! As the miniature garden keeps growing more magical and fun throughout the seasons, you may regret not investing in a nice container that will last and not fall apart when it’s moved. Note that baskets lined with plastic are temporary containers and will not last.
  • Recommend accessories that are weatherproof and/or are staked to hold their place in the soil. It is cute to add wee books, refreshments and tiny details but they will weather quickly and get lost in the garden – which is hard on some people’s budgets and their patience. Put the focus on what will stand up to the weather for the more satisfaction.
  • Provide some snacks or refreshments to keep everyone engaged. Miniature garden workshops can sometimes take up to four hours at times. By providing a little nourishment, you can avoid people having to leave early because they need food. Make sure to mention this in your flyer or ad, to let the people know. Better yet, team up with a local caterer and make it a luncheon-event. The students can eat while you teach, then plant afterwards.

Need to know how to build a miniature garden like a pro? Here is our complete instructions on how to create a miniature garden, it includes some in-ground tips and tricks, scale information and recommended plants to use.

Stressed out?
Frazzled?
Don’t have time for a vacation?

Visit your local garden center
for a few minutes of peace.
Being surrounded by
plants and flowers will
dissolve your tension and
help get you centered again.

Like this? You’ll like our Mini Garden Gazette – join us here for more fun in the miniature garden. 

Get on the first edition list here through Amazon for our upcoming Gardening in Miniature: Create Your Own Tiny Living World, by Yours Truly, published by Timber Press. Available this summer!

Miniature Garden Patio Solutions

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Miniature Garden Spotlight: Ann’s Miniature Worlds

07/03/2013 at 1:40 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, Customer Interaction, D.I.Y. Ideas, Fairy Gardening, For the New Gardener, Life-sized Gardening, Miniature Garden Accessories, Miniature Plants ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Ann's Miniature Garden

A half-inch scale garden. The trees look like Myrtles, small-leafed sedums are in the garden bed and individual sedums are in the wee terra cotta pot. The patio furniture tells the scale.

Miniature Garden Spotlight: Ann’s Miniature Worlds

One of the fun parts of being in business is meeting others who are just as passionate as you are. I once had a woman come into my booth at a big garden show and said, “Your minis give me the squealies.” A new word for my dictionary at best. Lol!

Ann has been a customer of ours for just about forever. She is a Mom with the cutest and most curious little boy ever. Her husband, Erik, just got back from active duty in the Navy, (THANK YOU, ERIC!) and he is a model-maker-miniaturist too. They live in South Carolina and I can only imagine the fun that they have with their miniature gardening. I was delighted when Ann said I could post her pictures here for you to see.

Ann's Miniature Garden

A wee boxwood tree anchors the garden. Different colors of small-leafed Sedums and ground cover Thymes make up the understory of the garden. That is ground cover Thyme trailing down the front of the pot – it flowers in early summer.

Ann's Miniature Garden

Look at what Ann has done with the “lawn” or Irish Moss – she made the path out of lawn instead of pavers. So cute! Shrink me down to miniature now!

Ann's Miniature Garden

Methinks Ann dipped into Eriks’ model railroad stash – Lol! Wouldn’t you? Check out how well the tiny accessories force the scale of the “big” little trees.

Ann's Miniature Garden

Pretty greens and pinks create the charm in this garden. That pink one is called Tricolor Sedum. Notice the brickwork on the patio too – you can get the same results with our Mini Patio Mix Kit that create a permanent miniature patio that won’t wash away in the rain or watering.

Ann's Miniature Garden

Just darling! Ann trimmed up bigger succulents to create the trees. Look how meticulous the patio is – it’s just perfect. Again, the accessories tell the scale of the garden.

Ann's Miniature Garden

Who let the dog out? I love this rustic, free-form garden. That fluffy plant on the right is baby Asparagus Fern but it looks like tiny bamboo here. That’s a fairy vine on the left.

Their in-ground miniature garden that Erik helped set up the fountain and pond and then apparently was “kicked off the project” by Ann when it came time to do the miniature gardening. What fun! Check out the stand-alone structure that they made for it . You can see the stone wall that is built up and around the pond. Very clever!

Ann's in ground mini garden

Ann and Erik’s in ground mini garden looks like a fun project. The tiny plants tucked in among the rocks makes the whole rockery and garden fit together as one. Check out the tiny rock wall too!

Ann's in ground mini garden

The before picture: Ann took advantage of the garden as it was growing in and created a miniature graveyard for Halloween.

Ann's in ground mini garden

Back to summer – and a different view of of the garden. I love the different levels they created – it really piques the interest. You can see the edge of the pond if you look – otherwise it’s all viewed as one lovely rockery-pond.

Ann's in ground mini garden

The different plant colors keep the miniature garden bed interesting. Every plant in this rockery garden does well in full-sun. “Right plant, right place” for the best success.

Ann's in ground mini garden

The wee path invites the eye to follow it. It looks very natural and follows the edge of the mini garden beds on either side.

Ann's in ground mini garden

Tiny ducks in the reeds! These little thoughts place strategically throughout the miniature garden entice the viewer look for more details and surprises.

Ann's in ground mini garden

Very. Sweet. HO scale figures are from the model railroad industry.

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Miniature Gardening at Your Local Garden Show: Shopping Tips, #5

21/02/2013 at 9:29 am · Filed under Because it's fun, Conifers, Customer Interaction, For the New Gardener, Indoor Mini Gardens, Miniature Plants, Resources ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Gardening at the Garden Show

Looking for the right Miniature Garden plants at the garden shows this season? Here’s what to look for.

Miniature Gardening at Your Local Garden Show: Shopping Tips

Looking for the right Miniature Garden plants at the garden shows this season? We have some examples from our Northwest Flower and Garden Show that’s going on right now in Seattle. Here’s a quick overview what plants to look for.

(Here’s the rest of the series in case you missed it: #1 of the Series,  Part Deux, Part III, and #4 from yesterday.)

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Miniature Hostas are usually less than 3″ tall and great for dry, shady spots. If you’re in the PNW and have snails or slugs, they are great in pots too. ~> At the Naylor Creek Booth, (from the Olympic Peninsula) in the NWFGS plant market. Owner Jack said, “Any one called “Mouse” is a miniature!”

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Miniature Trees and Shrubs: Look for a growth rate of under 3″ per year. And note the overall shape – upright column, upright broad, globe or spreading. The young conifers will grow to their adult shape after a couple of years. It should say on the tag!

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Ravenna Gardens from right here in Seattle, have some really cute Monteray Cypress in 4″ pots. The Monteray cypress is a bit faster growing than 3″ per year but with plants this small, we can still enjoy them in the miniature garden for several years. (Note that there are several common names for this one, Lemon, Wilma Goldcrest, etc.)

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

You can find an wide selection of ‘miniature bedding plants‘ or ground covers. Look for slow growing, short and small-leafed. Think about layers in the garden bed while you shop – different plant heights create a more interesting garden.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Air plants (tillsandias) are great miniature garden plants for your indoor pots. Easy to care for. Visit Rick and Barb at Owens Gardens in the plant market. They are just north of the city and they have been at every single Northwest Flower and Garden Show since it started 25 years ago.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Several vendors have miniature and dwarf conifers for sale. Think about where your miniature garden will live first, and get the appropriate tree to suit. Full sun plants for full sun, shade plants for shady spots, etc. Canadian shoppers at the NWFGS can get their plants certified by the USDA right here at the show so you can bring them across the border.

Miniature Plants

Miniature Roses!! They are just the cutest thing in the whole wide world AND they HAVE TONS OF THEM here: http://www.HeirloomRoses.com. Even the leaves are miniature! 

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Can’t get to any garden shows? Stay tuned, we’ll get you some more show-happenings right here!

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Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show #4

20/02/2013 at 4:26 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, Customer Interaction, D.I.Y. Ideas, Garden Art, Life-sized Gardening, Miniature Garden Accessories, Miniature Plants, The Business ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show. This year’s display is called ‘The Private Realm of Marie Antoinette.”

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show #4

Welcome to the fourth blog of our Northwest Flower and Garden Show series. In case you missed it, here are the first installments: #1 of the Series,  Part Deux, Part III.

Aaaaand today was the big opening day of the show and here is our display in pictures – we know you’ve been waiting for it!

We teamed up with Bruce Bailey of Heavy Petal Nursery in Moses Lake, Wa, who did the full-sized plant design and installment, as well as the painting on the backdrop.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

A pretty blend of mulberry-reds with a variety of different greens make up the color scheme. We wanted to blend the meadow with the interior and what better way to do that is with a carpet of plants. The ferns, grasses, moss and flowers mix up the textures to make it interesting to the eye.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Hinoki Cypress is a favorite tree for the miniature garden. This one is over 12 years old and is still a great tree for the tiny garden.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Marie Antoinette had rivers and streams built into the landscape so she could have ducks and swans. The green stone sheets available in our online store really helped with the stone wall.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Irish Moss (Sagina subulata) creates an instant lawn. The small bush at the front is a Parahebe that we are testing to see if it behaves this summer. The yellow grass in the river is Miniature Sweet Flag (Acorus griminess ‘Ogon’)

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

The details lure in the viewer for a closer look.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Lil’ Hameau in HO scale. The gangly Boulevard Cypresses create the illusion of tall trees. The small details, combined with the tiny gravel, deliver the scale of the garden to the viewer. 

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Teenie tiny! The grounds close to some of the buildings were kept simple while the larger gardens surrounded the palace, like the popular Gardens of Versailles. That’s a Majestic Japanese Holly on the left that has kept its berries from last summer.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Marie Antoinette was known for her shoes and her fashion but she enjoyed the outdoors and gardens too. She built the Hameau on the palace grounds to simulate a small farm complete with sheep and chickens so she could have a place to play with her children.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

The Gardens of Versailles are represented by topiary shoes. The classical diamond motif is repeated on the living cushion.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

All I need is a tiny dancer! A little pagoda cinches the scale of the tiny Pixie Dust Dwarf Alberta Spruce. That grass is Irish moss that has been starved – it’s small, yellowy and mossy – and perfect for this wee scene! 

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Must get a better picture! Here’s a close up.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Maidenhair Ferns from Fancy Fronds Nursery are mixed with English Daisies.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

Steve layered in the back of the display to look like the outside of the Hameau. Marie Antoinette staged several of her outdoor buildings to look like an old farmhouse and barn. This would be an interesting technique to use for miniatures.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

A lovely blend of textures and colors by Bruce.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

That small Almond Tree on the right is just about to burst into bloom – just in time!

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Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, Part III

19/02/2013 at 6:13 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, Customer Interaction, D.I.Y. Ideas, Garden Art, The Business ·Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.

Moving boulders around in the world’s smallest dry riverbed – it’s tough work. ;o)

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, Part III

This is the one week in the year that the Washington Convention Center turns into a garden mecca. Perfect timing for winter-weary gardeners just itching to get out and turn some soil. Today was the polish-up-your-display-day at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show that is on tomorrow through Sunday.

In continuing with this series, here are some final prep photos and a couple of sneak peeks of the final display – the big reveal is tomorrow so stay tuned!

PS – I’ll show you how we pack and move the miniature gardens at the end of the show with minimal fuss. With all the flurry and excitement, I forgot to take photos of the load-in!

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.

Little Majestic Dwarf Japanese Holly kept its berries on – thankfully! We needed some orchard-like plants for this display.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.

There are a number of smaller Saxifraga that make great miniature bedding plants for the tiny gardens. They like sun and well-drained soil. A grower-friend puts a big rock in the planting hole and plants her Saxifrage on top of it with good results in this rain-soaked region.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

I cut up the square brick sheets to create the stone “walls” for the wee driveway to the Hameau. Glued them to a piece of border, then painted them the same color as the gravel. The small clips really helped clamping it together until the glue dried, and standing up the piece, so it could dry after painting it. I think we found them at a dollar store.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.

The brick sides were installed using the Mini Patio Mix Kit (includes the borders too.) The gravel was laid down right on top of the Mix and pressed in ever-so-slightly before misting. There is still loose gravel on top of the patio, but it’s not going anywhere now. We found the crushed mini-gravel at Bedrock Industries, Seattle, Wa.

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

A mix of accessories – we always bring several possibilities because you never really know how it is going to look until you get everything together and installed. Then you can swap out the accent pieces to see what looks best. Most of these accessories are either discontinued or one of a kind. 

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

SNEAK PEEK – The Private Realm of Marie Antoinette: The Meadow

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

SNEAK PEEK – The Private Realm of Marie Antoinette: A Cherub in the Daisies

Miniature Gardening at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show

SNEAK PEEK – The Private Realm of Marie Antoinette: The First Vignette.

See the previous blogs in this series here.

Want to follow our journey? Sign up for this blog over there on the right ~~>

Do you love to Garden in Miniature? Then you’ll love the Mini Garden Gazette, our free monthly newsletter. Join here.

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Miniature Gardening Call for Submissions

31/01/2013 at 3:17 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, Customer Interaction ·Tagged , , , , , , ,

Mary's Miniature Garden

Mary’s Miniature Pond Garden. That’s a Jean’s Dilly Dwarf Spruce tree – perfect for full-sun containers or in the garden bed.

Miniature Gardening: Call for Submissions

The Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center website renovation is now underway and – besides craving a magic wand to speed things up – we are in need of your input!

Want to be included in the new miniature garden galleries on the new website? Any theme, any size,

Ada's Miniature Garden

Ada’s Miniature Garden with a young Pieris japonica ‘Little Heath’

indoor or outdoors photos of mini gardens are needed.

If you have purchased any plants, accessories or patio material from the online store or the etsy store, and want to share how you use TGT plants and products in your miniature gardens in our new galleries – this is a call for YOU!

A Miniature Garden with a Moonfrost Hemlock

A Miniature Garden with a Moonfrost Hemlock

Why base the photos on Two Green Thumbs’ products?

As fellow miniature gardeners, we are a lot like you and strive for realistic gardens in miniature. The attention to scale is the precise point where the enchantment is able to happen. Of all the companies and competing miniature garden stores out there now, the TGT line of high quality plants and products is the only line that can stand up to the scale and realism that you need to easily create a magical miniature garden scene.

Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center makes it easy for you to achieve that enchantment in your gardens because our products are based in realism and are true to scale – whether it be small, medium or large scale (quarter inch, half-inch and one inch scale, respectively.) No resin houses, no fantasy furniture and no fast growing, out of scale plants that won’t deliver the magic. If it doesn’t happen in your full-sized gardens, it simply won’t look like a true garden in miniature.

Ryan's Miniature Garden

Ryan’s Miniature Garden. Teeny Mugo Pine on the left, a Fernspray Cypress on the right.

But, Janit, it’s January!?!? My garden is under a foot of snow! 

If you don’t have a picture of your miniature garden yet, we’ll put out another call in the summer for more submissions. This post is to get your creative garden juices flowing again.

How to Submit Your Photo

-       Here are some photography tips to help get your best shot of your garden here.

-       Your first name, city and State will be on each of your photos. (If you want to use your full name for the photo credit, do let us know.)

-       Send medium to low resolution pictures. If you are not sure of what this means, just send your photos and we’ll take care of this techno-gobblety-gook on our end.

-       Email your photos to: info@TwoGreenThumbs.com

Need inspiration? Checkout the old galleries here – each one is different!

Like this? Want to learn more? Join our mailing list and get into the archives after confirming through your email. Sign up here.

Miniature Garden Hobby Farm

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How to Save Money, Have Fun and Give Great Gifts this Holiday

15/11/2012 at 1:50 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, Customer Interaction, The Business ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Garden Arbor in a Part Shade Garden

Miniature Garden Arbor is part of our Anniversary Sale that’s on until November 30th.

How to be Save Money, Have Fun and Give Great Gifts this Holiday

The Anniversary Sale is ON!!

We are now in the young teen years of this business of spreading the Joy of Miniature Gardening. We are 11 years old this year! (Note that we will be skipping the attitude and the tantrums of a typical teen. ;o) We are evolving and growing each year thanks to your support throughout all these years.

Use this gift-crafting-time to practice your miniature garden skills, get your ideas out there &
make FANTASTIC personalized gifts!
See what’s on sale now!

Eleven years ago this month, we started selling miniature gardens at the Fremont Sunday Market here in Seattle, WA. We branched out (yuck, yuck!) slowly to other street markets in the greater Seattle area to spread the word and feel the response before we went “all in.” Internet and library searches came up empty for any variation of the words “miniature gardening,” there were no signs of anyone doing the level of gardening that we were doing save for only one lonely company back east making fairy garden accessories (Gnomenculture.) So, we were left to spread the word boot-strapping-grass-roots style – and spread it we did! Checkout the photos on this blog post from last year here to see some of our beginnings.

“Hanging out our shingle” in touristy street markets, selling at garden and miniature shows – while connecting personally with everyone who came into our booths – really laid the groundwork for us and our message travelled far and wide. Demonstrating, talking and teaching the miniature garden hobby at numerous garden centers and garden clubs helped get the message to other green-thumbers too.

Miniature Gardening in South Africa

A couple of weeks after one big garden show, I got an email from South Africa thanking me for introducing them to Miniature Gardening!

It’s funny to recall the very first garden club I spoke at, miniature gardening was met with such skeptism that several of the women  asked, “You’re really going to make a business out of this?” and looked at me sideways. Then I found this quote by Grayson Marshall, “If people aren’t laughing at your dreams… then your dreams aren’t big enough!” 

You can make a four-inch miniature garden in a few minutes,  a big garden can be completed within an hour. The trick is to have all the ingredients ready at hand. See what’s up in the store now. 

Texas, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Connecticut, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, California– you name it, we had people visit us from all over the world! (We took names for our mailing list, which is how we knew our reach. Note that was a “mail” and not “email”  list, THAT’s how long we’ve been at it!) Here’s another blog post with more background and history here. In an interview with HGTV.com last week, Danny Bonvissuto captures our beginnings in a few sentences –  up in her gardening blog here. We now have fellow miniature gardeners (Fellow MGs) from every state on of the Union and just as many worldwide – check out this little garden from Turkey:

Miniature Gardening in Turkey

Miniature Gardening in Turkey – this is by Ozgur in Mersine, Icel, Turkey. She made everything herself, including the teddy bears and the completely adorable rope furniture.

So look forward to more new and innovative ideas from Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center this coming year. The main differences between us and “the new guys” are simply experience, passion and great customer service. We have been gardening in miniature and studying the nuances of the gardens for well over eleven years. We don’t just sell the plants and accessories, we plant the plants and watch how they grow before passing them on to you. We use the accessories in our own gardens to make sure what works is sturdy, durable and doesn’t end up in the landfill. We are just as in love with this idea as you are. We are miniaturists who love gardening – or you can call us gardeners who love miniatures – either way, we’re hooked! We’ve been selling online for over 10 years, we have secretly shopped “the other guys” and yes, we know give great customer service, we pack with the utmost of care and we have very competitive postage rates!

Gift-giving is the perfect excuse to make Miniature Gardens – to try out some of your ideas and to play with a different assortment of plants. Everyone loves a thoughtful, personalized gift made especially with them in mind – no matter how small it is.

Look forward to another year of creative, crafty, garden fun. Our brand new, definitive guide on Miniature Gardening by the world’s top garden publisher, Timber Press, Gardening in Miniature: Create Your Own Tiny Living World is due out in the summer so it’s a big year for us. (BTW – You’ll want two copies, one for your coffee table and one for the potting bench!)

Join us in celebrating the Joy of Miniature Gardening. This month, for our anniversary, we are trying something completely different – because we love to try different things – we’ve put over 50 of our best sellers on sale at up to 25% off!! Trees, plants, furniture, tools, fairy items and more are up in the sale department now – go here and see what’s on sale! Hurry, quanitities are limited and the sale ends on November 30th

To get this kind news before it goes public, join our email list here!

Anniversary Sale at the Miniature Garden Center

PS – We have miniature garden PLANTS on sale too! Until November 30th only!

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