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Miniature garden
Miniature gardens are small gardens that use plants, figurines and accessories to tell a story in a garden display.
They can be made for indoor or outdoor displays and are perfect for small patios and yards. These gardens combine the joys of gardening with the fun of craft projects as the gardener creates a magical fantasy world with plants. The best-known themes for miniature gardens are “fairy gardens,” but you are only limited by your imagination in choosing a theme for your garden. Themes can be drawn from literature, movies, songs, holidays, and virtually anything else that can be illustrated through plants.
When you set out to create a miniature garden, you quickly realize that miniature gardening is real gardening, employing all of the principles of larger gardens regarding plant selection, sunlight, soil, water, drainage, fertilizer, and plant maintenance.
Plan your garden project
Begin with choosing your theme, and the characters you may include in the garden. Pay attention to size and scale, so the plants, figurines, and accessories you use have a common relationship in terms of size. Know where the garden will be located, so plants can be chosen that will prosper based on where they will be kept outdoors or indoors. Resist the temptation to overdecorate with too many plants, figures or accessories. Make one plant the center of attention and place the largest plant at the back of the container so it does not hide the smaller garden elements. Take your time and enjoy creating a magical world with plants.
Choose your container
Your container and plants will define the size of your project. If your container does not already have drainage holes, drill holes using either ceramic or standard drill bits. If your container is wooden or porous, use a rubber sealant on the inside to protect the container. Start with a small project and have fun with it. Fill the container with a good soilless potting mix.
Plant selection
Choose plants based on size, and based on the plants’ requirements for sunlight, water, and soil. Understand the plants’ mature height and spread. The UF/IFAS web site has easy to follow “Fact Sheets” on many of the plants that are popular for miniature gardens. Some popular plants that are used in miniature gardens include colorful Polka Dot Plants, Jade Plants, Succulents, Kalanchoe, Coleus and flowering groundcover plants. Succulents have a lower water requirement and are popular for miniature gardens. Choose plants with similar sunlight needs. Many of the popular choices do best in a part sun/part shade environment, where an Eastern exposure with morning sun and afternoon shade will work best. For indoor gardens, sunlight can be adjusted by location in the home, blinds and curtains. As a lower cost alternative to nursery plants, many of the popular miniature garden plants can be easily grown from seed or propagated from cuttings.
Garden maintenance
Prune your garden regularly, two times per month in the summer, and once monthly in the winter. Give the plants a “haircut” when they cross boundaries in the garden. Groundcovers require the most pruning, and your trees and succulents will require less maintenance. If a plant in the garden grows too large, consider replacing it with a smaller plant.
Making magic in the garden
Your garden will tell a story as you add figurines (fairies, gnomes, animals, etc.) and accessories like furniture, houses, swings, and other items. Crafters will enjoy making their own accessories with items like wood, polymer clay, rocks and pebbles. Inexpensive craft or “dollar” store items are also available for figurines and accessories. Be sure to pay attention to scale so that the size of items in the garden match.
Miniature gardening combines horticulture with craft activities. Your magical supply cabinet will include a hand pruning snips, a drill, small garden trowel and rake, light gauge wire, glue, and other items to help you create a container that is beautiful and fun.
Have fun
Miniature gardening is a fun hobby that friends and family can enjoy together, as you learn about plants and build fun displays that tell a story.
If you have any questions about Fairy Gardens or gardening in general, email at epabon5@ufl.edu or by phone. For more information about all our programs, visit us at http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/osceola/.
