I’m just tickled by each and every order I get from my grower. I’ve been working with them for well over 20 years and I STILL enjoy opening those boxes and seeing the miniature and dwarf trees and shrubs, looking as wonderful as ever. So, I consider it my job to inspire you to be inspired by them! I’m thinking this might be easy to do but I am biased – by just about every plant we carry here at Two Green Thumbs Miniature Garden Center.
Yummy Planting Combinations
Check out these fun combinations that I’ve put together here. Just like we design in full-size, we design in miniature: mix up the textures and either match or compliment the color as you stay in your planting zone and you’ll get the right combination for your miniature gardening, bonsai display, fairy gardening or railroad gardening.
Follow along with this visual essay and I’ll tell you why the combinations work, so you can do it for your own gardens.
Zone 5 Combo. From the top, left corner: The bright yellow Golden Dwarf Japanese Yew foliage contrasts with the deep red leaves of the Bagatelle Barberry and the emerald green foliage of the Just Dandy Hinoki Cypress in the front. This is a great combination for full sun but may need protection from that hot afternoon sun if you are in a hot/southern climate. A colorful combo that’s hardy to -20F, the Yew and Barberry are hardy to -30F. The miniature garden bedding plants (aka ground covers) that would go with this combo: both the Red Thyme and Miniature Daisy have deep-green foliage with red accents that would accent texture and color for a lovely combination for your miniature garden.
Zone 5 Combo. Whipcord Western Red Cedar on the left, the Variegated Boxwood at top right and the Loowit Japanese Hemlock on the bottom, right. You can see how the colors go well together and the textures make each plant stand on its own. If the trees were all the same texture, they would blend together. A sweet combo for cool sun or part sun. Hardy to -20F, the Cedar and Hemlock are hardy to -30F. For the lower layer in the garden bed, echo the dramatic flair of the Whipcord Cedar with Dwarf Mondo Grass and add an even lower-layer the low-growing Elfin Thyme.
Just Dandy Hinoki Cypress is paired with Tom Thumb Cotoneaster on the right. Broadleaf shrubs (broadleaf meaning they have leaves, instead of needles, for example.) are almost always a great texture pairing for conifers. The flatness of the leave stands out against the fun foliage of the Hinoki. Perfect for cool sun or part sun and both are hardy to -20F . We can enjoy how the Tom Thumb Cotoneaster is exfoliating with the leaves that turn red before they drop. The red stems of the Tom Thumbs match perfectly with Red Thyme (can you tell it’s a favorite?) and dwarf Hens and Chicks to add drama and mix up the textures.
Find all the trees we have in stock, right here. Use the menu to find your light and zone. Not all trees, shrubs and plants are available at all times but we try to have a wide variety for you all the time!
Zone 4 Combo. Colorwise, the red leaves of the Bagatelle Barberry pick up the reddy foliage-bits of the Slowmound Mugo Pine and compliment the gray-green foliage of the Tsukumo Sawara Cypress. The textures are completely different and all three plants can easily stand on their own. The combo is great for full sun. Again, if planted in a container, watch the hot afternoon sun so it doesn’t dry out plants too much/too often. Hardy to -30F. I think the White Thyme would be a fun pairing, it’s a brighter green color and a perfect match with all three trees.
Combo for Zone 4. The Bulata Japaneses Spirea at the top is paired with the Squarrosa Intermedia Cypress shown below it. The tight, dense foliage of the Cypress is pleasantly contrasted with the open, airy leaves of the spirea. The colors match and the light greens on the cypress match the stems on the Spirea – the flowers are the icing on the cake. Hardy to -30F. Full or cool sun until established. Pair it with Elfin thyme and perhaps a Crane’s Bill to mimic the spirea leaves.Bright colors, different textures. The Slowmound Mugo Pine on the left, Golden Devin Barberry up at the top right and the Blue Pygmy Juniper on the bottom. A very pretty color combination and you can’t beat the three very different textures. Full sun but watch the Barberry with that hot sun in the summer. Hardy to -20F, the Pine and the Juniper are hardier. If you like that blue-green of the Blue Pygmy Junipers, accent it with Woolley Thyme and some small Hens and Checks for a distinct texture combo that works in full sun.
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As always, your posts are full of great and, I must say, tempting info. But although it is 70 today, I fear one more bout of winter. But I am weeding the mini garden today just in case spring is truly here
While you can create Bonsai from dwarf or miniature trees, most are created from standard plants and it is with pruning, soil and care that they are trained to be Bonsai. Bonsai means tree in a tray.
Yes it does, Mary! Thank you! We have a ton of customers that use our dwarf and miniature trees for bonsai starts. They are well-rooted and high-quality trees and shrubs. With a little digging, you can see just how many plant names on our list can be successfully trained for bonsai. ;o)
Hi Sally! Happy Holly Days! Here are our zone 9 plants: https://twogreenthumbs.com/collections/zone-9-plants/Zone-9 – Let me know if you need more insight? 9f so, please include how big your miniature garden space is – wether its in a pot or in ground – and what kind of light it will gets. If you are looking for only indoor plants, here is our selection that we have in stock right now. We’ll have more when the weather warms-up so we can ship them safely. https://twogreenthumbs.com/collections/plants-indoors- J.
Truly informative! Please could you do something like thus with only cacti and succulents?
As always, your posts are full of great and, I must say, tempting info. But although it is 70 today, I fear one more bout of winter. But I am weeding the mini garden today just in case spring is truly here
While you can create Bonsai from dwarf or miniature trees, most are created from standard plants and it is with pruning, soil and care that they are trained to be Bonsai. Bonsai means tree in a tray.
Yes it does, Mary! Thank you! We have a ton of customers that use our dwarf and miniature trees for bonsai starts. They are well-rooted and high-quality trees and shrubs. With a little digging, you can see just how many plant names on our list can be successfully trained for bonsai. ;o)
Could you do a zone 9 combo? I live in Houston, Texas.
Hi Sally! Happy Holly Days! Here are our zone 9 plants: https://twogreenthumbs.com/collections/zone-9-plants/Zone-9 – Let me know if you need more insight? 9f so, please include how big your miniature garden space is – wether its in a pot or in ground – and what kind of light it will gets. If you are looking for only indoor plants, here is our selection that we have in stock right now. We’ll have more when the weather warms-up so we can ship them safely. https://twogreenthumbs.com/collections/plants-indoors- J.