Mini Garden Crazy, Naturally.

I've always loved mini things and nature. As a child I played with a dollhouse, and imagined if I could carpet it inside, but also make it a garden all around. Even when playing with barbies, constructing the ultimate hang out spot was vital- I would take a huge galvanized tub and put a milk crate in it, and make their house on the "dock" above the pond- where they could dive right in. So when I saw my very first legit miniature gardens in Cambria California I knew right away I had to be a mini gardener. I've been making variations ever since.

 

Last year I made so many... so many, and I'd feel silly if I didn't share them pictures. I tended & amended my usual personal miniature gardens, but also made some for a local occasional shop to sell. I had so much fun! I learned to make hypertufa, and created these shallow containers perfect for a little mini landscape. I sold them separately as well. I also gathered twigs and wire and made my own whimsical little arbors.

 

 

 

 

I also made some look like bird baths planted with hardy succulents.

 

In one of my personal fairy gardens this little cherub's been tending this golden baby tears for years now... she overwinters upstairs in my hallway, and spend summers in the shade of a huge red maple in our yard.

By summer's end she got an upgrade on the arbor situation.

My kids have the mini garden bug, too. They made container gnome gardens last year, (they spent the winter in my basement under florescent lights).

 

 

 

Upon the kids request, last summer I carved our an area for them to make their own in ground mini garden. I did my ultimate best parenting and stepped back as much as I could to allow them to make the space their own. I interjected with information about heights of plants, and light requirements, but by and large it was them finding things they liked and planting and placing.

 

 

 

 

 

I also couldn't resist making myself another hardy fairy garden. I have been putting various plants in this old girl for years, but last year she housed a proper fairy house, and fenced in succulent garden with a dreamy outdoor bed, and swing.

 

 

 

 

 

For selling, I also crafted quite a few gardens in some junk containers, like this old enamel pan. The moss in this one was just perfect!

This fairy lived in a smaller old cooking pan...

This was a huge roasting pan I found at a yard sale, and I made the stepping stones, birdbath, and "wee garden" sign, too.

 

Along the same lines of whimsy, this cherub fell from her arbor and cracked, so I put her back together with hens and chicks, naturally.

Another low rectangular hypertufa container I made with lots of moss and succulents.

 

I made a few arbors out of wire, and grew creeping wire vine on them, too.

Last spring, once my mini obsession had maxed out on the fairy gardens, I made a few terrariums, too. I sold both of these little bird house variations.

 

I even added some succulents to a huge old handmade birdhouse my friend's father made me!

 

Yes, in my garden last year was a pretty epic year for all things miniature.  I hope you enjoyed the pictures-- I'm already planting more for this season as we speak.

 

Happy gardening!