Your help appreciated

Lovely idea Eirlys .. the cottage is cute.
If you indicate the height of the cottage that would be useful as a guide.

You could perhaps include small pieces of Sedum spathulifolium Cape Blanco. Interesting greyish green colour. I hope this helps.

Can you bonsai shrubs?

What a lovely little cottage! Perhaps a look in the alpine department at your local Garden center will help..
I'm going to see if my little boys and I , can make one this summer, your inspired me,!

Terratoonie: the cottage is 8 inches from base to top of chimney.

Pamg: I've used Bonsai trees in the past, the really small ones. I prune/CUT the shrubs I have used to keep them small.

Madaboutgardens: So many are not miniatures and they take over very quickly, unfortunately.

I might plant some hedge violets and one or two colourful "weeds". They will need watching but I have noticed that several have very tiny flowers.

Last year in an effort to add some colour I actually placed a doll's house plant outside the cottage door. It had four green "leaves" and two "flowers". The next morning something had eaten the whole lot down to the base. I never thought snails would go for plastic!

Alpine specialists would be your best bet I think. Alpine sections in larger stores are often now so alpine after a year or two!
Kevock garden plants have a filter where you can choose type of plants by height - it's unclear from your image just how miniature your garden is. Perhaps worth a look - something very slow growing might stay small enough longer than normal.

I'll measure the "garden" tomorrow so that readers can have a better idea of the size.

Alpine specialists are not that easy to find. I miss the specialist Devon one.

What a out shopping on line. The good ones have a good reputation as I'm sure many members will testify too. I've just looked at the Alpine Garden Society website there is a show in Dorset in May. You will be able to buy plants there. Even talk to a selection of sellers that will help you, here's the link. http://www.alpinegardensociety.net/shows/dates-and-venues/

What was the tiny tree in the photo? Its hard to believe you could have such a perfectly proportioned one so small.

Scottish: Saw this too late to do anything about it, but my THANKS.

Steragram: A dwarf lilac, my husband tells me. No longer have it . :O(

Madabout gardening: I should have stated that the stones have to be cut to size and are placed on an inner structure. Trying to build them as one would a stone wall wouldn't work, I don't think.

Have just googled it - fantastic - on the wish list! the best variety seems to be Red Pixie but I haven't found a British supplier yet.

The UTube video was interesting, wasn't it. I do love lilac but never take the bloom into the house. Was brought up to regard that as being unlucky!! Daft!!

We still have one or two Bonsais around and will be looking at the garden centre rubbish dumps for possibilities for my little garden. (That was a tip we found in a Bonsai book!!)

Found this link:

http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/syringa-red-pixie/classid.2000005194/