How to Make a Miniature Garden Terrarium I have long been fascinated with miniatures since visiting the dollhouses at my friend Debbie's Grandmother's house when I was 8. 
I have wanted to build a terrarium to look like a mini garden for several years. Last year I admired this terrarium box at Hobby Lobby and my husband surprised me with it for my birthday.
The key for me in making it happen was when I found a smallBonsai tree on my recent trip to the PCC flea market (Actually found it at the flower market in downtown LA) 
plants and two colors of moss to look like grass. To make the terrarium garden: 1. Spread potting soil across the bottom of the terrarium. (I did not use rocks first, as drainage isn't an issue with a sealed system that has little watering). 2. Place plants, moving soil around as necessary. Break the root balls in places to allow expansion for healthier plants. 3. Apply pressure to firm soil base. 4. I then built this patio by gluing small tiles to cardboard with Tacky Glue. The last row of tiles actually hangs over edge of cardboard so the cardboard won't show. Settle 'patio' into dirt, flattening and evening it with surrounding soil. 5. I then scattered the tiny white rocks left from the bonsai tree planter to define the area around the bird bath I have been saving for this project for years. 6. Last of all I placed other items from my dollhouse furniture collection. I am not happy with the table and chairs, so they will eventually be replaced with a metal set, that is in better scale. (The wood on this set is too thick and looks clumsy)
This is how the bonsai tree looks snuggled in to a corner of the box. I think it is amazing. As I mentioned the bird house and other furniture is from the surplus furniture I have stored from putting my doll house together. I loved it when my 13 year old granddaughter said "Hey grandma that garden 
would be perfect with the dollhouse you used to have, that I played with when I was little. " She evidently doesn't know the dollhouse is just stored in the attic. Now that my youngest has moved out I have plans to bring it down and place it in what is now my guest room. Maybe the terrarium will move there too, and be placed side by side with the doll house. But then, that is the subject of a future post on 'How to put together a dollhouse', right?Thanks for coming along and hopefully enjoying my miniature garden terrarium with me.
That turned out so sweet! What a fun idea.
ReplyDeleteSooo adorable! I've been wanting to make a fairy garden for awhile now. Maybe this will be the inspiration I need to get started. Mimi
ReplyDeleteThat is adorable! I saw some that bloggers did last year in pot saucers or shallow pots and used outside. I think I may do one for myself since we down-sized to a condo and smaller is better now! I always walk by the miniatures at the craft store; mainly because I'm looking to see what I will buy when I redo the dollhouse my Dad had made for my daughter. Ours is also in storage right now, but I have plans to redo it for my granddaughter.
ReplyDeleteGreat tutorial, it turned out nicely.
ReplyDeleteSo lovely! My little girls would go crazy over this. I'm your newest follower, btw. Hope you'll stop by my blog one day soon.
ReplyDeleteHow darling! Thanks for the tutorial.
ReplyDeleteBabs
This is so cool. Thanks for sharing how you did it.
ReplyDeleteThis is so fun...I've never thought to make a miniature garden!
ReplyDeleteI am obsessed with fairy gardens right now and am planning to make 4 of them for mothers day gifts for my daughters. I love looking at what everyone else has done and gathering ideas. Thanks for sharing yours. I really love the tile patio, and the miniature birdbath!
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