MINIATURE TREES AND SHRUBS
Abelia Caprifoliaceae
Ornamental shrub, persistent or deciduous, often half evergreen, spreading. Leaves simple, opposite, nearly stalkless. Flowers white or pink tubular, persistent purplish sepals. Native of Asia Minor and Mexico.
CARE. Semisun, or some protection. Well-drained soil with leaf mold. Amenable to pruning. Cool greenhouse. Hardy in zones 4 and 5.
PROPAGATION. Greenwood cuttings in summer, ripe wood cuttings in autumn, layering in spring, rarely from seed.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, ground cover, slopes, and as specimens; use as an evergreen in mild climates.
Abeliophyllum distichum Oleaceae White Forsythia, Korean Abelia
Deciduous ornamental shrub two to three inches high. White flowers in dense clusters in May and June or in February in mild climates. Leaves like the abelia, branches arching. Close relative to the forsythia; flowers smaller but more of them. Deep-purple flower buds form in the fall.
CARE. Sun, drainage, moist soil, hardy in zones 4 and 5. Too severe winter weather may kill the buds for spring. Needs some cover.
PROPAGATION. Same as for abelia.
SPECIAL USES. Same as for abelia.
Foliage details of popular miniature trees and shrubs
Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera aurea
Acer palmatum dissectum
Abies Pinaceae Fir
Pyramidal evergreen trees with whorls and graceful branches. Cones are erect; leaves flat, narrow, whitish on the underside with two lines, and shiny green above. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish from spruce, picea. (Spruce sheds leaves when dry, and its cones hang.) Bark is smooth and thin when young, thick and furrowed when old. Dwarf varieties are A. balsamea nana, A. grandis nana, A. procera (nobilis) glauca prostrata, two feet high.
CARE. Cool, humid. Hardy in the North.
PROPAGATION. Cuttings, grafting, seed.
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai.
Andromeda Ericaceae Bog Rosemary
Low, dwarf evergreen shrubs with narrow leaves, urn or bell-shaped pink flowers in May. Dwarf varieties are A. glaucophylla, less than a foot tall with leathery green leaves lightly frosted beneath, stems erect; and A. polifolia, a root-creeping species, the leaf margins often rolled.
CARE. Cool, very acid soil, peaty, deep acid leaf mold. Prefers bog garden; if among rocks, prepare soil to conform to above. Sun or part shade. Very hardy.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings (mature wood under glass), layers, division.
SPECIAL USES. Rock and bog gardens.
Azalea (Rhododendron) Ericaceae
The azalea differs from the rhododendron only in technical points. The size varies from tree-like to almost prostrate. It flowers from April to June and is the most vivid of all shrubs. Colors pink, yellow, salmon, purple, white, red, and orchid. Some are fragrant.
CARE. Acid soil, sun. Moist, unsuited for areas where there is less than twenty-five inches of rainfall per year. Water after flowering when plant is making new shoots. Reduce watering in summer. Prune to check irregular growth after blooming season. Remove old blooms. Fertilize after flowering. Dust soil with sulfur.
PROPAGATION. Seeds; layering, in air and in the soil; cuttings. Balled and burlapped plants can be set out almost any time.
SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, foundation planting, bonsai.
Betula nana Betulaceae Birch
Deciduous shrub, spreading and branching to two feet, leaves to one-half inch long. When young the leaves are sticky and fuzzy on the underside. A native of Alaska. Flowers, catkins.
CARE. Moist sandy soil.
PROPAGATION. Seeds (stratify at once), layering, green-wood cuttings under glass.
SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, trough gardens.
Bruckenthalia spiculifolia Ericaceae Balkan Heath
Evergreen, heath-like shrub ten inches high. Small pink bell flowers in summer. Gives the effect of billowy daintiness.
CARE. Drainage and not soggy wet. Hardy, but mulch in zone 4 with salt hay in winter. Sun; soil gritty and acid.
PROPAGATION. Seeds and cuttings.
SPECIAL USES. Rock and trough gardens.
Buxus Buxaceae Box, Boxwood
Evergreen shrub, very small with clusters of small flowers. Slow-growing; in fact, boxwood I set out two years ago seems hardly to have changed in size. But we await the possibilities with anticipation and patience. It is a versatile shrub.
CARE. Little or no care seems necessary. It grows in just about any soil not sandy or rocky. It has shallow roots. We protect it in winter with a light mulch. Plant in spring or late summer; use little or no fertilizer. It accepts being pruned or sheared.
PROPAGATION. Hardwood cuttings, suckers, division, layering.
SPECIAL USES. Edging, foundation planting, bonsai, hedges, pots, and dish gardens.
Calluna vulgaris Ericaceae Heather, Ling
Low evergreen shrub, clusters of pinkish bell flowers in August and September, leaves very small.
CARE. Soil light, peaty, sandy, with acid leaf mold. Full sun best but light shade is acceptable. Drainage is necessary in winter but prevent dehydration by dry winds. Hardy.
PROPAGATION. Cuttings, layering, division.
SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, foundation planting, edging, containers.
Caryopteris incana Verbenaceae Blue Spirea
Deciduous shrub, gray-green toothed leaves. Shrub grows to two or three feet and forms a ball the same width; firmly packed with fuzzy, fringed flowers in late summer, of blue or purplish tints.
CARE. Full sun, light soil, the sandier the better. Tolerates drought. Not entirely hardy and may be killed-back but will bloom anyhow. Prune severely in spring, making a more compact plant.
PROPAGATION. Cuttings of mature wood in August (root under glass), layering, seeds.
SPECIAL USES. Borders.
Cassiope lycopodioides Ericaceae
Low evergreen from two to three inches high and formed in a fat dome of the same width. Needle-like leaves are tiny and overlap like shingles. Has white bell flowers in spring.
CARE. Moist and cool, part shade, soil peaty or sandy and acid. Suffers in long hot summers or drought. Native of Siberia and Alaska.
PROPAGATION. Cuttings from mature wood in August (root under glass), layering, seeds.
SPECIAL USES. Rock and trough gardens.
Chaenomeles (Cydonia) Rosaceae Japanese Quince, Flowering Quince
Deciduous or semideciduous shrub with alternate toothed leaves of shiny green tone. Blooms in spring before leaves appear, in shades of white or pink. Later forms hard, quince-like fruit that is fragrant.
CARE. Almost any soil, but if fertile more flowers; drainage; partial shade produces more flowers. Top-dress in spring with garden fertilizer. Can be pruned for hedges (not too much).
PROPAGATION. Seeds (plant in spring and stratify), root cuttings, cuttings from ripe wood (root under glass), layering, grafting.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, specimens, hedges (do not prune as much as privet), bonsai.
Chamaecyparis (Retinospora) Cupressaceae False Cypress, White Cedar
Actually this is an evergreen that grows to a hundred feet, but it also comes in a wide variety of two-foot dwarfs. Basically the tree is pyramidal and has leaves more like scales than needles. They are very dense and tight, on drooping branches. Some of the dwarf species are C. obtusa coespitosa (tennis ball), C. lawsoniana, C. compacta, C. compacta glauca, C. nana compressa.
CARE. Acid soil; needs moisture, due to shallow roots. Fertilize, prune some to keep shapely, root-prune for rock gardens.
PROPAGATION. Seeds from the small cones.
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock gardens, specimens.
Chamaedaphne calyculata Ericaceae Leatherleaf
Evergreen shrub that is a native bog dweller and therefore good for locations unsuitable for many plants. The evergreen two-inch leaves look rusty underneath and are dull brown in winter; branches are sparse. In spring it has dangling clusters of little white flowers. One-foot variety nana effective in moist part of rock gardens.
CARE. Moist location, acid soil with peat.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings from ripe wood (rooted under glass), layering.
SPECIAL USES. Bog gardens; dwarf variety for rock gardens.
Cotoneaster Rosaceae
This is a small shrub; some varieties are deciduous, some persistent. Has small pink or white flowers in the spring. In fall has bright-red berries. Deciduous leaves are colored before they drop.
CARE. Sun, but will accept some shade. Cool and moist but never waterlogged. (Subject to red spider if hot and dry.) Use lime to produce a slightly alkaline soil; use loamy soil. Needs circulation of air and drainage. Prune only to remove dead wood or broken branches. Doesn’t transplant readily. Plant in permanent location.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, sown when ripe or stratified by layers in autumn; cuttings of young wood in late summer (root under glass).
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock walls, hedges, foundation planting.
Cryptomeria japonica Taxodiaceae
This is a Japanese evergreen tree that grows to towering heights but has several dwarf varieties: lobbi, pygmaea, and nana. It has shreddy red-brown bark and distinctive root formations above ground, making it very appealing for bonsai work. Blue-green leaves.
Cotoneaster humifusa and juniperus sabina tamariscifolia
Cotoneaster humifusa with flowers and berry
CARE. Protect during hot and dry summer, and from low temperatures. It is best in warmer climates. Enriched soil is not necessary but produces a more pleasing tree.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings, grafting. Seeds are stratified, and do not always come true. Cuttings are more satisfactory.
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai.
Daboecia cantabrica Ericaceae Irish Bell Heather
An evergreen shrub, upright and dwarf (ten to eighteen inches). The leaves are dark green but fuzzy white underneath. Purple, drooping-urn flowers, in clusters, last all summer.
CARE. Soil gritty, sandy, and peaty. Protect in winter and be careful about drainage. Mulch with salt hay or evergreen leaves.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, cuttings from ripe wood under glass.
SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens.
Daphne Thymelaeaceae
Some of these little shrubs are evergreen, some are not. Some of them grow very low. All of the several varieties bloom in early spring, often on bare wood. Colors vary from white to pink. Most varieties are fragrant.
CARE. Plant in a cool, moist location in light soil, drained and slightly sandy. Protect in winter with straw or salt hay.
PROPAGATION. Seeds are sown at once or are stratified; softwood cuttings after flowering; layering; hardwood cuttings in fall.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, border planting, rock gardens, greenhouse forcing, ground cover, bonsai.
Deutzia Saxifragaceae
This is a heavy flowering shrub with a compact, plump shape. The flowers, resembling small hoop skirts or bells, cover the plant almost completely. Colors vary with varieties, white, pink, and pink with red touches.
CARE. Will grow and flower in some shade. Accepts most any soil. Needs drainage. Most varieties are hardy.
PROPAGATION. Both green-wood and hardwood cuttings, layers, seeds in spring.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, greenhouse forcing.
Euonymus Celastraceae Burning Bush
Sizes can vary from dwarf shrubs to medium-size trees. Sometimes it is evergreen, but is more likely to be deciduous. Simple, opposite leaves; clusters of small flowers in spring. Has showy fruit which turns red in fall and opens to drop the seeds. Has brilliant red coloring in autumn.
CARE. Grows in ordinary soil and does well in shade (bright sun makes for better colors in fall). Most varieties are hardy.
PROPAGATION. Seeds (sown in spring), layering, hardwood cuttings.
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, pots, dish gardens, rock gardens, hedges.
Fothergilla Hamamelidaceae Bottle Brush
Native American shrub, deciduous with alternate coarse-toothed leaves, hazel-like in appearance and brilliant in fall colors. During the flowering season blooms of a lustrous white resemble shaggy dust mops. It is slow-growing and adapts itself to bonsai treatment.
CARE. Seemingly, it requires little pampering. It likes moist situations. It is hardy and can be pruned to size and shape.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, layers (may take two years to root), and root cuttings.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, bonsai.
Ilex crenata helleri ca. 20–25 year old spec. with Abies glauca conica
Ilex crenata helleri Aquifoliaceae Holly
Holly may be a tree or a shrub and is sometimes an evergreen. The waxy green leaves are known to anyone who has ever seen a Christmas wreath. The red berries are almost as striking. Most varieties grow slowly.
CARE. Most like rich well-drained spots. They need acid soil or the leaves turn yellow. They are hard to transplant and it should only be tried in the spring before growth starts. The deciduous varieties are easier to move, but are not so hardy. If you are buying a tree, get nursery stock that has been freshly dug. Mulch, but not near the trunks in winter because of mice. If you desire the red berries, spray with hormones. Prune yearly for shape, in winter.
PROPAGATION. Seeds (stratify, slow to germinate), cuttings of young ripe wood (root under glass).
SPECIAL USES. Hedges, rock gardens, containers, foundation planting, bonsai.
Juniperus Cypressaceae Juniper
Evergreen trees and shrubs with needles or scale leaves. Can be tall trees or prostrate shrubs that hug the ground. Foliage is a beautiful blue-green.
A beautiful specimen of Juniperus procumbens nana with pansies in a corner planting
CARE. Moderately moist loamy soil. Some (J. communis) thrive in dry spots amid rocks. Most are hardy. Many varieties are exceptionally hardy and accept sun or shade, city dust, fumes, and smoke. All like drainage and wide spacing.
PROPAGATION. Cuttings, seeds, layering.
SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, foundation planting, containers, bonsai.
Picea abies Pinaceae Spruce
Pyramidal, evergreen, coniferous trees native to the cooler parts of the country. They have four-sided leaves that fall easily, leaving cones that usually droop. Although many varieties are tall and majestic, there are some of the most shapely dwarfs in the family. They grow so slowly they are desirable for small landscapes. Among the dwarfs are: clanbrasiliana, gregoryana, maxwelli, nana, nidformis. The latter, with its dark-green needles and flat open top, is also known as the bird’s nest spruce. It is less expensive because it grows very easily from cuttings.
CARE. Hardy, tolerates more wet than firs or pines, and is at home in most soils.
PROPAGATION. Seeds and cuttings.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, bonsai.
Pinus Pinaceae Pine
Among the many familiar pines of ornamental interest there are several dwarf forms for limited landscapes. All bear needle-leaves in typical bundles of two, three, or five according to type. Here are some possibilities: P. cembra chlorocarpa, P. mugo (montana) mughus, and a variety of the white pine, P. strobus nana.
CARE. Light, dry, sandy soil. Plant where sheltered; for example, a northern slope. Dry summer winds and unseasonable, warm winter sun will turn the leaves brown. In transplanting trees, remember that the roots do not stand exposure to air. Take the biggest possible chunk of dirt with them. In buying, get stock that is balled in burlap.
PROPAGATION. Seeds and grafting.
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, containers, rock gardens, foundation planting.
Rhododendron Ericaceae
Some of the most charming of our truly miniature shrubs, far too infrequently known and grown. Rhododendron species and hybrids may be under a foot tall at maturity and have leaves as small as a little fingernail. The only thing out of proportion is the size of their flowers. Here are some of them: cantabile, chryseum, cinnabarinum, cuneatum, didymum, fastigiatum, ferrugineum, flavidum (primulinum), glaucum (glaucophyllum), hypolepidotum, impeditum, kotschyi, radinum, riparium, russatum, williamsianum.
CARE. Humus-rich soil, sandy and of open texture. Mulch for winter season and water before freezing weather. Withered leaves in the dead of winter mean lack of moisture as well as cold weather.
PROPAGATION. Seeds, softwood tip cuttings (in June).
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock gardens, edging, foundation planting.
Rhododendron keiskei
Sciadopitys verticillata Taxodiaceae Umbrella Pine
The five-inch needles of this slow-growing Japanese evergreen spread out from new tip growth like the ribs of a half-open umbrella, giving it an airy distinction. The tree, a squat pyramid, with short branches and a stubby main trunk, is ideal for bonsai cultivation.
CARE. Grows well in most any soil but does better in one that has been enriched. As it is slow-growing, there is slight danger that it will outgrow its dwarf proportions. Transplant only when young and do not expose the roots. Protect from severe winter conditions.
PROPAGATION. Seeds.
SPECIAL USES. Bonsai, rock gardens, specimens.
Spiraea Rosaceae Spirea
This popular deciduous shrub varies as to size, with most varieties far out of the miniature classification. However, there are some short ones, with S. bullata (crispifolia) an out-and-out midget of twelve to fifteen inches. It has rose-colored flowers in midsummer. S. arguta (compacta) is slightly taller. In May it has garlands of fragrant white flowers. S. bumalda, with deep-pink flowers in early summer, grows to about two and a half feet. Most others are considerably taller.
CARE. Almost any soil is acceptable providing it is not too heavy and has drainage. However, plenty of moisture is essential. Plenty of sun is necessary for good flowering. Pruning also promotes flowers, but do it after the blooms have fallen. Transplanting is easy, even with bare roots. Fertilize occasionally.
PROPAGATION. Seeds (ripe or stratified), cuttings of green or hard wood, layers.
SPECIAL USES. Borders, rock gardens, hedges, foundations.
Taxus Taxaceae Yew
This evergreen shrub is very valuable to those who garden in smaller-scale plots and grounds. There are a number of extremely low and slow-growing varieties available at most nurseries and in several different forms. All have the typical yew masses of glassy, evergreen needle-leaves and satiny red, berry-like fruit. All accept shearing, even need it to preserve their symmetry and small size. It is often difficult to differentiate between the many varieties when they are young, so be sure to check them when buying.
baccata—English yew—A tall tree but available in these small forms: adpressa, a broad, dense bush with half-inch needles in thick masses; repandens, a flattish, low, and spreading form with drooping branches, two to four feet tall.
canadensis—American or Canadian yew—Three to four feet tall and for planting in the shade. Suffers from unusually warm winter sun. Its variety stricta is neat and upright and stays under two feet in height. The green needles are yellow-tinged when it is young.
cuspidata—Japanese yew—This variety is recommended for Northeastern planting. The slow-growing variety densa is plump and rounded and twice as wide as its four-foot mature height. Another variety, nana (brevifolia), is considerably larger, horizontal, and spreading in habit.
cuspidata nana—This species slightly different, has a deeply fissured trunk with red berry fruit and very dark evergreen leaves. It is highly regarded as a miniature and excellent for bonsai work.
stricta (fastigata, hibernica)—An upright column that tops dwarf proportions sooner than most others.
CARE. Slightly acid soil. Fertilize frequently in early spring and early summer. Good drainage. Don’t plant under rain gutters. Top-dress with old manure. Easily transplanted. Shear just before spring growth starts, to control size and shape. Winter sun may burn needles. Comparatively free of disease.
PROPAGATION. Seeds (stratified), cuttings.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, specimens, hedges, rock and wild gardens, tub planting, bonsai.
Teucrium chamaedrys Labiatae Germander
This is an aromatic Old World shrublet that is adaptable to many uses in the garden, whether formal or informal. Most varieties are less than a foot in height. It flowers in late summer. Many gardeners raise it for its decorative value and snip off the blooms. It is hardier than boxwood and less costly.
CARE. It grows in almost any soil but requires good drainage and full sun. Prune the top and sides twice a year for formal effect. Give winter protection with evergreen boughs.
PROPAGATION. Seeds (good but slow), division, cuttings.
SPECIAL USES. Beds, edging, rock gardens, miniature hedges, foundations.
Thuja Pinaceae Arborvitae
Certain species of the “tree of life” are majestic monsters. But there are a number of shrubby varieties of delicate value in small plantings. All have characteristic scale-like leaves arranged along fan-shaped branches, making fluffy sprays. But shapes vary from balls to pyramids. Foliage may be light, or blue-green, or even golden. Smaller forms are:
occidentalis—This species has two small varieties, compacta (slow-growing, dense pyramid) and ellwangeriana (a low round mound-shape).
minima—A very small and a slow-growing ball.
pumila—‘Little Gem’—Dense-leaved and globe-shaped.
pygmaea—A two-foot globe or ball.
CARE. Cool, moist location. Rich soil and leaf mold. Either full sun or half shade. City soot harmful.
PROPAGATION. Same as for conifers.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, rock gardens, tubs and other containers, specimens.
Tsuga canadensis Pinaceae Hemlock
This graceful evergreen conifer has slender horizontal branches with small leaves and small cones. Not all nurseries have it in its few dwarf forms. Best known of these small varieties are the conical compacta, and the completely prostrate, creeping prostrata.
CARE. Slightly acid soil, organic fertilizer, shade-tolerant, hardy (but protect from cold winds), can be pruned.
PROPAGATION. Seeds (stratified), cuttings.
SPECIAL USES. Foundation planting, hedges, specimens, rock gardens, bonsai.
Viburnum Caprifoliaceae Snowball, European Cranberry Bush
An ornamental shrub. Most varieties are deciduous, and are valued for their heavy flower clusters, fragrance, autumnal color, and attractive fruit. Sizes and colors of flowers vary.
carlesi—Korean snowball—Fragrant pink buds that open as white flowers about the same time the foliage appears.
davidi—About three feet tall with handsome crinkled leaves sharply creased at the veins. Small clusters of white flowers in June; blue fruit in the fall.
nanum—A real dwarf popular for low hedges and rock gardens. It is strictly ornamental, with no flowers or fruit.
CARE. Any soil is acceptable. Moisture required. Hardy.
PROPAGATION. Stratified seeds, cuttings (hardwood or green wood under glass), layers, grafting.
SPECIAL USES. Rock gardens, hedges, specimens.
CHAPTER 15
MINIATURE PERENNIALS AND ROCK PLANTS
Our odd piece of Connecticut countryside is shaped rather like the blade of a paring knife. We cleared the point to make a wild-flower garden. At the blunt end, on one side, a tree-lined bank dips down to the road. On the other, there is an old, low rock wall that’s not particularly beautiful, nor is it suitable for dry-wall planting. When we finally whipped the central lawn into shape, we realized that a flowering border would be nice against the wall—a low, narrow border with colorful bloom all summer long.
To be in proportion and harmony with the setting, the border had to be completely in miniature—following accepted principles for selecting and arranging plants, but executed in small scale. Finding the proper plants has been a challenge; arranging them has been a trial-and-error proposition, because many varieties are entirely new to us. But last summer, the little border began to look the way we had visualized it—taller specimens in the background, ground-hugging cushions facing them down in front, small groups of straight spires for accent at strategic intervals. It will probably take another season or two to perfect the blending and contrast of flowers and foliage, and to get the most colorful and constant succession of bloom.
This is not, of course, our first acquaintance with miniature perennials; and it couldn’t possibly be our last. They combine beautifully with small shrubs, show off to advantage in small rock gardens, add an artistic finishing touch to garden pools, birdbaths, and other ornaments. They’re at their very best in outdoor planters and raised beds on patios and terraces, and in ribbon edgings along walks and walls.
Although they’re precious in flower, many varieties—candytuft, lavender, sempervivum, thyme, plumbago, to name a few—are equally decorative without bloom. This is a valued advantage when planting space is limited. Gardeners with limited time use perennials lavishly because, once established, they’re mostly permanent, and they require a minimum of care. Somehow, I sympathize with a writer who found more pleasure in spring’s tufts of fresh new growth than in the full bloom of summer. Nostalgically, one welcomes the return of an old friend; practically, one knows it will tend to its business of growing and flowering with very little personal attention.
This leads us to the question, “How perennial is a perennial?” and to the obvious answer, “It depends....” To begin with, it should live at least three years in your garden. After that, some varieties need to be lifted and divided into smaller plants with fresh new vigor; some may need to be replaced completely; some few may grow on indefinitely without renewal, or may replace themselves with seedlings that are often of doubtful value.
In the language of the catalogues, a “hardy” perennial is one that can withstand fairly severe winter cold, and may not be hardy in Southern gardens where it is not frozen into dormancy. Most hardy perennials are “herbaceous”—the stems usually die back to the ground each winter; some few have stems that may or may not be somewhat woody and persistent. A “tender” perennial is likely to be killed by cold weather, and is grown as an annual in the North, if it is grown at all.
The life cycle of a biennial extends over two years. It is grown from seed, may or may not need special protection to carry it over a cold winter, produces flowers and seeds the second year, then dies. Some biennials sow themselves with such faithfulness they’re regarded as perennial. The comparatively few biennials among flowering plants are grown much like perennials; miniature varieties are covered in this chapter.
Originally, I was firmly resolved to admit as miniatures only those perennials that grow less than eight inches high. But I couldn’t resist stretching the limits an inch or so to allow for a ten-inch flower stem above a small, flat rosette of leaves; and I found that the height limitation allowed free entry to some rambunctious spreaders that could quickly ruin a miniature garden. So I finally settled on biennials and perennials that are miniature in general appearance and habit, without strict measurements, and with flowers and foliage in suitable proportion for miniature gardens.
For the first year or so, locating some of the small perennials we wanted was rather like a treasure hunt; we never knew where we’d find a clue. Occasionally, we’d spy a prize on a visit to a local nursery. Frequently an advertisement or a tip from another gardener would give us the name of a promising mail-order supplier. Those who specialized in rock-garden plants proved to be particularly fruitful prospects. Often, we started our plants from seeds and discovered later that mature plants were available, had we known it. Now, we have quite a list of sources for miniature perennials which we happily share with you, beginning on page [259].
In selecting suitable varieties, decorative effect is naturally the first consideration—size, habit, and blooming season; color and texture of flowers and foliage; how the plants fit into your design and planting plan. Equally important is hardiness; not only ability to survive a cold winter, but also adaptability to other climatic conditions. Some perennials simply will not grow where summers are hot and dry; others will live but can’t mature enough to flower where nights are cool or growing seasons are short.
Like other types of plants, perennials should be selected according to their cultural needs, and should be planted only where they can get the amount of sunlight and moisture they need, and where the soil is suitable or can be made so. An acid-loving plant in neutral or alkaline soil is a poor, short-lived thing; a moisture-lover withers pitiably where it’s dry as a desert most of the time; a “hardy” perennial won’t be hardy unless its environment is to its liking.