Janit Calvo - Gardening in Miniature: Create Your Own Tiny Living World by Janit Calvo and Kate Baldwin

GARDENING in MINIATURE

To Steve, the other pea in my pod

Copyright 2013 by Janit Calvo.

All rights reserved.

Photography credits appear on .

Published in 2013 by Timber Press, Inc.

The Haseltine Building

133 S.W. Second Avenue, Suite 450

Portland, Oregon 97204-3527

timberpress.com

2 The Quadrant

135 Salusbury Road

London NW6 6RJ

timberpress.co.uk

Printed in China

Book design by Laken Wright

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Calvo, Janit.

Gardening in miniature : create your own tiny living world/Janit Calvo; with photographs by Kate Baldwin.1st ed.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-60469-372-0

1. Gardens, Miniature. 2. Miniature plants. I. Baldwin, Kate. II. Title.

SB433.5.C37123 2013

635.9dc23

2012041271

A catalog record for this book is also available from the British Library.

GARDENING in MINIATURE

JANIT CALVO

Create Your Own Tiny Living World

with photographs by

KATE BALDWIN

TIMBER PRESS

PORTLAND | LONDON

Contents

PREFACE

I HAVE WITNESSED many people jump up and down, clap their hands, and squeal with excitementall simultaneouslyafter seeing their first miniature garden. Ive also had people write me long e-mails about their first garden, curse me (jokingly) for getting them started, and even phone to thank me for introducing them to this captivating hobby. I tell them if miniature gardening wasnt so much fun, I wouldnt be doing it.

Over the years, the concept has gradually caught on and been embraced throughout the world. Some seem to think its childs play and not for real gardeners, but if they pick up this book and read it, they will find that gardening in miniature can be as challenging as designing a full-sized garden; proportion and scale, elements of garden design, and sustainability all need to be considered.

It is a great way to get kids into the garden, but people are often surprised to learn that most miniature gardeners are over forty-five years old.

It was a natural progression for me to write a book on the subject. Im a publishers daughter who was born and bred into the hobby and collectibles industry in Toronto. My familys press is dedicated to cataloging many collecting hobbiescoins, hockey cards, and Royal Doulton figurines, just to name a few. So the instinct to gather new information on this hobby was ingrained. Once I found out that miniature gardening had yet to be updated and fully explored, I knew I had to dig deepera lot deeper. When I discovered that a book like this didnt exist, I looked around to find other experts with the experience and knowledge that I had accumulated, only to find none. I knew then that I was the one who had to write this book.

The information shared here comes from more than twelve years of working full-time promoting this hobby throughout the United States, Canada, and the world. Some of my miniature gardens have been with me for over nine years and are still thrivinga testament to the longevity and sustainability of miniature gardening. And a number of my customers, my beloved fellow miniature gardeners (MGs), have been with me for just as longproof of the depth and breadth of this hobby.

I know you will enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed putting it together for you. The introduction will start your gears turning with an overview of the many facets of this delightful pastime. Next up is a look at the basics of miniature gardening and its elements, both the physical and the intangible, followed by a chapter on scale and sizing. A look at tiny patios and pathwayskey components of most miniature gardenscomes next. A quick tour of the land of miniature plants follows, including details on growth habits and how to best use specific plants, as well as a brief list of plant recommendations. These suggestions merely scratch the surface; the number of miniature plants available grows exponentially as I write this. Next is a chapter full of the basics of soil, light, and wateringall especially helpful for new gardeners. A chapter on garden accessories offers tips on adding personality and realism. Then, the really fun stuff: hands-on, how-to projects large and small, to guide you through how I make my long-lasting miniature gardens. Youll find lakes, riverbeds, and ponds in there along with some handmade garden accessory ideas. We finish up with all-important instructions on maintaining healthy, thriving miniature gardens. Ive also included some additional reading suggestions for those whose curiosity has been piqued.

For most of us, anything miniature brings to mind the days when we were young and full of imagination, spinning tales of majesty and grandeur. The garden brings us beauty and lovely living things to nurture and grow. Together they create something magical, yet just challenging enough to hold our interest from year to year. You can build a miniature garden in an afternoon, or it can take several stages to achieve your goal. There is no right or wrong way, only your way. Best of all, its your world to grow, so remember: whatever you do, make it fun.

GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL GARDENS

AN INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS IT THAT draws the heart and eye to things smaller than real life? Perhaps the fact that anything miniature reminds us of play. After all, our childhood toys were our first miniatures. Whether they were Lincoln Logs, Legos, Barbies, G.I. Joes, or other kinds of dolls, our toys were always miniature versions of us or other parts of our lives. We projected ourselves into the scene and got lost in the small version of our world, exactly how we liked it. Those positive feelings of play and laughter wereand still arevital to our happiness, and when we see miniatures and remember our fun, carefree playtimes, we feel that way again.