How do I Make a Miniature Garden?

To make a miniature garden, you need to find the ideal container, acquire miniature plants for planting in the garden, and choose appealing furniture and other attractive objects to complete the look. Miniature gardening — or miniature landscaping — is a fun hobby that requires a green thumb, patience, and whole lot of imagination. With the popularity of miniature gardens, entire stores, websites, and catalogs have sprung up devoted to this unique pastime.

The first thing you'll want to decide on is the overall look you're going for. This will help determine what kind of container, plants, and objects you eventually need to purchase for your miniature garden. Drawing up a rough sketch is a good preliminary step to crafting your garden.

Next, you need to decide on an appropriate container to house your garden. Flower pots, birdbaths, watering cans, or even a simple tray are perfect items to serve as the base of the miniature garden. You can either paint and decorate these or leave them unadorned.

Locating the right plants for a miniature garden can make or break the design of the finished product. You want to choose plants that complement your color scheme and fit into the overall structure of the design. Plants that are too large will overpower the garden, and plants that are too small may be out of proportion to other objects within the garden. Some popular plant recommendations include hen and chicks flowers, stonecrop pink spurium, dwarf wintercreeper, dwarf Canadian hemlock, and bonsai trees.

When planting a miniature garden, be sure to take into consideration the potential size a plant can become. Too little space will cause overcrowding and prevent all the plants from successfully maturing; too much space may leave the design looking sparse and unattractive. Also pay attention to the soil requirements of the plants you choose so you have the right dirt with the appropriate acid levels laid down in the container before planting commences.

Arguably the most fun part of planting a miniature garden is choosing the accessories that will accompany the plants. There are countless types of miniatures on the market that make a whimsical addition to any miniature garden. Some of these might include small garden furniture, fences, arbors, walls, ornaments, stepping stones, wheelbarrows, and seasonal decorations.

When your garden is complete, you will want to place it in an area with the right amount of sun for the plants you have chosen. Some miniature gardens can be started indoors and placed in windowsills in the colder months. With proper watering and nourishment, your miniature garden will provide an entertaining addition to your yard for the entire season.