A Look into the Future: Miniature Garden Trees

It’s that time of year, Fellow Miniature Gardeners, the time for new trees, new plantings and new ideas realized. It’s been a long, cold and dreary winter for a large part of North America, and it’s still going in some parts with snow last night. Ugh! I feel your pain, I’m a transplant from Toronto and please hold on. Spring is coming!

If you’ve been following us for any length of time, you know that we’ve been miniature gardening full-time since 2001. With that kind of intensive, relentless focus, we have had the opportunity to watch how the trees grow-up to see how long they can stay a miniature garden tree. I think it’s safe to say, a long time!

It came as an “uh-oh” moment over a decade ago when I was selling the completed miniature gardens at street markets and craft fairs: I realized I needed to keep some miniature gardens to know what these trees look like when they grow up. I started collecting my own gallery of miniature gardens so I could share the results with you. Here are just a few of them shown in the miniature garden, and I’ve included a “regular” photo from the grower’s website – it’s how the plant would look if we left it alone and did not shape it into a miniature tree.

Reminder Memo: “Dwarf” and “miniature” describe the growth rate, not the plant. Dwarfs grow from 1″ to 6″ per year. Miniatures grow less than 1″ per year.

Tompa Norway Spruce – Picea abies ‘Tompa’

The Tompa Dwarf Spruce was labeled a dwarf when I planted it in this container 10 years ago – now the grower calls it a miniature, with a growth rate of less than 1” per year. So easy to grow, it never complained at all. After 10 years, I grew impatient and needed to see what was going on and unplanted it – but I didn’t have to, it could have stayed in that pot for another couple of years, I think.

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Intermediate Sawara Cypress – Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Squarrossa Intermedia’

This little ball of goodness grows up into a fun shape that can suit a number of themes or garden-styles. If you leave the Intermediate Cypress to grow, it will get leggy like the photo of the miniature garden below and “grow-up” to be an informal tree form. If you shear it every winter when it is dormant, it will stay bushy and full (it’s great for topiary.)

See what plants and trees for your miniature gardening are in stock today. Check back often as our inventory is always changing.

Top Point Dwarf White Cedar – Chamaecyparis thyoides ‘Top Point’

The Top Point Dwarf White Cedar is a very versatile tree. It does well in many zones, included the southern states, where not all conifers appreciate the warm, humid temperatures. I think you can shear it to encourage bushiness and branching, check out the difference:

See what plants and trees for your miniature gardening are in stock today. Check back often as our inventory is always changing.

Blue Star Juniper – Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’

The Blue Star Juniper was a little surprise to see as it grew up – it really takes on the look of a big, fluffy tree in miniature. Drought tolerant, loves the sun and the stars on the tips of the branches keep me delighted throughout the year. It really is a super star! It loves well-drained but evenly damp soil and can tolerate some dryness – but not too often nor for too long.

See the growing details, up in See what plants and trees for your miniature gardening are in stock today. Check back often as our inventory is always changing.

Slowmound Mugo Pine – Pinus mugo ‘Slowmound’

The dwarf and miniature pines are a delight to grow and can work well in the southern regions with evenly damp soil – plant it in part sun to help maintain the even dampness – but it can tolerate a little dry soil from time to time. Just don’t let it dry out too often for too long.

SeSee what plants and trees for your miniature gardening are in stock today. Check back often as our inventory is always changing.

Moonfrost Canada Hemlock – Tsuga canadensis ‘Moonfrost’

This charmer is a favorite with the colors changing throughout the year, but it can be pruned into a tree form. Winter shearing keeps up the color changes, otherwise it will stay a celery green color all year.

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