Do You Know That Opposites Attract In A Miniature Fairy Garden?

By Author: Linda-Ann Hinde
Total Articles: 11
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Have you ever wondered how the professional designers create beautiful miniature gardens? Do you make sketches in your mind of their final designs in hopes of planting a garden with classic combinations? One of the secrets to their gardening style is that when it comes to texture… opposites attract!

This article explains how opposites attract in a miniature fairy garden.

In the plant world, you will discover many opposites when it comes to textures, such as smooth or prickly, delicate or rough, and lacy or solid. Texture refers to the surface characteristics that can be experienced through actually touching the plant or visually experiencing the illusion of touch. The shading of colors and the reflection of light also create texture in the miniature garden, as well as the gloss or dullness of the hues. Plants create texture in the garden in addition to pathways, hardscape, furniture, and structures. There are endless ways to combine the various textures and create a successful garden.

Let’s start with the three basic texture groups: coarse, medium, and fine. When planning a container or a backyard miniature ...
... garden, work with achieving a balance of textures. Highly textured plants, for example a Stonecrop, would fall into the coarse category, as well as hardscaping materials or gardening structures with rough surfaces. Medium textures as in the Tiny Toes Coleus provide a pleasing transition between the rough and smooth plants. Lastly, the fine texture can be seen in the Aureus Dwarf Golden Sweet Flag with its spiky, but smooth thin leaves. Ferns and grasses also fall into the fine category. Consider using a thin wired arbor or polished surfaces on your accessories to incorporate some delicacy in the miniature garden. Remember the various textures of plants and accessories can be relative to each other.

What may seem finely textured becomes coarse when placed next to an item with a smooth and glossy surface. From a design standpoint, it is best to use fine textured plants against a backdrop of bolder textures and forms, since bolder textures cause the eye to stop while finer plants increase the feeling of space. Working with bolder textures and the dynamic contrast they create makes a garden exciting! When you are combining plants, make sure their requirement for the sun, water, and soil are the same. Before planting and decorating your miniature garden, take some time to visually audition your design while keeping in mind these secret tips for successful, small-scaled gardening.

Miniature Gardening offers a variety of accessories, fairies, plants, garden tools & furniture to create enchanting miniature landscapes for containers or your yard. Adding fairy houses like whimsical cottages, gnome doors, bridges, paths, rustic fences, garden tools and even a miniature animal or two to the miniature garden will delight all in your family.