During spring, with the topic of RHS Chelsea being a top attraction, the entire subject of gardens is always ameliorated into the position of centre stage. Its all about structure, landscaping, planting, colours, scent, water and above all else, enjoyment. Hurrah, thats just as it should be. Its the time of year when we all become even more enthusiastic about everything planty and we take home a desire to improve our own little patch of paradise, if only in miniature. Talking of which...
Miniature is really gaining momentum. Take this tiny word to the extreme and everything becomes completely absorbing. You can create micro gardens in a literal sense its a hobby that is taking hold and romping away even faster than spring growth. Gardens in little containers are fascinating and they dont need to be fancy an old broken pot, a ceramic dish or a wooden box will do. How about a garden in a shoe; a galvanised pail; an upturned trough or just a simple seed tray? Whats the most original container you can think of?
You can place some miniature people, sitting at their tiny garden bench.
You can become a groundworks engineer; a builder; an architect; a plantsperson; a king or queen of your own empire. Miniature gardens are BIG. This is a chance to build the treehouse of your dreams, to play in the shrubbery, to string up your hammock and to create a maze. What joy!
Maybe your little people might need a micro-bike so they can go for a ride? Plants, flowers, houses and even fairies can find homes within a miniature garden. They offer huge potential for fun and offer acres of opportunity for the imagination to run wild! The secret ingredients are simple: pay attention to detail and inject enthusiasm into the job.
So how do you go about creating a miniature garden? Its not difficult:
Be prepared to prune your plants once they get out of hand. But dont skimp on planting pack them in and encourage them to form plant communities as they would in a real garden. Utilise moss and creeping groundcover such as clover; dwarf chamomile and even some mind your own business (soleirolia); and something like rosemary Prostratus or thyme that will tumble over the edges of your container
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Get your structure and your planting in, then you can add finishing touches such as sheds, seating, people and animals. This is playing for grown-ups, but the kids will love to get involved too
Need some containers? Take a look here to see if anything talks to you then let your imagination go wild in miniature!