Where to Put It and What to Plant

A miniature garden is a lot like a full-sized garden. The plants and trees will grow and weave themselves together. It will change from season to season. You may lose a plant — or need to pull one out because it is not behaving as you imagined. It is gardening, after all.

But with a few glorious exceptions:

YOU are the almighty ruler of your own little world.

YOU get to say what goes in it.

YOU get to design it exactly as you want it.

But with all those possibilities — where in the world do you start?

Start Here: The One Question That Decides Everything

Every miniature garden begins with a single question:

“Where is your miniature garden going to live?”

Where you place your miniature garden will determine its size, whether it lives in a pot or in-ground, and which plants can thrive there. Answer that one question first, and every other decision becomes much easier.

This is what gardeners call the Golden Garden Rule: Put the Right Plants in the Right Place. Sun plants for sunny spots. Shade plants for shady spots. Indoor plants for indoors. Simple as that — once you know where your garden is going.

Growing Your Miniature Garden Outdoors?

Work through these questions before you shop for a single plant. Bookmark this page — it is a useful reference to come back to as you plan.

1. Container or In-Ground?

Both work beautifully for miniature gardens. Containers give you flexibility and portability. In-ground gardens become a permanent living feature that evolves with the seasons. Your available space and how permanent you want the garden to be will guide this choice.

If planting in a container, invest in a quality pot. These gardens can last for years — and plastic containers do not age gracefully. Choose something you will still love looking at in five years.

2. How Much Light Does the Spot Get?

Count the hours of direct sun the spot receives on a typical day. Full sun is 6+ hours; part sun or shade is 3–6 hours; full shade is under 3 hours. A Simple Light Chart for Planting Outdoors to help you figure this out.

3. What Is Your Planting Zone?

Every plant has a range of hardiness zones it can survive in. Banana palms cannot handle a Wisconsin winter. Alberta Spruces struggle through a long, hot Texas summer. Knowing your zone before you shop saves a lot of heartbreak.

4. What Is Your Soil Like?

For in-ground planting, your local independent garden center is the best resource for soil questions — they know your local conditions. For container planting, use a regular organic potting soil. Never Miracle-Gro for miniature garden plants – the added fertilizer burns the roots of our trees and shrubs; and makes our bedding plants grow too fast. See our tutorial ‘About the Soil’ here.

5. Choosing Your Plants

Once you have answered the location questions above, look for plants that share the same light and water requirements — that is the foundation of a happy, low-maintenance garden. For that classic garden look, aim for:

• One taller tree (the anchor of the garden)
• One shorter shrub (mid-level structure)
• Two or three bedding plants or groundcovers (fills in the base and softens edges)

The right number of plants will depend on the size of your container or bed. When in doubt, leave more room than you think you need — miniature plants do grow.

Shop plants for sun, shade, and by zone at TwoGreenThumbs.com

Growing Your Miniature Garden Indoors?

Indoor miniature gardens are a wonderful way to bring the garden inside year-round. They are also great creative play — easy to rearrange, decorate seasonally, and enjoy up close. Here is what to keep in mind.

Indoor Plants Are Tropical Plants

This is the most important thing to understand about indoor miniature gardening: indoor plants are tropical species that need to stay above 60°F (15°C) all year. They are not outdoor plants — unless you live in a tropical climate.

You can move indoor miniature gardens outside in summer providing you protect them from direct hot sun and bring them in before temperatures drop in autumn. Just inspect carefully when bringing them back inside — you do not want to introduce pests to your other indoor plants.

Light Indoors Is Different

Most indoor plants will scorch in direct sunlight through a window, especially in spring and fall when the sun angle shifts. A sheer curtain to diffuse the light makes a significant difference. A Simple Light Chart for Indoors to identify what kind of light you have, is here.

Plan for Water Drainage

Your pot must have a drainage hole — and you need a reliable saucer underneath it. This matters more indoors than you might think: many common saucer materials will wick moisture straight through to your surfaces.

• Cork mats — wick moisture through
• Plastic saucers — break and crack over time
• Felt coasters — do not contain water reliably
• Clay saucers — also wick moisture

The best solution for a reliable plant saucer: a ceramic dinner plate or dessert plate from your local thrift store. Ceramic is completely moisture-proof, holds up beautifully, and costs almost nothing.

Choosing Your Indoor Plants

The same design principle applies indoors: one taller tree, one shorter shrub, and a couple of bedding plants for that layered, garden-y look. Keep the light and water requirements consistent across all plants in the garden. Look for trees and plants that mimic full-sized outdoor trees and plants to make the best realistic miniature scene.

Use regular potting soil for indoor containers — not Miracle-Gro. See our tutorial ‘About the Soil’ here.

Shop plants for indoors at TwoGreenThumbs.com

Shopping for Plants Elsewhere? Here Is What to Ask For.

All plants at TwoGreenThumbs.com are vetted for miniature gardening — the design work is already done for you. But if you are shopping at a local nursery, do not ask for “miniature garden plants” — most garden centers will not know what you mean and may steer you wrong. Instead, ask for:

• Slow-growing plants or trees
• Small-leafed perennials
• Low-growing trees or shrubs
• Dwarf and miniature conifers (look for the smallest size available)
• Baby or young trees

Important note: the words ‘dwarf’ and ‘miniature’ on a plant label refer to growth rate, not the plant’s current size. A dwarf conifer will stay small for decades — that is exactly what you want.

?  Want to go deeper? The Miniature Garden Society covers advanced design techniques, plant troubleshooting, seasonal planting guides, and a community of fellow miniature gardeners — all in one place, built just for you.  Join us at MiniatureGardenSociety.org

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