Bernice Brilmayer

“ Be daring, be creative, be artistic when planning container projects and arrangements. If a fat little fern looks right for a teacup, let the cup be squat and fat; or let it be fluted gracefully and flared up to the delicate frond-fans. If a miniature orchid looks like a gem without a case, set it on pebbles in a clear crystal bowl; or perhaps invert a dome-shaped watch glass over it. If a succulent makes you think of a tough little gnome, for goodness sake don’t plant it in one of those grotesqueries which is the hump of a camel’s back or a cavity along the spinal column of a ceramic cat. ”

“ If your idea of a pretty garden centers around statuesque delphiniums, precise rows of roses, bold splashes of boisterous color, you may call insipid what we find enchanting. But if your senses respond to the fresh, sharp aroma of moist woods soil, the whispering of trees, the patterns of cool shadows, the shy delicacy of the spring beauty, or the gnome-like pomposity of a Jack-in-the-pulpit, be sure to have at least a tiny woodland garden, whether you have to create a spot for it or have it naturally. Once established, it gives more refreshment for less care than any other garden I know. ”

“ The hobbyist, with his dividends of fun, is not the only one who benefits from this new concept of light and plants. There is the home home-decorator, the woman of the house, who finds in plants the sort of ornament the entire family enjoys. She’d like the graceful lines of a vine tumbling down from the mantel, jewel-like flowering plants on the shelf of a corner cupboard, a garden of green atop the room divider between the living and dining areas. Frustratingly, she discovers that where the plants are most effective, too often they won’t grow and flourish. ”

“ Honestly, I can’t see any reason why plants must be immortal, why they can’t refresh and beautify the home as long as they remain healthy and attractive, and not one minute longer, and then be discarded. I do object to stringy, leafless stems of expiring philodendron, dried-up dish gardens, or any plant or combination of plants that has become undecorative because it is dying. Actually, some florists’ plants, such as greenhouse primulas and calceolarias, are annuals that come into full bloom only once, and having had their big moment are supposed to die peacefully afterward. ”

“ A birdbath, sundial, or shrine that’s a focal point in a small garden can sometimes be embellished with a small rock garden at the base. So can the edge or corner of a raised patio. Terrace pavements with cushions of thyme rooted in the crevices are enriched with color, fragrance, and texture. The lines of stark steps are softened and the appearance mellowed by crowded clumps of fat sempervivums. Wherever you can find reason for a rock wall, or even a row of rocks laid horizontally and only a few inches high, you can plant it with rockery plants at top, bottom, or in between. ”

“ CHAPTER 6
MINIATURE HOUSE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS
My gardening friends certainly vary as to ability, inclination, talent, and aptitude. At one extreme there is Aunt Minnie, whose green thumb injects magic into every pot and for whom every plant grows to buxom, blooming perfection. At the other end of the scale there is the poor soul who tries so hard but can’t keep a plant alive no matter what she does. Why do some plant-lovers never fail, while others never seem to win? ”

“ There are some very special treasures for every garden in this big family of spicy-scented plants with flowers that seem to have been fringed with pinking shears. There are impermanent perennials that flower the first year like annuals, biennials like sweet William that often self-sow, longer lived types that tuft or spread out to make low flowering mounds or mats, elusive alpines for the rock-garden connoisseur, pixies with tiny half-inch flowers, and great garden carnations. Every year new hybrids make the list longer. ”

“ In the rock garden, at the edge of a border, with evergreen ground covers, clustered wherever there’s a stone or stump to back them up, used by the hundreds as drifts in the lawn, miniature bulbs more than anything else give you that spring feeling. ”

“ On a patio or terrace, it could be a contemporary grouping of low, fluffy juniper, perennial lavender, and water-polished rocks.
These are miniature gardens—not complete landscaping plans for small properties, but appealing plantings that often pop up in unexpected places and bring beauty into otherwise unusable or undecorated areas. They’re gardens because, by definition, they are groups of plants that achieve an effect a single plant could not create alone. They’re miniature gardens because they occupy small space, and because most of their plants are of miniature proportions. ”

“ It’s neither a shamrock nor an oxalis, although it has three-part leaves resembling both and is marked with a mahogany quarter-moon in the center. But, the blooms are pea-like, all right, with ocean blue blending into pink on the two side petals. It’s a tender tropical trailer never more than three inches tall with creeping stems rooting over the soil. ”

“ First, let’s define the objective—a miniature tree or shrub with every part in perfect scale, the line and design of trunk and branches clearly outlined and not forced or distorted but naturally picturesque. If you start with a very small plant, a seedling, or a rooted cutting, the choice of shape and design is mostly up to you. But more mature plants almost always suggest their own form. A trunk may be slightly twisted, a branch slightly bent, the leaves or needles heavier in one area than another. You simply carry on the illusion in as natural a manner as possible. ”

“ No plant of ours is left to waste its life away on the fireplace mantel, where the light is too dim to read the printing on a book of matches. Granted, we might set it there for a day or so as a decoration, but we would return it to its bright window sill before it began to stretch out weakly in search of light. ”

“ MINIATURE PLANTS, BONSAI-STYLE
Only in the true Oriental bonsai do art and horticulture combine in such an extreme state of perfection—and in miniature to boot. Paintings may be as magnificent, but they’re inanimate. Ancient trees of the forest may have equal artistic virtue, but they’re not shaped by the hand of man. Living bonsai trees, sometimes centuries old, become masterpieces because, says Claude Chidamian, “they’re planted in philosophy, shaped by art, grown with love.” ”

“ One prop—a hand-carved well-head, an alabaster birdbath, a lichen-covered rock—is usually plenty for any one garden. If it is handsome in its own right, the whole garden may be designed to set it off. If it’s a supporting element, play it down and let the plants stand out in the picture.
The same is true of streams, pools, walks, walls, and other miniature landscape constructions. They’re pretty and they’re fun to make; but just one too many can spoil a garden.
Naturally, any accessories and props to be used in a sink garden should be sturdy and weather-resistant. ”

“ There are such things to consider as the type of plant and its moisture needs, size of the plant and its pot, what sort of soil is in the pot, is the plant root-bound or not, is it in active growth or dormant, what is the weather like out of doors—is it warm or blustery, clear and sunny, dark and humid, or just another day. ”

“ If ever a plant was a miniature, this is it. The tuber is hardly as large as a grain of wheat. The soft round leaves, not even a quarter-inch across, make a flat rosette on the soil in a thimble, or any tiny pot. From the crown arise the thread-thin stems, to the great height of one inch. And from the tip of each stem stands a slim flaring, tube-like flower, pale orchid with violet veins and lemon in the throat. This plant is quite obviously close kin to the familiar gloxinia (G. speciosa hybrids) , but you almost need a magnifying glass to compare the characteristics. ”

“ I love plants; and I think millions of other people do. From the windows of my commuting train I see New York tenement tenants wistfully watering morning glories that pathetically climb fire-escape trellises. More prosperous Manhattanites spend small fortunes on florists’ plants to bring the breath of green life into their sterile apartments; and their disappointment, if the plants die, is pitiable. Suburbanites have a yen to make a hobby of collecting plants. ”

“ In similar fourth-floor quarters on New York’s dreary 41st Street, miniature orchids and other tropicals make a flamboyant jungle. In an attic in Levittown, a cellar in Bayside, a heated garage in Westchester, plants make it look like July in January, living their life cycles over and over again without ever seeing the sun. The life they must have for existence is supplied by electricity. ”

“ Small gardens can be designed as settings for works of art or products of the hand-craftsman—ceramic bowls and urns, authentic wrought-iron grilles, wood carvings, statuary, sundials, pools, even fountains and waterfalls. Or a garden may be designed with a background of well-placed rock, a tree stump, or a piece of driftwood. A bench, arch, gate, antique hitching post, or well-house may inspire a miniature planting. Inanimate ground covers such as gravel are often a definite part of the design. ”

“ Instead, we’ve learned how to tuck little gardens into odd corners; to compensate for limited space with intimate miniature perfection; to hunt for and find the small plants that are in sympathy and in scale with our small house and landscape. Cramped growing quarters indoors have [10] even led us to collect miniature house plants. And when, some sweet day, we have our own personal greenhouse on the place, it’s bound to be in scale with the rest of it. ”

“ Reading some of the catalogues is like taking a quick trip to exotic parts of the world. And for me, ordering no more than I can find time to plant and care for is a severe exercise in self-restraint. There are always a few more that would look well in some special spot, others that are intriguing simply because I’ve never grown or seen them. ”

“ Someday I want to try an Oriental garden featuring a bonsai-style dwarf tree and planted sparsely, in the Japanese manner, with tiniest shrubs and perennials and a ground cover of fine moss or sand, and perhaps a curved bridge over a still stream.
With a suitable container you could do an outdoor desert garden. Many miniature desert plants are hardy or semihardy and would live through the winter with some protection. ”

“ Think for a moment—you wouldn’t tuck a dry-growing peperomia in the soil beside a moisture-loving fern, or a cool-growing wild flower beside a tropical selaginella. They just aren’t meant to live with each other.
Next, size up your plants as to height—larger and bolder plants for the background or for accent, creepers for blending. In between should come the many flowering and foliage plants that make your garden a thing of beauty.
Many of these plants can be bought at florists’ shops or variety stores. Others are available by mail, including the wildlings. ”

“ The truth is that there is no single, incontrovertible secret to success, but rather a combination of many factors of equal, or nearly equal, importance. The best soil in the world won’t make plants flower unless temperature and sunlight are right. The frequency with which you water plants should be affected by indoor temperature, humidity, and pot size. And don’t think it is Aunt Minnie’s favorite brand of fertilizer alone that keep her plants in good health. ”

“ One small boulder half-sunk in the ground can inspire an irregular, shallow pool that makes a natural birdbath. A miniature shrub may back up the boulder; rock-garden plants may grow at its base.
Many nooks and corners in the naturalistic landscape spontaneously suggest the creation of a tiny pool, and become exciting little garden surprises. These can often be so simply made that there’s not even a drainage hole in the bottom. Scooping out the water, as needed, is no chore at all. ”

“ It is my observation that an underfed plant usually doesn’t die quickly. It simply slows down until you have time to feed it. It is particularly important not to fertilize plants that have been repotted recently, plants that are unhealthy or are plagued by insects or disease, plants that are resting right after flowering, plants that are dormant or semidormant, as some of them are at certain times of the year. Do fertilize plants that are in active growth, setting buds, or in full bloom, plants that are aglow with good health, plants whose roots have filled, or nearly filled, their pots. ”

“ There’s a chamaecyparis that forms a fluffy, green two-inch ball by the time it’s seven years old; a cone-shaped Norway spruce that rarely grows more than twelve inches tall; a one-foot rhododendron with deep-crimson trumpet flowers; a nonfruiting viburnum that makes a two-foot globe tightly packed with ivy-like leaves. There are junipers that form plush carpets; ericaceous evergreens with neat mounds of twinkling flowers over shiny teardrop leaves; deciduous shrubs with golden blooms, seeds in silky pea pods, and green stems that look leafy the year round. ”

“ Don’t crowd these plants. Just the addition of one extra pot can spoil the effect of a perfect garden. Miniatures are not meant to be massed. When crammed close together they can look like a weedy, unmown lawn. Give each plant enough space to set off its modest charm, then you’ll find each one doubly charming in its space. ”

“ The single purpose is to create, or re-create, a small section of the woods with the shade, humus, and other environmental conditions woodsy plants can’t live without. The essence of the tiniest planting—even a colony of trillium at the foot of a spreading evergreen—is its naturalness. ”

“ Large or small, a greenhouse garden, like any other, should be designed carefully and never planted until you have the plan firmly in mind. Each plant should be given room in relation to all the others, and not merely at planting time but with maturity time in mind. Allow plenty of space for spreaders to spread and creepers to creep; and make sure every climber has its support. And, of course, plants in close proximity should have compatible cultural preferences in soil, moisture, light, and the like. ”

“ Depending on your plants, your container, and your whims or desires, a terrarium can be a Lilliputian reproduction of a landscape, an artistic composition, or perhaps merely a single perfect plant enhanced by a crystal setting. ”

“ A plant that needs full sun will not flower in a shady spot. Acid-loving plants will not flourish in alkaline soil. Those that like their roots kept cool and moist will wither where it is hot and dry. Watch for unfavorable factors such as high walls, drip from overhanging eaves, low, muggy spots where there is little circulation of fresh air. If the plant requires a lot of pruning, training, and spraying, make sure you have the time to take care of its well-being. A healthy, easy-to-care-for barberry is infinitely more ornamental than a glamorous shrub struggling to stay alive. ”

“ One African-violet plant may grow several crowns, or main stems complete with rosettes. Since single-crown plants usually are more shapely and bloom more abundantly, the extra crowns can be cut off and rooted like ordinary stem cuttings. This is one of the more popular methods of dividing an old plant and getting several new ones from it.
Some plants will eventually make such dense, bushy growth that they not only look obese and unattractive, but are prey to all sorts of rot. Root division not only gives these plants a new lease on life, but also provides several new plants. ”

“ In no other art form is it more obvious that a subordinate element such as a container can make or mar the perfection of a picture. For instance, with a painting the frame can have small faults without lessening the impression of a masterpiece. But bonsai is so stark that a slight imperfection can become a glaring error. So, although the container is merely a supporting feature, it becomes only a little less important than the center of interest, the plant. ”

“ What a rock garden should be, is an integral part of the landscape, completely at home and in harmony with its surroundings, and having a sound reason for its existence. Except for a few functional affairs such as walls that retain terraces and steps that climb banks, their purpose is mainly ornamental. Neither rocks nor plants are featured at the expense of the other. Both work together to create the picture—the plants to add brightness, vitality, and life ”

“ Providing the proper soil is vitally important to rock-garden plants, and particularly to alpines. They’re naturally dwarfed by the rough conditions in their native mountain areas. But when they move down to our comparatively lush climates and longer growing seasons, they respond to a too-rich diet by growing too tall and rangy, with too few flowers, and they lose their charm. They do need some nourishment, of course. And they are extremely sensitive to soil textures and drainage conditions. Heavy, soggy soil causes them to rot quickly. Soil that lacks organic matter dries out too fast. ”

“ Now let’s be fair to florists—their gardens and landscapes are turned out on a commercial basis in order that they may make money. (Outside of a few fancy floral outfits, none of them gets rich, particularly when one considers the long hard hours they spend on the job.) In the interest of economy they often combine plants of complete cultural incompatibility—dry-growing succulents with moisture-loving aroids; African violets that need sun for flowering with ferns that scorch in it. Too often these dish gardens are crammed with too many plants for the amount of soil ”

“ There are miniatures in almost all of our best-known plant families, and there are some groups that have almost nothing but miniatures to offer. There are small-scale trailers, climbers, creepers; leaf rosettes or bushlets; tropical plants and mountain-dwellers; those with striking foliage, spectacular foliage, or both. Once you discover the wealth of Lilliputian plants you can grow in your home, I warn you, your will power had better be strong, else you never will stop following this fascinating hobby of raising the little fellows. ”

“ If you think that the importance of suitable humus-rich soil is either exaggerated or overrated, think also of this: With the type of light and humus (usually acid) in which they grow naturally, woodland plants will settle down contentedly in your garden and establish families and colonies that increase every year. If you don’t provide it, they’ll get homesick and pine away. Not only that, but once they’ve made themselves at home, they’ll require practically no care. ”

“ Outdoors, miniature roses are delightful in all kinds of containers—tubs, strawberry jars, window boxes, and other planters. They’re often used as a low hedge to edge a path, driveway, or the beds of a formal rose garden, or around the base of a birdbath or sundial. In mixed flower borders they’re planted singly or in small groups toward the front. In rock gardens they keep most safely cool and moist when planted low, near the base of the garden; and they show off most effectively with something like a dwarf evergreen as background. ”