Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Mick McLoughlin on October 19, 2008, 11:14:10 AM
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In the thread for the Loughborough Autumn Show, I showed a picture of Mandy's entry in the Miniature garden section (reposted here). Some interest was shown and more detailed pics requested, so I decided to put a separate thread on here. Should anyone have any suggestions, of plants, cultivation, ideas etc. please feel free to contribute. I'm sure JohnD could help here as he has given Mandy tips at the shows previously.
First a general shot of the 3 gardens that Mandy has at the moment and the location where they are stored. There is a debate at the moment as to whether to put a removable cover over them for bad weather.
Note that Mandy has them in shallow pots, as she is trying to restrict the plants from growing too freely.
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There is not much colour in these mini gardens at the moment, probably one of the reasons for the second at Loughborough.
First an overall shot of the mini garden1.
Next, as John told Mandy, also pay attention to the reverse of the garden as that can be planted as well. A close up shot of the detail on the reverse.
Next some detail shots of the LH side, RH side and top.
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The second mini garden now. This one has more plants actually rooted into the Tufa rock.
First the overall view. Then 3 close up views.
Then the reverse view and a close up of a section of the reverse.
2 detailed shots of the top section.
Then a close up of a feature of the rock and the sedum actually rooting into the Tufa.
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The third and final one now.
Again a general view first and then the reverse.
3 shots of the left hand side.
Next some more details including Saxifrage longifolia nestling in nicely.
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Mick,
Mandy has certainly put a great deal of thought and time into the planning and planting of these gardens and she has produced excellent results, very interesting shots indeed.
Paddy
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What a super trio of gardens. I do like the use of the bonsai type containers for them, these look good and will restrict root run, as wanted.
I think the little conifers will need careful tending/pruning to keep in scale, but that is always a problem with mini gardens.
Lovely display, Mandy and thanks for showing them, Mick. The varied shots will give lots of ideas to anyone wanting to try this themselves.
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These are an excellent lesson Mick, about designing and planting such tiny landscapes, a real eye opener for me.
It occurs to me that such gardens would make superb Christmas gifts for plant-loving friends and family. Each could have its own little "story" with how it was created, a list of the plants and some notes re care and pruning, watering etc.
The other thing that is very obvious from this series, is how much better such gardens or plants look in "real" light, rather than in a poorly lit hall. I bet Mandy's garden was pleased to be taken home.
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Thanks for showing us them in close up Mick, they look even better than in the hall. Well done to Mandy. I think the containers are absolutely right for them and they are an inspiration to us all. 8)
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Anyone care to comment on how these are different than troughs. By all appearances they are more temporary...plantings for particular occasions, shows, etc. They must be less "hardy" as there is little soil available to insulate roots.
What's the show class definition of a "miniature garden" as compared with that of a trough planting?
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What's the show class definition of a "miniature garden" as compared with that of a trough planting?
Hi Carlo,
The rules of the Alpine Garden Society Show Schedule state :-
The general effect and variety of dwarf shrubs and alpine plants used is of importance but it is undesirable to make any definite allocation of points. Preference should be given to exhibits in which the plants are well established. Pans may not exceed 36 cm outside diameter , or in the case of rectangular pans, 1000 sq cm in total surface.
... and basically, that is that ...
I will be very interested to hear the thoughts of forum member; John Dower who has raised the design, planting and exhibition of mini-gardens to a new level in recent years,
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For SRGC shows, rules about "miniature garden" entries vary as to size allowed....
e.g.
"1 miniature garden, not exceeding 0.37 sq. m (4 sq. ft) planted with living plants, no cut flowers allowed"..... this last instruction is applied to all.
or " 1 Miniature garden, container sides or diameter not exceeding 45cm, planted with rock plants "
or "1 container, various rock garden plants, arranged for effect, maximum diameter ( or length of side) of container 30 cm "
or " A container of rock plants, arranged for effect, all plants to be living"
or "1 miniature garden with longest sides or diameter noyt exceeding 45cm."
So, you see there are no hard and fast rules.... ::)
We know from experience here in Aberdeen that a shallow container need not be any barrier to ensuring a long life to its plants, even in very cold conditions. I suppose the main difference is that a miniature garden tries very hard to replicate a landcape in miniature, whereas a trough can just be a restricted and/or portable home for some plants.... a question of scale and style to some degree.... though, of course, it would be possible to have ( say) a very large stone horse trough which was planted very much as a mini landscape/garden but for practical reasons the miniature gardens for shows are restricted by ease of showing and carrying!!
I , too, believe that Johnny Dower's opinion on this would be useful :)
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I and my mates used to make miniature gardens of the "Mandy" kind, as hort projects at school, many years ago. Perhaps they still do nowadays. Mandy's and other like them while being homes for tiny plants seem almost to amount to an art form and while many troughs do likewise, those are, essentially, homes for plants which enjoy specific conditions, rather than, say, an end in themselves.
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To continue this theme I will post twenty images illustrating the construction and initial planting of a mini-garden that I created a good while ago ...
This garden was created to sit outside on a patio all year (without winter cover) and not primarily (but potentially) for future exhibition.
The 'drilled' limestone boulder was purchased from a garden centre and set about 3 ctms down into the gritty compost. The individual holes were plugged with tiny plants and were backfilled with compost and grit.
I'm afraid my plans to photograph the project from start to finish were dashed by holidays, memory lapses, etc. and I can only recall a number of the sixty or so little plants that I used (though investigation of the finished article might assist the aged brain cells).
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Batch two ...
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These are WONDERFUL Cliff. At first I thought the rock WAS the aged brain cells ;D
It looks like one of those amazing mountain cliffs seen in some South American rain forests, with plants of all kinds clinging to impossible inclines and overhangs. I hope it got a good prize somewhere. :)
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How wide is the pot Cliff? Looks about 15 inches or so?
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Thanks Lesley ... the pot is just a tad under the maximum size allowed at AGS shows - 36 cm outside diameter. Probably needs a couple more seasons to get well established, will replace some plants and add some small bulbs.
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WOW! What a terrific thread. I would have been here sooner but..... (well WORK is four letter word isn't it?)
It is a great boost to the old ego to have someone produce such wonderful mini-gardens and think I had something to do with it. Well done Mandy, they look super and will. I am sure, get the red stickers they deserve. Nice pics too Mike.
I have spent a great deal of time trying to persuade people to start mini-gardens and they always say it is difficult.
For me the hardest part of starting a new garden has been the landscaping - finding the right rocks and placing them to create the best impression is not that easy. Tufa works well and, with the possibility to plant directly into the rock is probably the most forgiving, but slate, schist, sandstone, coal and probably many more have all featured at some time or another.
What Mandy has done best is to create height. This means a relatively shallow pot can be made to almost disappear when the garden is fully planted.
Mandy has a super shallow pot which I very much like, and the height is brilliant. So why second?
There is no way to know. Perhaps a little more colour would help, perhaps the conifer is a little large, perhaps the 'non-rock' area is a little flat. Perhaps it is just a case of 'catching the judges eye'. Take your pick.
Cliffs pot is yet to see the light of day. Despite promising a debut over a considerable period nothing has yet emerged. Again, look at the rock! What a super piece with all those piddock holes. (That is how you spell it isn't it Cliff?)
I suggest this will lend itself to cushion plants, semps, dwarf bulbs etc. perfectly, though it will be difficult to rotate plants from those deep holes.
There are a few general rules which I have found of help when planting mini-gardens new and old for show :
1. Never give a plant too much room. Pack them in. This way they stay compact and in keeping.
2. Never feed. They don't need it.
3. Only water in a drought.
4. Never plant conifers and such above the 'tree line'. A little mountain top goes a long way in the landscape.
5. When plants get too big take them out. Plants which are out of proportion score poorly.
6. Don't though be in too much of a hurry to remove dwarf bulbs. Rhodohypoxis in particular seem to revel in mini-garden conditions and survive much better than in the garden proper.
8. When removing plants take them out as a plug. Don't be tempted to try teasing out the roots as it damages the surrounding plants too much. I have seldom lost a plant this way and it leaves the perfect hole to pack in new plants.
9. Don't be afraid to use common plants which self-seed in the garden. A few plants of Erinus alpina, Saxifraga cymbalaria, Primula wanda, Scilla rosea and others, in clumps or as a few dotted around the mini-garden, bring a very natural effect.
That's all for now. Will try to add more, and a few pics, later.
John
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Johnny, you are forgiven for uttering the "w" word !
What top-notch advice you give there.. and so succinctly....FAB!!
What Mandy has done best is to create height. This means a relatively shallow pot can be made to almost disappear when the garden is fully planted.
This is the key point for me in the success of Mandy's ( and any other) miniature garden.
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Damn...now I've got another project for spring...
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...as well as, to my mind, any trough garden. Adding the vertical element not only makes it aesthetically more pleasing, it creates more space to plant!
What about winter care? The photos make it appear as if most of these are constructed in terra cotta pans. These, unless high-fired, will not survive the freeze/thaw of winter with cracking and falling apart.
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Carlo, we are lucky in the UK in being able to source some very good terracotta pots which will withstand lot of frost, though some garden centres do sell very easily ruined types :P
It looks to me that Mandy has chosen bonsai type pots for her lovely gardens and these have the benefit, in my experience of being made of very sturdy ceramic or even sturdier resin type material.... good to look at and completley frost hardy. 8)
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Hi Carlo,
The garden I have illustrated is actually constructed in a very strong plastic pot that is made to look like terra cotta ... a British company produced these a number of years ago and, though quite expensive at the time, they proved an excellent buy (especially for exhibiting plants) - unfortunately I haven't seem them at garden centres for quite a while and the name of the manufacturer has joined a very long list of forgotten facts in my ever shrinking memory bank. (Another crumbling bank that pays few dividends these days)!
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Hi Carlo,
I must say I prefer the look of clay pots over plastic though suitable types are hard to find.
The best are those with thin, regular walls and no thick collar.
To protect them there is one trick which you might try. Soak pots in a weak solution of the white pva wood glue (around 10%) and then allow them to dry completely.
This reduces the penetration of water and avoids much of the freeze/thaw problem.
Cliffs suggestion of plastic is a good one, not only in respect of winter survival, but also as a means of reducing the weight of a fully built garden.
Many a mini-gardenist has been found to be a member of the hernia club!
Another suggestion is to use lightweight clay aggregate (leca) or even chipped polystyrene in the base to keep the weight down.
John
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Just a note regarding the rules for AGS shows in respect of mini-gardens.
The schedule now states what has been the accepted rule for some time that : 'a few seasonal plants may also be added for effect - these additional plants need not meet the 6-month ownership rule.'
This makes the presentation of an attractive garden easier, and adds greatly to the effect on the bench.
It would be great to see more gardens produced for show and perhaps this rule change will encourage more entries. I do hope so.
JohnnyD
p.s. I'm not sure if the same applies in SRGC shows.
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What a super thread 8) Miniature gardens have a great appeal to me and, armed with the inspirational photos and info here, I am on the case to try to create one for lime loving rock garden plants in tufa :) :)
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Great news RR.
When shall we see it at a show? ;D
J.
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oops! quoted the wrong post... here we go with the correct version:
Just a note regarding the rules for AGS shows in respect of mini-gardens.
The schedule now states what has been the accepted rule for some time that : 'a few seasonal plants may also be added for effect - these additional plants need not meet the 6-month ownership rule.'
This makes the presentation of an attractive garden easier, and adds greatly to the effect on the bench.
It would be great to see more gardens produced for show and perhaps this rule change will encourage more entries. I do hope so.
JohnnyD
p.s. I'm not sure if the same applies in SRGC shows.
Interesting to hear this, Johnny: I'll raise the point at the SRGC Show Secs meeting next week.
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Mr Miniature Garden; JohnnyD from Frodsham in Cheshire and his latest creation.
JOHN DOWER
MINIATURE GARDEN
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What a fantastic thread.
These miniature gardens are absolutely wonderful. I feel a new obsession coming on :o
I hope some updated pics will be posted.
Congrats to all who posted pics.
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Great news RR.
When shall we see it at a show? ;D
J.
Johnny, with competition like you and yours and Mandy and Cliff I think it will be 'in my dreams' but on the other hand I might have a head start with ideas and visions from the experts ;D
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Hi all,
I'm going to do Mandys seed list tonight . Has anybody got any suggestions of plants suitable for miniature gardens that are on the AGS seed list?
Cheers
mick
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Hi Mick,There are several Androsace species that would be ok for Mandys garden.A cylindrica,A hirtella,
A pyrenaica,A vandellii.
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Thanks for that Tony. That's a start.
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Hi Mick and Mandy,
Most of the thlaspis are suitable ... I'm certain that JohnnyD. will submit a list as long as his arm? :D
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Excellent mini gardens everyone. I just love the vertical aspect of the rocks...... not something you could even vaguely buy around here. Cliff's drilled rocks are just amazing!! I'd love a few of them for the garden proper, as they are so interesting.
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Would it be possible to get a plant list for John Dower's beautiful creation? :)