|
Branching Out: Gardening In Miniature
The first miniature garden, which was said to cause quite a stir at the London Chelsea Flower Show in 1923, was created using an old sink. When old sinks ran out, horse troughs, birdbaths and other concrete troughs and dishes were used. These sink or trough gardens raised on pedestals will appeal to many a gardener. Being ergonomically designed, they are a boon to the handicapped or elderly gardener who can enjoy gardening without having to squat or bend.
Whether or not you possess an old sink, you can try creating your own miniature garden – a temperate countryside scene, a forest, or a desert. Here is how.
Materials
- a container at least 8 cm deep, large enough to accommodate groups of miniature pants;
- sterilised soil or burnt earth mixed with peat in equal proportions
- granite for use as footpaths;
- moss to simulate grasslands
- small pebbles for stepping stones;
- large pebbles for hills;
- satay sticks, toothpicks or balsa wood for fences and houses;
- miniature plants;
- clay, porcelain or glass replicas of houses, bridges, people, and other miniature figures;
- gardening tools.
Suggested Plants For Miniature Gardens
Temperate countryside
- Juniperus chinensis (Juniper)
- Serissa foetida
- Thuja orientalis rooted cuttings
- Mosses
Oriental landscape
- Bambusa glaucescens (Hedge bamboo)
- Asparagus densiflorus cv Sprengeri
- Asparagus plumosus (Fern asparagus)
- Pilea microphylla
- Malpighia coccigera (Singapore holly)
- Alternanthera amoena
- Polyscias guilfoylei (Celery-leaf panax)
- Mosses
Desert
- Opuntia microdasys (Prickly pear)
- Aloe spp. (Dwarf Aloe)
- Lithops bella (Pretty stoneface)
- Fenestraria rhopalophylla (Baby toes)
- Frithia pulchra (Purple baby toes)
- Sedum pachyphyllum (Jelly beans)
- Echinocactus grusonii (Golden barrel)
- Astrophytum myriostigma (Bishop’s cap)
- Echeveria spp.
- Crassula spp.
 |
 |
 |
| A desert fish garden. |
A countryside scene complete with cottages
made from balsa wood and broom brushes. |
An oriental mountainside landscape. |
Preparations
Plan your garden first. Visualise the garden with help from calendars, old postcards and photographs of landscapes. Draw out the concept on a piece of paper, indicating the positions of the plants, footpaths, rocks, etc. Visit a plant nursery and look out for plants with dwarf habits and miniature leaves. Check the light condition required for them, and select only plants suitable for the location where the garden is to be placed.
Planting
Fill the trough with soil mix. Grade the soil to form hills and valleys. Mark out the areas for roads and water bodies leaving spaces for trees, shrubs and lawns. Place the plants in the spaces provided. Finally, arrange other accessories like toy houses, people, etc. When you are sure about the positioning of the plants, remove them from the pots and plant them in the trough.
Care and Maintenance
Place the miniature garden where there is sufficient light. For ferns and other shade-loving plants, a shaded and moist location is preferred. The balcony and patio are excellent places. Make sure the plants receive some sun in the morning or evening. Water the plants daily and apply fertilizers once a month using a compound, liquid or organic fertilizer.
Prune and keep the plants in shape. Remove or thin overgrown or unhealthy plants. You may need to propagate new plants for replacements. Bare patches can be filled with mosses or coloured chips. Houses and fences would need repairing.
With proper care and some imaginative touches, your miniature garden will give you many hours of gardening pleasure.
HAPPY GARDENING!
Jennifer Ng
Assistant Director/Education
(From Gardenwise-The Newsletter of the Singapore Botanic Gardens Vol V, December 1993 ISSN 12-1688)
|
