It’s happened again. The garden industry is taking the easy way out and has got our hobby all wrong – still. It’s no wonder I keep getting emails from these garden center customers asking me the usual questions because they couldn’t find an answer at their local garden center.
Take note of this article from Garden Center Magazine that doesn’t offer one photo of a true miniature garden, yet uses the term all throughout the article. It boasts using realistic miniatures but they are not shown. In that one plant photo in the article, I would recommend ONE of those plants – the rest plants, you are set up to fail.
It even references one “expert” who misleads newcomers consistently and constantly, and has been doing so for many years, chasing shiny bullets in the garden world. (Although she trolls my work relentlessly, I find it weird that she has yet to learn anything from my work. I wish she would read my book already. It’s getting ridiculous. Lol!)
And here’s another article from the same trade magazine. In this one, they again confuse the two different styles of gardening small and call fairy gardening, miniature gardening. Anyone can see that these are two different hobbies are unto themselves by the different levels of attention to detail, (we stay in scale,) attention the plants, (we actually design a real, living garden,) and the simple fact that a “real” miniature garden can last for years and years – and years and still stay in scale. NONE of the gardens shown in the article will last more than a season, in fact several of the gardens have plants that are not even compatible with each other – which is a perfect waste of time and money!
I’m making this point because it’s me that gets the phone calls if something doesn’t work out in a fairy garden. It’s me they text to find out why their fairy garden plant didn’t survive in the huge pot they put it in. And it’s me that takes the time to answer all the questions that are being overlooked or ignored by these so called “experts.”
Anyone can be an expert on the Internet – look to their own authenticity and their own work for validation on whether to trust them or not. Here is more insight in how to figure out if the “expert” you are following is really and expert or is in it to get sponsored and paid by companies to tote their wares.
How to Identify an Expert on the Internet
I couldn’t agree more. This is a great article. I have been a master gardener for 16 years, but far from an expert. I’m always learning. So true about the false information out on the web. That article you mentioned did have many gardening info errors. One of my pet peeves is the statement she made “glass terrarium displays of succulents” I will admit I’m just recently into succulents but I do know they are not terrarium plants! Probably the worst possible place to grow them even if it’s an open terrarium. Could not believe they showed a maidenhair fern in the same container as a succulent. Opposite care plants. Keep up the good work. I love your books. Made some miniature gardening errors myself the first year, but I am learning thanks to you.
Thanks, Barb. I totally agree. I can’t get over that this misinformation in a garden center trade magazine! If I got bad advice from a store, I wouldn’t go back.
Here, here! I appreciate that you know your craft and explain the differences between the two types of small gardens! Keep ‘splainin’ it, they’ll get it eventually.
Thanks, Cindy! I’ll keep on keeping on. Thanks for all your support! <3