Archive for For the New Gardener

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.

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Miniature Garden Plants: Examples of What to Look For

11/04/2013 at 1:51 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, Fairy Gardening, For the New Gardener, Miniature Plants, Resources ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Garden Plants

The subtle flowers on the barberries flush out with the spring growth.

Miniature Garden Plants:
Examples of What to Look For

It’s that time of year again. The garden is calling but the weather is not welcoming. Gills are starting to grow around my jawbone with all the rain we’ve been having here in Seattle – as I watched a major snow storm cut through the middle of the US, up to Canada and moving north and east this morning – oh wait, look, it’s changed to a severe storm with tornado warnings. Great! Ugh. Does anyone have a magic wand?

No?

Weather be damned!

At least you can start preparing and planning your plantings, eh?

Here are some new trees that we enjoy in our miniature gardens that we’ll use as examples of what to look for. Beware of the “fairy garden plants” that are being sold these days, most of the recommended plants that we are seeing out on the Internet this season will not work out well in the miniature garden. Not all plants are a miniature garden plant! When someone says that, you know they don’t “get” what we do. If you don’t buy from a trusted source that knows about miniature gardening, do your own research before purchasing. Plants are an investment and, with a little diligence, you can find one that will suit your idea AND your growing environment to create a low maintenance miniature garden that is a joy to own.

Points to remember when miniature plant shopping:

  • Look for slow growing plants – example: miniature conifers that grow 1” per year or slow-growing dwarfs at less than 3″ per year.
  • Look for small-leaves with small branches or stems – example: miniature daisies, the leaves AND the flowers are both tiny and stay tiny.
  • Look for plants that can stay small, example, the Jacqueline Hillier Elm is a naturally dwarf tree that can be pruned in the winter to slow down the growth rate even more.
  • Decide where your mini garden will live, then pick the plant to suit that spot. “Right plant, right place.”

Here are some more examples from the online store:

Miniature Garden Plants - Dwarf Wisteria

The Dwarf Wisteria is a perfect miniature-looking shrub with leggy trunks and a feathery green canopy.

Dwarf Wisteria or Millettia japonica ‘Hime Fuji’

This Dwarf Wisteria is not like the full-sized wisteria that we see as huge vines taking over arbors and buildings. We’ve been testing this one for the last 5 years here at our studios and this rare gem is well behaved and low-maintenance. The dwarf Wisteria will eventually grow into a bushy adult plant but, in the meantime, it looks like a shrub in miniature with its bare legs and leafy canopy. It grows much slower than listed here in our Seattle climate. It’s listed as hardy to zone 6 or -10F, but you can treat it as a tropical plant and move it inside for the winter. See more details on the Dwarf Wisteria here.

Miniature Garden Plants - Boyd's Willow

Boyd’s Willow grows slooowly to 12″ tall. The furry gray leaves add a different color and texture to the miniature garden bed.

Boyd’s Miniature Willow (Salix boydii)

A miniature willow for the miniature garden!
 Yeah, I know, it’s just too stinkin’ cute! Boyd’s Willow was discovered in Scotland and grows really slowly to about 12 inches tall. It’s a hardy little gem for just about any miniature garden scene. Round, furry, blue-gray leaves are perched on little gnarled branches. Needs sharp, well draining soil (add sand or extra perlite) and is tolerant of many challenges, including deer, drought, pollution, and salt . The grower has this listed as a zone 4 plant, or hardy to -30F. See more details on Boyd’s Willow here.

Miniature Garden Plants - Silver Fox Hoary Willow

You can tell by the name, Silver Fox Hoary Willow is from Newfoundland. The word “hoary,” means grayish-white. They are just starting to flush in for the spring above.

Silver Fox Hoary Willow

Discovered in Newfoundland, the Silver Fox Hoary Willow will grow slowly and change with the seasons in your miniature garden. The tiny silver leaves are a new texture to add to your scene, they’ll drop the leaves in fall and show off their wonderful yellow stems throughout the winter. The Silver Fox Hoary Willow prefers wet soil or boggy areas and does best in a cool climate. A trusted Bonsai subject too – so we know it can tolerate pruning to slow down the growth rate even further (prune in winter.) Hardy to zone 3 or -40F. See more details on the Silver Fox Hoary Willow here.

Miniature Garden Plants - Golden Devine Barberry

Golden AND devine! The Golden Devine Barberry is proving to be a really sweet miniature garden tree. Turns yellow-er in the sun, more chartreuse in the shade.

Golden Devine Miniature Barberry – Berberis thunbergii ‘Golden Devine’

Yep! We are calling this one “miniature” because it only grows 1 to 2″ per year. The adult size is only 12″ tall and spreads to 18″ but we can keep it trimmed to slow the growth rate down even further. The Golden Devine Barberry has fantastic coloring with the pink buds and green leaf combination. Leaves stay small and it’s a lovely overall shape too – like a typical shrub! Small flowers bloom in the early spring. Foliage turns greener in the shade, or more yellow in the sun – and will get a bit pink in the hot, summer sun – but it is best for a part sun/cool sun spot.
 Barberry’s can be grown in containers or right in the ground. Deciduous, has thorns, drought tolerant once established – perfect for a low maintenance miniature garden. Zones 4 to 8. See more details on the Golden Devine Barberry here.

Miniature Garden Plants - Golden Tourch Barberry

The Golden Torch Barberry flushes out in pink buds in springtime, and will get a bit of pink around it’s leaf edges during the summer. Pretty!

Miniature Garden Plants - Helmond Pillar Barberry

Helmond Pillar Barberry’s berries. It holds on to the berries into the winter, after the leaves have dropped. Flowers in the springtime, red leaves in the summer. Very cool!

 

Golden Torch Barberry – Berberis thunbergii ‘Golden Torch’

and

Helmond Pillar Barberry – Berberis thunbergii ‘Helmond Pillar’

We group these two barberries together because the only difference we see so far it the color and the growth rate – the Golden Torch is a little slower growing than the Helmond Pillar. Both grow in tall columns, bloom in spring, can tolerate pruning (that will encourage branching,) drought tolerant and oh ya, THE COLORS!! You can’t beat a splash of color for your miniature garden scene. Plant several in a row for a wee hedge.
 Deciduous, has thorns,  hardy zones 4 to 8 or -30F. See more details on the Golden Torch Barberry here and the Helmond Pillar Barberry here.

Miniature Garden Plants - Tom Thumb Cotoneaster

The Tom Thumb Cotoneaster can be kept trimmed into the cutest little ball. The tiny leaves are perfect for your miniature garden. Planted here in the center of the pot.

Tom Thumb Cotoneaster – Cotoneaster apiculata ‘Tom Thumb’

The Tom Thumb Cotoneaster is fun little shrub for the miniature garden. The leaves are tinier than most of the other Cotoneasters and the lil’ Tom Thumb can lend itself to the smallest of settings –  AND he turns color and drops its in autumn too for extra added pleasure. A perfect companion to conifers, it grows slowly (2” to 4” per year) into a low spreading mat that can be kept trimmed anytime but preferable when it is dormant in the winter. Pretty white flowers turn to ornamental red berries by fall. Hardy, rugged, drought tolerant and a pleasure to grow. Hardy to zones 5 to 7 or -20F. See more details on Tom Thumb Cotoneaster here.

Miniature Garden Plants - Thyme-Leaf Cotoneaster

The Thyme-Leaf Cotoneaster shown trimmed into an apple tree form. It will get better and better with age. Flowers in early summer followed by bright red berries for the rest of the year.

Thyme-Leaf Cotoneaster – Cotoneaster microphylla ‘Thyminifolius’

A darling little shrub that we have been searching years for is now available in limited supply. It is highly coveted as a tree for the miniature garden because it can be trained into an apple tree – the cotoneaster berries look like wee apples (but not edible!) Can be trimmed or pruned anytime but preferably in the winter so you don’t cut off the white flower buds that flush out in early summer. The pretty red berries follow and some will hang on until the following spring. Great in pots and loved by bonsai artists. See more details on the Thyme-Leaf Cotoneaster here.

Need plants for your Miniature Garden? We’ve been serving the miniature garden hobby since 2001. Visit our store here. 

Did you know? We can hold your order until you are ready for them! Go ahead and place your order with us and let us know when to ship it. If spring happens sooner than expected, let us know and we’ll ship it – if winter is still hanging on, let us know and we’ll hold them for another couple of weeks.

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St. Patrick’s Day in the Miniature Garden

14/03/2013 at 2:57 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, D.I.Y. Ideas, For the New Gardener, Miniature Garden Accessories, Resources ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

St. Patrick's Day in the Miniature Garden

St. Patrick’s Day in the Miniature Garden: We’re having fun using the same garden this year for every occasion that we can.

St. Patrick’s Day in the Miniature Garden

This year’s mission: to use the same garden for every occasion throughout the year – aaand we missed one already!

Dang.

We tried to rally a Mardi Gras miniature garden at the last minute, (I never see it coming!) but, it takes a while to figure out the accessories if you don’t have them on hand. Although, I could have painted a bench purple and throw some beads around the pot – but I looked – we didn’t even have any beads. (I know, right? I was ill-prepared! ;o)

So, let’s do St. Patrick’s Day, it’s my Grandmother’s favorite “holiday.”

St. Patrick’s Day in the Miniature Garden

With the help of some floral picks (the sign and the stars) we made this wee holiday work in the wee garden – only after collecting everything “green” we could find.

St. Patrick’s Day in the Miniature Garden

We found that tiny antique garland at our local miniature show. The hat came from an old stash found at a rummage sale. We painted the bench green, it’s made of balsa wood and shouldn’t be left out in the weather because it will fall apart quickly.

St. Patrick’s Day in the Miniature Garden

The world’s cutest St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes are by Ruth Stewart from Stewart Dollhouse Creations – link is below. She’s amazing! They make all-occasion treats the doilies too. (Note that these tiny miniatures are not waterproof or weatherproof.)

St. Patrick’s Day in the Miniature Garden

Our new, trusty miniature cedar decks can be stained or painted. That’s an upside-down pot that we used for a table. Small hen and chicks are the red-tipped rosettes, the fuzzy, grey-green plant to the left and right of it is Wooly Thyme.

St. Patrick’s Day in the Miniature Garden

The grass on the left is Silver Mist Lily Turf (new in our store!) the bushy shrub is Blue Moon Sawara Cypress, the taller column is a Miniature Juniper. This combination is slow-growing, for a full-sun spot, moderate watering, we let the soil dry out to barely damp in between watering sessions to avoid over-watering.

Missed our Valentine Miniature Garden? It’s here.

RESOURCES:

Find the plants here.

Find the miniature garden decks here.

Find Ruth’s cupcakes here.

Our How-To PDF instant download is here.

Join us for your FREE Mini Garden Gazette here.

May the luck of the Irish be with you, always.

Have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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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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Decorating Your Miniature Garden for the Holidays

06/12/2012 at 3:45 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, D.I.Y. Ideas, For the New Gardener, Garden To-Do's, Miniature Garden Accessories, Miniature Plants ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Christmas in the Miniature Garden

There’s that magic of the Holidays – in miniature! Read on to find out more…

Christmas in the Miniature Garden

The same miniature garden as above in daylight. This pot was planted about 7 1/2 years ago. That shrub on the left is a Mother Lode Juniper and on the right is our favorite Jean’s Dilly Dwarf Alberta Spruce. (Pronounced “John”) The bottom most branches have been pruned to show off the great trunk that has been developing slowly. The pot is a little over 15″ wide and about 12″ deep.

Decorating Your Miniature Garden for the Holidays

One of the many enjoyable aspects of this super-creative hobby is decorating your miniature garden throughout the seasons. And, of course, one of the most fun, is for the Winter-Christmas-Holiday-Hanukkah-Kwanza-Solstice-Season. (Did I miss anyone? ;o)

You might be skeptical, thinking that, “Come on, Janit, how hard is it to decorate a miniature Christmas tree?” Well, that could be the difference between a tree decorated by Martha Stewart compared to one by Charlie Brown. But, with a couple of hints and some insight, derived after experimenting each holiday season for the last 11 years, you can easily give your miniature garden the designer’s touch with the right ingredients.

Blue and Silver Holiday Miniature Garden

Blue and Silver for Hanukkah. The grass on the left is a Silver Lily Turf (Liriope ‘Silver Mist’)   The bushy shrub on the left is the new Blue Moon Sawara Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Blue Moon’) The tall tree is a Miniature Juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Miniature’) Wooley Thyme cascades down the front, intermixed with small Hens and Chicks. The cedar deck was stained a grey color to match the color scheme and that tiny lantern ball is lamp work glass bead from artist Chuck Pefley. See more of his work at http://www.etsy.com/shop/CPArtistic

Choosing What Works

You’ve probably seen miniature trees with a wide variety of individual ornaments placed carefully spaced throughout the tree’s boughs, interwoven with garland and ribbon. It is quite beautiful. But, the little balls, ribbon and garland are glued in place with a hot glue gun. That’s not really a great idea for your living miniature tree unless you don’t care if you kill it. In that case, get the hot glue, ignore the tree’s screams and throw it out after the holidays. ;o)

By now you’re thinking, “But Janit, they have mini ornaments at the craft store. What’s wrong with using those?” Well, it takes a TON of fiddling and fussing to get the strings around the branches of the tiny tree. It’s mainly because of the string itself gets in the way. After hanging the ornament on the tiny branch, the string sticks out even though you try to poke it inside or try to sneak it behind some foliage. Then, when you finally get the string hidden, you realize that the ornament fell out-of-place and you need to start all over again!

If you want to use the garland and the ornaments together – well, I haven’t figured that out yet because if you put the garland on before the ornaments, you won’t have access to all the branches for stringing the wee decorations. But, if you put the garland on afterwards, you will disturb and/or hide the ornaments!

Ugh.

My time and patience is better used elsewhere and I bet yours is too.

Sigh, the trials and tribulations of a miniature gardener…

Christmas in the Miniature Garden

Different textures help make the magic. The tiny presents are place in the boughs of the tree. This pot will stay where it is so we don’t have to tie or fasten them down. Note the different directions of the garland.

The easiest and the most straightforward way is to go with strings of lights and decorations. It takes the least amount of patience and it’s quick and easy. Weave them into the tree and try to mix up the direction of the strings so the tree doesn’t look like it’s in bondage.

Miniature Garden Christmas Decorations

Floral berry picks or holly berry picks poked into the tree work well as long as the tree stays in one place. They are easy to remove too!

For the ornaments, we use the small berry picks that the florist uses. Find them at your local craft store or wherever they sell artificial garland. They are available in green or yellow to look like miniature fruit, but they aren’t found as readily as the “holly berries.” Poke them into the tree at various intervals followed by poking few miniature bows throughout the tree and you are off to the next holiday project.

Christmas in the Miniature Garden

The wire bows are simply poked into the tree, held in place by the branches. If this were a gift, the wires can easily be wrapped around the branches. Do this before you place the ornaments.

Christmas in the Miniature Garden

Stretch out your holiday dollar by decorating the front-side of the tree only – but make sure place the garden up against a wall or hide the backside somehow. Make sure the wires are hidden behind the tree so you can’t see them from the front-side.

Christmas in the Miniature Garden

These lights were found at Michael’s Crafts and are meant for the artificial trees – they are not meant for outdoors so they shouldn’t get wet. Most of them have a place where you can plug in an adapter and have them run on electricity – this better for the environment too. Place them in a plastic bag and hide it behind the pot. Use some holly branches to disguise it or make a fake gift box to house them in a clever way.

Christmas in the Miniature Garden

Christmas in the Miniature Garden. That’s a Piccolo Balsam Fir with red Thyme. And another lamp work glass bead from Chuck Pefley’s studio hangs from the hook to balance out the wee scene.

See our selection of decorations, lights and garland packs up in our store here. And there are more in our Etsy store here.

EVERY order from now until December 25th, comes with a FREE packet of red bows, just like the ones you see on this blog! (Until supplies last.)

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Winterizing your Miniature or Fairy Gardens

24/10/2012 at 3:31 pm · Filed under D.I.Y. Ideas, Fairy Gardening, For the New Gardener, Garden To-Do's, Miniature Garden Accessories, Miniature Plants ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Blue & White Miniature Garden

Take your accessories in before Old Man Winter comes a’knockin’ ! They will last longer and won’t get damaged by the extreme weather.

Winterizing Your Miniature Garden or Fairy Gardens

The rains finally came back to Seattle a couple of weeks ago after a record dry spell of over 90 days. Thankfully, our in-ground miniature garden was already established in the garden bed, we (re)planted it when we moved in June of 2011 so there was minimal watering to do over the drought. We tucked the garden into a cool-sun spot too, so it’s shaded by a row of Rhododendrons to shield it from the hot afternoon sun.

{ By “established” we mean that the roots of the plants are able to seek out and find water and nutrients by itself.  We help them in the dry months by watering them otherwise, that established plant should take care of itself.  Easy gardening! }

So, it’s time to share some fall winterizing tips for your miniature in-ground garden. Are your gardens in a container? Here’s a blog post on winterizing your containers.

Our old Miniature Garden

Our old Miniature Garden that we moved to the new house in 2011. See the next picture of it today.

-       Remove your accessories before it snows or freezes. Store your miniature or fairy garden accessories safely inside over the winter, you’ll get more out of them. Most accessories these days are resin which technically doesn’t freeze but the wear and tear from the elements can take its toll on the them. Keep them safe inside where you can clean them over the winter. Spray them with UV protectant to keep the colors at their best and you’ll be ready for next spring. Find the UV spray at your local hardware store.

-       Leaf mulching is better for your full-sized garden, or for anywhere there is bare soil – not ground covers, a.k.a. “miniature garden bedding plants.” The mulch/leaves will smother the low-growing foliage, not allow air and light through, and the tiny plants will get pale and leggy.

-       Remove any fallen leaves. After the autumn rains come, the leaves will sit and rot – and rot anything underneath it. Comb them out of your miniature and dwarf trees too.

-       Check the soil – is it compacted? Roots need air too. Carefully work around – and close to the trunk of your trees and plants with a strong stick or rod, and loosen the soil just a little bit. You are only aerating the soil, not lifting or moving it, so a little poking throughout the rootball should not harm the plant. (Unless it’s a really delicate plant but, if it is, you know what it needs.)

-       Divide any perennials that need it. (Perennials are the plants that go dormant and grow back year after year. Annuals only live for one season.)

  • The groundcover perennials that we use for miniature gardening need diving every couple of years to keep looking their best.
  • Some perennials clump and some spread slowly. If your plant has created another “clump,” or if the plant has spread out to create another smaller root system, you can cut it off from the mother plant and transplant it to another part of the garden.
  • More on how to know if your perennial needs dividing:
    • Divide after the year that the plant looks really good.
    • When there is a gap in the middle of the plant.
    • When you start to see smaller leaves in the center of the plant.
    • When you start to see yellowing leaves in the center.
    • When the plant has no more room left to grow.
An in ground Miniature Garden

This picture was taken in early September, you can see by the brown grass and yellow leaves on the Rhododendrun, it was a really dry summer. Our established miniature garden needed a little help with the watering which we did at night, watering deeply and infrequently, to help train the roots to look for their own water source.

-       Best time of year for dividing plants: Spring and fall are the ideal times – with the fall being the best. The new plant can take its time getting established over the winter and be ready to grow in next spring.

-       Be ruthless about your invaders. Some plants are very aggressive and, as anyone tempted by the look of a darling miniature plant, we sometimes plant aggressive plants in the ground unknowingly. NOW is the time to cut them short, cut them off and cut them back. Spare no runner, no clump. Just keep a small part of the plant and that will multiply two-fold next spring because it is established in your bed. I know, I know, but you have to – you’ll thank me next spring when your garden is not invaded by these things. And hey, I speak from experience.

  • Some aggressive miniature garden plants are:
    • Fairy Vine, Muelenbeckia complexa and the Tricolor variety
    • In some areas: Baby Tears, Soleirolia soleirolii, both varieties
    • Violets
    • Bugleweed, Ajuga reptans
    • Brass Buttons, Leptinella squalida
Blue Bench in the Miniature Garden

See the heart-shaped leaves? There is one of them in front, off to the left. Those are violets. Every once in a while, I have a weak moment and leave them be – only to be overrun with them by the end of the summer. I’m tearing them out ruthlessly now, by next spring they should be at a manageable level to deal with – they self-sow way too much and look very weedy. 

-       Water until it freezes. There’s a difference between “freeze-dried” and “frozen.” If your area has been in a drought, keep watering. The roots want to stay damp until they freeze for the winter. Do water in the middle of winter if it has been dry if you have to. (Smile and wave hello if the neighbor sees you out the yard in the middle of winter watering your garden!)

-       Clean out your conifer dieback. All trees and shrubs exfoliate somehow. The miniature and dwarf conifers are no exception; they just do it differently. Slough off all the dead foliage and clean it out from the middle of the plants and away from the base of the plant to let light and air into the center of the plant. A kitchen fork makes the perfect rake for the miniature garden.

Conifer dieback in a Golden Sprite Hinoki Cypress

Conifer dieback in a Golden Sprite Hinoki Cypress. Part the branches of your miniature or dwarf conifer to see if there is any dead foliage that needs cleaning out.

-       Use boughs to insulate. Cover the garden with evergreen boughs – it is nature’s insulation. Wait until the weather is cold enough though, you don’t want it to rot – only to protect. And be sure to take them off promptly in the spring for the same reason. This works for in ground and containers.

-      Keep the snow on it. When it does snow, keep the snow on the garden. Resist the urge to unbury it. The snow will insulate the plants from the cold air and drastic dips in temperature.

Note that this is a blanket advice and you can always look up the care of individual plants on the Internet. In fact, the Internet has become so huge that you can literally type in your question and get an answer – to just about anything.

Got a tip? Leave it below for our Fellow MGs. We all have different ways of doing things.

Visit our store to see all the possibilities of the miniature and dwarf trees and shurbs, hardiness information is listed for your convenience.

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Our old Miniature Garden

 

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How to Add Authenticity to Your Miniature or Fairy Garden

20/10/2012 at 1:29 pm · Filed under Conifers, Fairy Gardening, For the New Gardener, Life-sized Gardening, Miniature Plants, railroad gardening ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Elf Dwarf Spruce for the Miniature Garden

Stripped of accessories to see the tree, an Elf Dwarf Spruce stands majestic the miniature garden.  What once was a cute shrub is now a “big tree” for the mini garden at 8″ tall.

How to Add Authenticity to Your Miniature or Fairy Garden

Trees and shrubs are the backbone to any garden. I know, I know, I’m biased, I come from Ontario, the land of the deciduous Maple trees, and I live in Seattle, the land of the evergreen conifers. And, I love trees. I get it from my Grandmother who worked for the Forestry Service in Ontario for many years. She would always call out the names of the trees as we walked by them and if she didn’t recognize it, she would grab a fallen leaf or cone, or tell one of us to jump/climb up and get one, to bring home to look up in her library.

In full-sized garden design, trees and shrubs are the anchor points that we design our full-size garden around. If there aren’t any trees, the garden designer will usually start with placing the trees and shrubs – or the garden “bones” – in the garden first, then plan/plant around them.

In other styles of garden design that call for a lower profile, the garden designer will rely solely on shrubs as the main anchor points – then fill in with perennials, grasses and annuals. The presence of trees and shrubs is constant – perennials go dormant and annuals only last for couple/few of months – so they are often called anchor points or “the bones” of the garden.

In gardening in miniature, we learn from “full-size” gardening for developing a realistic miniature or fairy garden that can look as if it has been there for years and years. Since our reliance on trees and shrubs are the same, we need authentic looking “miniature trees” for the garden. Beware because there is a difference between a true miniature or dwarf tree and rooted branches grown for a quick sale.

Here are some visual examples of trees that we have growing in our in-ground miniature garden that. Note that I’ve left most of the accessories out of the photos because I want to show off how much these trees and shrubs can really add to your miniature or fairy garden setting. Creating a garden normally starts with plants and ends with accessorizing and with so many great trees and shrubs out on the market these days, there really is no excuse for not having great garden bones in your miniature or fairy garden.

Nana Dwarf Hinoki Cypress in the Miniature Garden

The Nana Dwarf Hinoki Cypress is a reliable grower that you can gradually train into a tree form by pruning away the lower branches. Estimated growth over 7 years is 9″. It was about 5″ tall when we got it (estimated 3 to 4 years old at that time) and it’s about 14″ tall now.

Verdoni Dwarf Hinoki Cypress for the Miniature Garden

The trunk of the Verdoni Dwarf Hinoki Cypress gets thicker every year, looking like authentic tree in the miniature garden, instead of a “rooted branch.” Planting the trees in the ground to let them “grow wood” to train as a bonsai is one of the many benefits of gardening in miniature

Under the canopy of the Verdoni Dwarf Hinoki Cypress in the Miniature Garden

Under the canopy of the Verdoni Dwarf Hinoki Cypress in the Miniature Garden.

Picea glauca 'Conica'

This Conica Spruce is, in my opinion, a bit too big for this scene. It’s one of Steve’s trees that we are growing in for a one-sixth scale garden. That’s a Golden Sprite Hinoki Cypress on the right – it’s a bit greener than usual because its under the shade of the spruce tree.

Zmatlik Dwarf Arborvitae in the miniature garden

The Zmatlik Dwarf Arborvitae is the perfect tree to for a forest look. Sturdy, reliable and slow growing. This little guy is about 3 feet tall now and a strong anchor point for this corner of the garden. That’s the start of a Helmond Pillar Barberry hedge on the right.

The Conica Spruce and Zmatlik Dwarf Arborvitae in the miniature garden

The Conica Spruce and Zmatlik Dwarf Arborvitae on either side of the riverbed. Without the fallen leaves on the ground, one may just be fooled, thinking it was a full-sized scene.

A younger Elf Dwarf Alberta Spruce.

A younger Elf Dwarf Alberta Spruce works as a perfect shrub. That fence is about 2″ tall. A comparable on that we have in stock is the Little Gem Norway Spruce, that has the same growth rate but more defined branches and the cutest little needles!

Golden Sprite Dwarf Hinoki Cypress for the Miniature Garden

Golden Sprite Dwarf Hinoki Cypress for the Miniature Garden. We’re going out in the garden today to get those weedy violets and wayward sedums under control – should take about 6 minutes!

Tansu Cryptomeria japonica in the miniature garden

Tansu Cryptomeria japonica in the next phase of our miniature garden. It was planted last fall and is now ready to be developed into the scene. We’ll start with some “bedding plants” and a patio area and go where it takes us.

Fall is the perfect time to plant your trees into the garden. They will get established over the winter and be “ready to grow” next spring. They will need less maintenance too – only help with the watering in the dry months is needed.

See our huge selection of trees now up in the store:
Trees for Sun/Part Sun
Trees for Shade
Trees for Indoors

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How to Win a Miniature Contest with a Miniature Garden

10/10/2012 at 11:08 am · Filed under Because it's fun, Customer Interaction, D.I.Y. Ideas, Fairy Gardening, For the New Gardener, Miniature Garden Accessories, Resources ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Hobby Farm

This is our latest award-winning garden that won 2nd place at the Seattle Miniature Show last month. We’ve won many awards at this show, read on to find out how we do it.

How to Win a Miniature Contest with a Miniature Garden

Two Best of Shows, one 2nd Place, one 3rd Place and two Honorable Mentions – I could have sworn I have a 1st Place ribbon around here to complete the collection! Drat. I’ll have to enter again next year and be good, but not too good.

But, here’s how we do it. (Click on the pictures to zoom, use your back button to go back to the blog.)

1. Do something completely different. If you don’t know what to do – go to the show and poke around for the miniaturists who document the show, hopefully there pictures posted online somewhere for you to see. There’s a good chance that a living miniature garden has never been done before.

Miniature Hobby Farm Garden

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2. Pick a theme. It can be a play on words – this one called “A Miniature Hobby Farm” as a play on the miniature hobby. Or, it can be something to celebrate locally, like this Miniature Houseboat and Garden that won Best of  Show years ago that we chose because it was sooo very Seattle.

Miniature Hobby Farm Garden

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3. Make it involved. If it’s a dollhouse or a garden, create a human presence by placing accessories where you would have them in “real-life.” A pot of rocks overturned, the rake is left out from the last weeding and the hat is thrown on the chair. It creates an air of mystery because you can see the story, but the characters are gone. Some people like dolls in the scene, but for a contest, the dolls have be really good quality to win a contest – really good and no Barbies. You can substitute small plants for the real thing and get away with it – the individual Hen and Chick plants look like cabbages in the vegetable bed.

Miniature Hobby Farm Garden

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4. Stay with one main scale but play with it when you can. Here, we made a miniature garden for the miniature garden. The Mini Patio Mix Kit holds the tiniest of pebbles in place with the least amount of effort. Tiny Sedum rootings make the perfect plant, 1/4″ scale garden art completes the 2″ wide miniature garden.

Miniature Hobby Farm Garden

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5. Use the real thing. The beauty of a miniature garden is that most of it can be real. When we hauled this garden out of the show last month, one surprised miniaturist said, “That’s real water!” Yep, it is and it’s easier to do than the clear resin that the dollhouse miniaturists use. It’s also fun to watch the miniaturists poke their finger in the water to test to see if it’s resin or not. Use real straw for the chicken coop, real rocks for boulders, branches for logs, etc.

Miniature Hobby Farm Garden

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6. Create vignettes anywhere you can without overdoing it. There would be a bunch of tools and hose somewhere in the garden anyway so grouping them together (like we do in the full-size world) it gives you a chance to create a mini scene within the garden. Normally, we would comb through the topsoil to take out the pieces of vermiculite but we thought it added to the country charm. Mushroom compost makes a miniature mulch – or sift potting soil down in a colander to get a mini mulch too.

Miniature Hobby Farm Garden

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6. Animals help a lot. They add life to the scene and those little critters go straight to the heart of the judge. With the hobby farm theme, we delightfully used any animal we could – without going overboard, that is. Everybody had their place though. The dog didn’t chase the chickens nor the rabbits. The turtle stayed by the pond, the sheep was in the back field…

Miniature Hobby Farm Garden

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7. Use miniature garden art that is appropriate to your theme. A garden gnome suits the country theme to a tee. That’s the back of the fairy house to the right. Scale is critical in a miniature contest and the judges will get the ruler out so no compromises! It’s the main criteria for this type of contest.

Miniature Hobby Farm Garden

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8. Create another dimension. It’s a miniature fairy house for the miniature garden. You can’t see the stepping stones that lead up to it but it sure is charming! The fairy house is placed around to the back of the pot. Miniaturists really love to take in all the little details so provide those details for them. Note the mossy pile of bricks to the left.

Miniature Hobby Farm Garden

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9. Use all sides. We placed a sheep in “the back forty,” meaning the backside of the garden. Placing rewards for the viewers who look carefully at every detail – as would a miniature judge – increases the experience of viewing the garden. Don’t hesitate to create another place to sit that is hidden from the front. You can have a lot of fun with this but keep it in scale and make the tiny scene have a purpose, like you would in a full-scale garden.

Miniature Hobby Farm Garden

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10. Get more detailed. Place little critters in the scene where they would naturally be. A dish with a couple of apples. (Cotoneaster berries!) A hanging basket full of greenery. As long as it’s put in place without over-crowding – AND it looks realistic – use it to your advantage.

Miniature Hobby Farm Garden

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11. Creating layers in the garden will create the story. Not only is it a garden with “huge” trees and plantings, it has a vegetable garden, a cute patio area, a chicken coop and a pond area. As the viewer looks into the garden, the story unravels.

Miniature Hobby Farm Garden

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12. Add natural elements. Use rocks and small logs in and around the garden as you would see in the country. They can instantly create a sense of permanence to the garden like nothing else can. Snuggle the “boulders” behind trees, nest the “logs” off to the side of the garden and place stumps as if they were cut down to clear the land for planting.

Placement at the show. Ask the show promoter how your exhibit will be seen. If you have some details going on in the back, consider putting your garden on a turntable if your garden is displayed against a wall. (Find heavy duty turntables at your local hardware store.) If you are wary of some kid spinning the display too fast and wrecking it, note that miniature shows are for adults, not kids. There should be someone overseeing the exhibit area at all times but ask the show organizer if you are wary.

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More From the Miniature Garden Archives, Part II

11/09/2012 at 3:19 pm · Filed under Because it's fun, D.I.Y. Ideas, For the New Gardener, Indoor Mini Gardens, Miniature Garden Accessories, Miniature Plants, Resources ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Miniature Garden Plants

Mixing up the textures and the colors of the trees, shrubs and plants create an authentic garden scene in miniature.

More From the Miniature Garden Archives, Part II

Here are more of the many miniature garden images that we put aside for our upcoming book from Timber Press that got crunched in our computer, we couldn’t use these for print so here they are for you miniature gardening pleasure and inspiration. Notes about why we love these plants are in the caption below the image. See Part One from May, click here and we got a chance to highlight our Miniature Houseboat Garden in July, click here. 

We love junipers for the Miniature Garden!

A Miniature Beach Garden – the dwarf Junipers are excellent choices for hardy, full sun gardens.

Dwarf Junipers are just a pleasure to grow in the miniature garden. They come in many shapes and colors, they are really hardy, can take full sun and can tolerate a little dry soil too. Above, the upright column of green is a Miniature Juniper, the lower one on the right is the Mother Lode Juniper. The Mother Lode is technically a slow growing ground cover shrub but it makes a surprising reliable miniature garden plant that changes colors through the season. Trim any wayward branches when you see them.

Miniature Garden in half inch scale

Pair your dwarf Junipers with other plants that love full sun and well-drained soil for the best results.

The miniature bedding plants used there are mostly sedums. In the pots on the left, we used sedum cuttings and a baby Hen and Chick. On the right in the foreground is Elfin Thyme. All plants in this combo can be grown in full sun and well-drained soil. (The pots and bird feeder have been discontinued, unfortunately.)

Miniature Garden Plants

Fernspray Hinoki Cypress is a favorite for the miniature garden. Here it is paired with Red Thyme. (The chair has been discontinued.)

The Fernspray Hinoki Cypress is one of the faster growing dwarf trees that we carry. Its the shape that really sells us – and it changes colors in the winter for added charm. Prune away the bottom branches to show some trunk to make it look like a tree. The marble and pebble patio is locked in with Mini Patio Mix, it’s a permanent fix to your miniature patio woes.

A Peaceful Miniature Garden Scene

A peaceful miniature garden scene. 

The Hinoki Cypress above is several years old and paired with bedding plants that enjoy regular water, and part sun (meaning a maximum 6 hours of direct sun.) There is a Fairy Vine (Muelenbeckia complex) growing up the trellis on the left, Platt’s Black Brass Buttons (Leptinella squalida) below it, and Dwarf Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) on the right. We used sedum cuttings for the wee pot.

Miniature Garden Vine and Trellis

A simple garden vignette can bring a little peace and tranquility indoors.

In this miniature garden, the miniature arbor becomes the focal point. Without the arbor, it would just be a plant in a pot. We matched the miniature pebbles with larger “boulders” to lend an air of permanence to this garden. This particular plant, the Fairy Vine, will last for a couple of years in this pot before needed more room or dividing. It will go through a dormant period in late winter and get a bit leggy, just cut it back and it should flush out in new growth in the spring. Fertilize in spring if it’s been in a pot for more than a year. Note that the Fairy Vine is a bit aggressive in some areas when planted in the ground.

Indoor Miniature Garden

Add a slice of the outdoors to you indoors this fall with an indoor miniature garden.

This Variegated English Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Variagata) is a great little tree for indoors or out. The two tiny green shrubs in the front-most bed are the Kingsville Dwarf Boxwood (Buxus microphylla ‘Compacta’) Boxwoods need plenty of light to grow indoors – with some direct light if possible. They are great for a bright shade spot outdoors too. Be careful to let the soil dry out to barely damp in between waterings to avoid overwatering. The pot is about 18″ in diameter. (The white bench and pots in this photo have since been discontinued.)

Miniature Garden Tree, Moonfrost Canada Hemlock

The Moonfrost Canada Hemlock is a very reliable tree for the miniature garden.

The Moonfrost Canada Hemlock is a wonderful little tree for the miniature garden. Prune up the bottom-most branches to show a bit of trunk to make it look like a tree. It can be grown in part shade to cool sun – in a pot or in the ground. The colors change throughout the seasons too: The celery green color in the summer turns to a mottled pink in the winter, the new growth in the spring is a creamy white. Trim the branches of the Moonfrost in late winter to keep the colors vibrant.

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