Mini Garden Magic
Do you think your tiny balcony terrace means you can’t have a grand garden? Are you looking for a clever and imaginative way to introduce a child to the world of plants? Have you ever dreamed of your own “McGregor’s Garden?” One of the beloved gardening trends can do all these and a whole lot more!
Start planning…and playing…and build a mini garden!
About Mini Gardens
One of the most persistent gardening trends, is the new-and-improved miniature gardening of yesteryear with all sorts of new products, idea books and plants. Despite their small size, the themes, designs and creativity of these tiny garden spaces is boundless. Any container, nearly any type of plant and any type of design can add a bit of garden magic even to a tiny space. Go small and have fun.
Designing a Mini Garden
You can create your mini garden just about anywhere. For portability, consider a pot, basin or terrarium. Or, for a more rustic appeal, plant an old lunchbox, garden bucket or child’s wagon. Old shoes, a stack of broken pots, a rusty wheelbarrow or a concrete bird bath are other great planting options.
Mini gardens can be positioned anywhere. A smaller design can be a fun centerpiece to patio furniture, or it can be part of an entryway display. You can place them between tree roots, beside a water feature or in a grove under flowering shrubs. Indoor mini gardens can be made in a flower pot, saucer, even a terrarium…the possibilities are endless.
Design the overall look of your mini garden just as you would a larger garden. What is its theme? Is it a fantasyland for unicorns? A gnome family farm? A replica of your own big house? It can be anything you imagine. Consider tiers, layers and depth as well to create a truly impactful scene in your miniature world.
If you’re having trouble coming up with an idea, visit your garden center to check out all the tiny plants for inspiration.
This visit also sets the mind whirling with ideas for things to complement tiny plants. Consider the mixture of colors, textures, shapes, and scents… in miniature. Tiny groundcovers such as moss or creeping thyme create beautiful “lawns.” Pebbles become paths. Sand creates shores. Twigs make houses, fences and other structures. What can you do with a small pinecone, acorn and other natural material? The possibilities are endless.
