A BIRDS'S-EYE VIEW
The making of a minigarden involves the following sequence
of operations:
1. The Garden Plan.
2. The Container.
3. Foundation and Soil.
4. Building Actual Garden (imbedding
rocks, etc.).
5. Planting.
6. Ornaments, Figures and Furniture.
Additional matters concern Care of the Garden and Propagation.
There is nothing difficult and each matter is adequately dealt
with. In several instances, subjects have been classified in groups
or types, but in most of such cases this is only to simplify things
for the reader, and the classifications should be regarded mainly
as guide lines and not as arbitrary rules.
Minigardens can be considered in three groups:
1.Sink and Trough Gardens - outdoor
2.Window-box Gardens
3.Bowls, Pans, Dishes, etc - indoor
SINK AND TROUGH GARDENS
A selection of Sink and Trough containers are shown in Figs. 1
to 8. They can vary in size from a few inches to that of a horse
trough and can be of any shape. The original idea was to make
an alpine garden in an old stone sink (similar to Fig. 4) and raise
it on a pedestal 12 to 20 inches high. (Glazed sinks are unsuitable.) The popularity of sink gardens and the shortage of stone
sinks brought the introduction of troughs and containers of many
styles, sizes and materials. Nowadays, the most popular forms
are in concrete, which is lighter than stone. The use of such
gardens has also been extended. The troughs (on their pedestals)
can be used as a centre-piece for a lawn, court, sunk garden,
terrace, path junction, etc. With appropriate variations they can
be adapted to standing on a low wall (continuously or at intervals)
to suit a small court, roof or balcony as well as the ordinary
garden. Long troughs or a series of shorter ones can be set along
the front of a cottage. It is rather like a unit garden which can
be built one piece at a time to fit any need.
The diagrams are mostly self-explanatory. Fig. 2 has been
elaborately finished with a lead casing. Fig. 5 is similar to a
fairly deep, pedestal bird bath. Fig. 6 is a long, narrow trough
which, although mounted on bricks in the diagram, might be
adaptable for a window-box garden. Fig. 7 shows one idea for a
novel and distinctive type for setting at intervals in a low wall.
The crescent shape of Fig. 8 is quite popular, and a variation -a
quadrant (or quarter circle)- can be used to make a full-circular
set. This could be grouped round a statuette, for instance, or
single quadrants could fit the corners of a small court.
Smaller troughs might be made in arcs to fit the walls of a
circular pool or a wall pool. There are endless varieties of styles
and uses.
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