Whether you live in a small city apartment far from the expanses of green space needed to grow a proper garden, have little time to keep up with large plants or simply love the whimsical nature of miniature items, a mini garden may be your best bet.

Some people have turned their love of mini gardens into full time hobbies, planting and pruning dozens of small plots per day while others create these small terrariums as projects for their children.

If you’re interested in growing your own miniature garden, here are a few steps for getting started.

How to Create Miniature Gardens

→ Firstly, decide whether your mini garden will be kept indoors or outside as this will have an effect on the type of plants that you will use. Some plants need hours of direct sunlight and heat and only thrive in an outdoor environment while some plants flourish inside. Remember, the plants need to be small.

→ Secondly, choose your garden holder. People have utilized everything from aquatic tanks and fishbowls to everyday box planters and pots. Feel free to get creative – as long as your container can adequately hold soil and water, it can probably be transformed into a terrarium.

→ Next, fill your chosen planter with soil and carefully plant your small perennials. Like a normal sized garden, make sure the plants each have plenty of space for growing roots. Remember that you may have to keep them pruned to avoid your plants growing too large for the planter.

→ Lastly, add in your tiny garden accessories. You can find miniature garden gnomes, benches and seating, tools, tiny pebbles for makeshift pathways, small statues and other items to complement your tiny green space. Then, watch as your small garden grows and thrives. In order to ensure a long and happy life for your tiny patch, be sure to water regularly and keep away from curious pets.

Image sources (down to bottom): TheGardenDiaries, ScentedLeaf, BuffaloSisters, ThePaperCrate, ASMWriter, MiniGardener, YellowPellow.