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Your help appreciated

eirlys

By eirlys

11 comments


Many years ago I decided to have ago at creating a miniature garden. There was a nursery at that time in Devon that sold tiny plants and we had a day out to have a look at what they had for sale.

While we were there I fell for a small stone cottage I felt was ideal to add to my garden. The price, in the region of £200+ put me off but when we were paying for purchases plants near the till was a reduced -price book on how to build such a cottage.

My husband duly produced my little cottage which was built from stone collected from the Gwrhyd Mountain, a childhood “playground”, near my old home in Wales.

The roof was created from broom bristles and was time-consuming but the end result was worth the trouble and time.

Over the years my little garden flourished and then over the passing years, like its creator, fell into disrepair.

This week I attacked the whole thing with Spring energy and now have a garden that needs re-stocking.

Finding miniature, and I mean, really small, plants, is not easy. (There’s a gap in the garden market there for someone enterprising).

Do YOU have any suggestions, please? I have managed to keep a truly miniature rose called “Si” alive and that is now in its own pot being nursed along.

I really would welcome your help, please.

This may give you some idea of what my miniature garden used to look like. The cottage is still here waiting to be re-situated.

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Comments

 

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.

4 Apr, 2014

 

Can you bonsai shrubs?

4 Apr, 2014

 

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,!

4 Apr, 2014

 

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!

4 Apr, 2014

 

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.

4 Apr, 2014

 

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.

4 Apr, 2014

 

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/

4 Apr, 2014

 

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

4 Apr, 2014

 

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.

5 Apr, 2014

 

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.

5 Apr, 2014

 

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/

5 Apr, 2014

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