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One-of-a-kind creations for a richer life
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The creation of container gardens is an art form as demanding as the layout and planting of a full scale landscape. The dominant or primary focal plant, when there is one, must be selected to harmonize with the vessel it is to occupy. Every other element of the container garden must then be selected to contribute to the primary theme, motif or emotional quality the garden is intended to convey. This is done through close attention to the particular attributes each stone, plant or other contributing element possesses - does its particular nature work with the other plants, either accenting or modulating the 'feeling' the primary and supporting plants convey? Does it provide distinctive harmonies or contrast, or both? Each plant and hardscape element must contribute to the visual beauty and emotional impact of the whole, adding depth and richness. This is why even the smallest miniature garden takes hours to create, once the vessel has been taken from the glaze kiln.
Our Container Gardens are all created within handmade ceramic ware and are comprised of genuine miniature plants, not simply young plants that eventually grow large. Each garden is a work of art, based on the visual relationships, that is, the harmonies and contrasts within the textures, forms, mass and colors of each plant. Some of the gardens are relatively simple, others are quite complex with quite a number of miniature and Bonsai plants used.
Children's Miniature Gardens are similar to what has been described above but much simpler. The creation of a children's container garden is also based on the principles of harmonies and contrasts but often children prefer more contrast and the harmonies are often less subtle. Kids also like elements such as water, branches, rocks and figurines in their gardens.
We will soon be offering free instruction in the creation of miniature gardens or container gardens so check back if this is of interest to you.
Our Container Gardens are all created within handmade ceramic ware and are comprised of genuine miniature plants, not simply young plants that eventually grow large. Each garden is a work of art, based on the visual relationships, that is, the harmonies and contrasts within the textures, forms, mass and colors of each plant. Some of the gardens are relatively simple, others are quite complex with quite a number of miniature and Bonsai plants used.Children's Miniature Gardens are similar to what has been described above but much simpler. The creation of a children's container garden is also based on the principles of harmonies and contrasts but often children prefer more contrast and the harmonies are often less subtle. Kids also like elements such as water, branches, rocks and figurines in their gardens.
We will soon be offering free instruction in the creation of miniature gardens or container gardens so check back if this is of interest to you.
True to our word, here begins instructions on the creation of miniature gardens or indoor container gardens.
Miniature gardens are not simply a bunch of plants planted in the same container, just as your perennial garden or shrub border is not a random collection of species thrown together. If they were, there wouldn’t be much enjoyment in the making of them nor in the viewing of your gardens, and in which case, why bother? It is forming the relationships, experiencing the harmonies and contrasts with all elements of a miniature garden that gives us the pleasure, satisfaction, the experience of art and beauty. Yes, it is wonderful to have a miniature garden, to appreciate its beauty and to enjoy watching it grow but it is the making of it that is the real fun.
The first key to creating a successful miniature garden is to use genuinely miniature plants. These can be bought online from several sources and we will soon have links up to them. We may also beginning offering miniature plants ourselves, as we grow and raise them for use in our own miniature gardens.
Miniature plants are not simply young or small plants, they are plants that have been hybridized to either grow slowly or to remain small. This is very different from Bonsai, which uses plants which normally grow to be very large but by specific practices, keeps them small - a lot of work, that, and for me, not appealing. But if you love gardens and want to be able to create and grow and keep gardens all the time, indoors or out, the art of the miniature garden is the way.
The picture doesn't do the garden justice but it will have to do for now.
To begin with you need a work space. I’m fortunate to have a basement I turned into a multi-purpose shop but a kitchen counter or a dining room table covered with cardboard and/or newspaper is sufficient. Beyond that you need a few tools and materials.
The turn-table, or banding wheel shown is very helpful but not a requirement. You can always pick up your work and turn it by hand, but having it easily glide around to another view when creating the garden is one of life’s simple blessings.. You can get one like you see above from ceramic supply stores for about forty five dollars and it will last forever. Alternatively, and less expensively, a lazy susan stand works well too, or you can make one from a little wood and a ninty nine cent lazy susan bearing.
Shown from left to right, front to back are an alpine plant, Armeria, a small container of soil, a pair of clippers, a small trowel, a paint brush, a scoop, a pair of ordinary scissors for cutting the screen that goes over the drainage holes, a pair of bonsai scissors for delicate pruning, and a spray bottle. On the banding wheel are a bowl with a piece of nylon screen and a plant. Also shown are a couple of stones. In most gardens you will need more plants, soil and stones but these are the basics. How all these are used will soon become clear.
Let’s talk a moment about containers (addressed in depth later on. I make my own out of clay and various metals but don’t let that scare or discourage you. To begin with, a container needn’t have drainage holes so just about any ceramic dish will work. A little attention to watering practices is all that is needed to grow a garden in a non-draining pot. I’ve been growing a combination of seven small, medium and large plants in a medium sized bowls without drainage for six years and they continues to thrive. I just let it get dry, it can even start to wilt, then I water. Over watering is the danger. I discuss this later on too.
What this means is that you can find excellent containers at garage or tag sales that will make splendid miniature gardens. Also, they don’t need to be made of clay or metal. Almost any vessel that you like the looks of will work as the container for a miniature garden, so long as it can hold moist soil without deteriorating. You’ll see exactly how all this is used when we get into creating gardens in the next chapter but here’s an overview.
Planting medium
This can be a soil-less mix or any of a wide variety of combinations of materials to make a soil. The soil-less mix is a combination of peat moss, vermiculite and perlite. The advantage to this is that it provides no nutrients. And why is that an advantage? Because you have greater control over the growing rate by adding, or not, various fertilizers and because it is less inviting to undesirable organisms. The down side is that it is very light in weight and texture and so not suitable for some plants.
I prefer to use a soil in most instances, but not all, comprised of potting soil, peat moss, vermiculite and bonsai grit. I may also add sand, for a heavier soil or begin with top soil, rather than potting soil. It depends partially on what plants are used and where the garden is to be placed. All this will be discussed in detail.
Screen
When using vessels with drainage holes a fairly fine mesh screen is essential for keeping the planting medium in the vessel. I use nylon screen, available from hobby shops, or ordinary window screen available at hardware stores. Both work well and can be cut with ordinary scissors.
Trowel/tweezers
You need a very small trowel or even large tweezers for creating planting pockets. You’ll find that working in such a confined space as a small pot that really diminutive tools are essential and nothing more so than something to create spaces to plant in. This is especially so if, like me, you like to use a lot of plants in very close proximity.
Scissors and pruners
Especially for maintenance but also when creating gardens it is often necessary to prune off very small branches or leaves. After all, we’re working with miniatures and alpines and regular sized pruners simply cannot get into the available spaces adequately. Scissors can be ordinary sewing scissors, used to cut the screen. They cut aluminum screen equally as well as nylon. I also like to use a pair of Bonsai shears for really delicate work.
Spray bottle
After a garden is completed it is usually watered with a small watering can but I have found that Alpines seem to find this a disagreeable practice and will at times demonstrate their dislike by dying. So I water the shrubs or trees and miniatures with a watering can, being careful not to drench the alpines which I water with the spray bottle. I also use the spray to rinse off the sides of the vessel and for maintenance I spray the alpines and the moss. More on this in chapter ten.
Brushes
These are necessary for cleaning off the edges of the container as well as the leaves of some of the plants. You’ll probably want both a very soft bristle brush for the plants as well as a sturdier brush for the pots.
Scoops
Unless you love working in a really messy environment you’ll want a way to transport soil from bucket or bag to the planting vessel in a controlled fashion. Small scoops or a small dish, as those shown, work well. I also use the scoop for pouring small amounts of bonsai grit in selected areas of the planting as a ground cover without getting it where I don’t want it.
We next work with creating a miniature garden. - To Follow.
Miniature gardens are not simply a bunch of plants planted in the same container, just as your perennial garden or shrub border is not a random collection of species thrown together. If they were, there wouldn’t be much enjoyment in the making of them nor in the viewing of your gardens, and in which case, why bother? It is forming the relationships, experiencing the harmonies and contrasts with all elements of a miniature garden that gives us the pleasure, satisfaction, the experience of art and beauty. Yes, it is wonderful to have a miniature garden, to appreciate its beauty and to enjoy watching it grow but it is the making of it that is the real fun.
The first key to creating a successful miniature garden is to use genuinely miniature plants. These can be bought online from several sources and we will soon have links up to them. We may also beginning offering miniature plants ourselves, as we grow and raise them for use in our own miniature gardens.
Miniature plants are not simply young or small plants, they are plants that have been hybridized to either grow slowly or to remain small. This is very different from Bonsai, which uses plants which normally grow to be very large but by specific practices, keeps them small - a lot of work, that, and for me, not appealing. But if you love gardens and want to be able to create and grow and keep gardens all the time, indoors or out, the art of the miniature garden is the way.
The picture doesn't do the garden justice but it will have to do for now.
How To Make A Miniature Garden
Following are step by step instructions for making miniature gardens.To begin with you need a work space. I’m fortunate to have a basement I turned into a multi-purpose shop but a kitchen counter or a dining room table covered with cardboard and/or newspaper is sufficient. Beyond that you need a few tools and materials.
The turn-table, or banding wheel shown is very helpful but not a requirement. You can always pick up your work and turn it by hand, but having it easily glide around to another view when creating the garden is one of life’s simple blessings.. You can get one like you see above from ceramic supply stores for about forty five dollars and it will last forever. Alternatively, and less expensively, a lazy susan stand works well too, or you can make one from a little wood and a ninty nine cent lazy susan bearing.
Shown from left to right, front to back are an alpine plant, Armeria, a small container of soil, a pair of clippers, a small trowel, a paint brush, a scoop, a pair of ordinary scissors for cutting the screen that goes over the drainage holes, a pair of bonsai scissors for delicate pruning, and a spray bottle. On the banding wheel are a bowl with a piece of nylon screen and a plant. Also shown are a couple of stones. In most gardens you will need more plants, soil and stones but these are the basics. How all these are used will soon become clear.
Let’s talk a moment about containers (addressed in depth later on. I make my own out of clay and various metals but don’t let that scare or discourage you. To begin with, a container needn’t have drainage holes so just about any ceramic dish will work. A little attention to watering practices is all that is needed to grow a garden in a non-draining pot. I’ve been growing a combination of seven small, medium and large plants in a medium sized bowls without drainage for six years and they continues to thrive. I just let it get dry, it can even start to wilt, then I water. Over watering is the danger. I discuss this later on too.
What this means is that you can find excellent containers at garage or tag sales that will make splendid miniature gardens. Also, they don’t need to be made of clay or metal. Almost any vessel that you like the looks of will work as the container for a miniature garden, so long as it can hold moist soil without deteriorating. You’ll see exactly how all this is used when we get into creating gardens in the next chapter but here’s an overview.
Planting medium
This can be a soil-less mix or any of a wide variety of combinations of materials to make a soil. The soil-less mix is a combination of peat moss, vermiculite and perlite. The advantage to this is that it provides no nutrients. And why is that an advantage? Because you have greater control over the growing rate by adding, or not, various fertilizers and because it is less inviting to undesirable organisms. The down side is that it is very light in weight and texture and so not suitable for some plants.
I prefer to use a soil in most instances, but not all, comprised of potting soil, peat moss, vermiculite and bonsai grit. I may also add sand, for a heavier soil or begin with top soil, rather than potting soil. It depends partially on what plants are used and where the garden is to be placed. All this will be discussed in detail.
Screen
When using vessels with drainage holes a fairly fine mesh screen is essential for keeping the planting medium in the vessel. I use nylon screen, available from hobby shops, or ordinary window screen available at hardware stores. Both work well and can be cut with ordinary scissors.
Trowel/tweezers
You need a very small trowel or even large tweezers for creating planting pockets. You’ll find that working in such a confined space as a small pot that really diminutive tools are essential and nothing more so than something to create spaces to plant in. This is especially so if, like me, you like to use a lot of plants in very close proximity.
Scissors and pruners
Especially for maintenance but also when creating gardens it is often necessary to prune off very small branches or leaves. After all, we’re working with miniatures and alpines and regular sized pruners simply cannot get into the available spaces adequately. Scissors can be ordinary sewing scissors, used to cut the screen. They cut aluminum screen equally as well as nylon. I also like to use a pair of Bonsai shears for really delicate work.
Spray bottle
After a garden is completed it is usually watered with a small watering can but I have found that Alpines seem to find this a disagreeable practice and will at times demonstrate their dislike by dying. So I water the shrubs or trees and miniatures with a watering can, being careful not to drench the alpines which I water with the spray bottle. I also use the spray to rinse off the sides of the vessel and for maintenance I spray the alpines and the moss. More on this in chapter ten.
Brushes
These are necessary for cleaning off the edges of the container as well as the leaves of some of the plants. You’ll probably want both a very soft bristle brush for the plants as well as a sturdier brush for the pots.
Scoops
Unless you love working in a really messy environment you’ll want a way to transport soil from bucket or bag to the planting vessel in a controlled fashion. Small scoops or a small dish, as those shown, work well. I also use the scoop for pouring small amounts of bonsai grit in selected areas of the planting as a ground cover without getting it where I don’t want it.
We next work with creating a miniature garden. - To Follow.Script embedded in HTML
