Mini ( and I mean mini ) Hostas

I love me some hostas.

Especially mini hostas.

They used to be called " dwarf " hostas but that term has been discontinued and they are now called "mini" hostas.

In order for a hosta to be classified as "mini" , it must have a leaf size no bigger than 6 square inches.

I'm going to share some of my favs with you today.

Blue Mouse Ears

I actually love most of the hosta in the  "Mouse Ear" family.

Pure Heart is in the Mouse Ear Family also.

The other two are not.

But still adorable.

I have not had as good of luck with these Mouse Ear varieties.

But I'm not giving up.

I'm sure eventually I will collect all of the Mouse Ear Hostas.

That's just how I roll....

Mini Hostas can tend to get lost in a garden.

They work best in a garden of all minis or in containers.

Or at the very least , at the front of the garden.

Another of my favorites is Pandora's Box.

Sweet , yes ?

The blue/green one on the left is one of my all time favorites , but it is classified as "small" not "mini",

Baby Bunting

Here's a close up.

Do you have plants you can't help but collect ?

I'd love to hear about them.

Linking to all or some of these great parties

A Pinteresting Link Party @ Here's to Handy Andy http://herestohandyandy.blogs

Show Off Your Stuff @ Fireflies and Jellybeans /http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/
Primp Your Stuff Wednesday @ Primp/http://micheleravendesigns.blogspot.com/ 
Your Whims Wednesday @ My Girlish Whims http://www.mygirlishwhims.blogspot.com/
Good Life Wednesday @ A Beach Cottage http://www.abeachcottage.com/
Rock & Share @ The Shady Porch(a pinterest party)http://theshadyporch.blogspot.com/
Tablescape Thrursday@ Beteen Naps on the Porchhttp://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com
Show and Tell Friday@ My Romantic Home http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage /http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
Inspiration Friday@ At the Picket Fence http://www.atthepicketfence.com
Potpourri Friday @ 2805 http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/
Fabulous Friday @ Faith,Trust and Pixie Dust http://michellelunt.blogspot.com/
Weekend Bloggy Reading : Link Up @ Serenity Now http://www.serenitynowblog.com/
Fridays Unfolded @ Stuff and Nonsense http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/
Shine on Friday @ Happy-Go-Lucky http://happy-go-lucky-harvey.blogspot.com/
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
Tutu's and Teaparties : A Pinteresting Party @ http://tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com/
More the Merrier Monday@DIY Home Sweet Home http://diyhshp.blogspot.com
So Very Creative Party Time @ So Creative http://soverycreative.blogspot.com/
Meet Me Monday @ You're Talking Too Much http://youaretalkingtoomuch.blogspot.com/
What's in the GunnySack@The Gunny Sack http://www.thegunnysack.com/
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
Make the Scene Monday @ Alderberry Hill http://alderberryhill.blogspot.com/
Make it Yourself Monday @ An Original Belle http://anoriginalbelle.blogspot.com/
Show Me What You Got Linky Party @ Our Delightful Home http://www.ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com
Party Time Tuesday @ Northern Cottagehttp://www.northerncottage.net 
Trash to Treasure Tuesday @ Sassy Sites
Cowgirl Up Creative Linky Party @ The FarmhousPorch /http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com/
Tout it Tuesday @ Claiming our Space http://www.claimingourspace.com/2012/05/tout-it-tuesday-7.html
Sunday Showcase Party @ Under the Table and Dreaming http://www.bystephanielynn.com/
Sunday's Best @ My 1929 Charmer http://my1929charmerblog.com/

Welcome (to my ) Gnome

Are you sick of garden posts yet ?

I really hope not.

Cause it's that time of year .

There are few things that make me happier than playing in the dirt !

And ... with as crabby as I have been lately , I really need my " dirt therapy" !

Warning - if you have an aversion to Gnomes , STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER now !

So , you know I have been really digging ( pun intended ) mini- gardens lately.

Here is my latest one .

This one has a variety of succulents in it.

They must be rather trendy right now , cause every garden center I go to ( and I go to a LOT ) has an awesome variety to pick from.

I added a little gnome and my thrift store mushrooms ( you may remember seeing those in my terrarium post )

 I feel the one thing that separates a mini garden from a container garden are the ornaments.

It sits on my "chippy" chair by the door.

Across from my white table ( that table has too many posts about it to even link to).

The mini - gnome garden inspired my summer table display.

Warning - here they come again !

Gnomes EVERYWHERE !

Little ones...

Hanging ones....

( the big one looks kinda creepy in this picture , trust me , he is not )

Sleeping ones...

BIG ones...

( see not creepy at all )

Flowers are mostly impatiens ( one of my go-to flowers )

The plant on the chair is a dahlia .

 I'm really loving the combination of mini hostas in the red pot.

Oh , and the white "fluffy" flower is called Diamond Frost .

LOVE it !

On a side note , that little sleeping gnome was made by my dad back in the 70's.

Ceramics were all the rage back then .

He must have made a dozen sets of these for people.

Not quite an antique but defiantly on the verge of vintage :)

So ...

what do you think of my Welcome Gnomes ?

Too much ?

Too kitchy ?

Wait...

is there such a thing as too kitchy ?

In the Trailerhood ... I think not :)

Linking to some or all of these great parties :)

Tablescape Thrursday@ Beteen Naps on the Porch http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
Thursdays are Your Days @ 52 Mantles http://www.52mantels.com/
Show and Tell Friday@ My Romantic Home http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
Inspiration Friday@ At the Picket Fence http://www.atthepicketfence.com/
Pinning and Singing on the Weekend@ 5 Minutes Just for Me http://5minutesjustforme.blogspot.com
Potpourri Friday @ 2805 http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/
Fabulous Friday @ Faith,Trust and Pixie Dust http://michellelunt.blogspot.com/
Weekend Bloggy Reading : Link Up @ Serenity Now http://www.serenitynowblog.com/
Fridays Unfolded @ Stuff and Nonsense http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/
Shine on Friday @ Happy-Go-Lucky http://happy-go-lucky-harvey.blogspot.com/
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
A Pinteresting Link Party @ Here's to Handy Andy http://herestohandyandy.blogspot.com/
Tutu's and Teaparties : A Pinteresting Party @ http://tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com/
More the Merrier Monday@DIY Home Sweet Home http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/
So Very Creative Party Time @ So Creative http://soverycreative.blogspot.com/
Meet Me Monday @ You're Talking Too Much http://youaretalkingtoomuch.blogspot.com/
Amaze Me Monday @ DittleDattle  http://dittledattle.blogspot.com/
What's in the GunnySack@The Gunny Sack http://www.thegunnysack.com/
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
Make the Scene Monday @ Alderberry Hill http://alderberryhill.blogspot.com/
Make it Yourself Monday @ An Original Belle http://anoriginalbelle.blogspot.com/
Show Me What You Got Linky Party @ Our Delightful Home http://www.ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com/
Party Time Tuesday @ Northern Cottage http://www.northerncottage.net/
Trash to Treasure Tuesday @ Sassy Sites http://sassysites.blogspot.com/
 Cowgirl Up Creative Linky Party @ The FarmhousPorch http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com
Show Off Your Stuff @ Fireflies and Jellybeans http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/
Primp Your Stuff Wednesday @ Primp http://micheleravendesigns.blogspot.com/
Your Whims Wednesday @ My Girlish Whims http://www.mygirlishwhims.blogspot.com/
Good Life Wednesday @ A Beach Cottage http://www.abeachcottage.com/
Rock & Share @ The Shady Porch(a pinterest party)http://theshadyporch.blogspot.com/

Mini Moon Garden

Last Monday the local garden club hosted an open house.

One of the speakers was an expert on mini conifers.

Now those don't really interest me all that much ,

but part of his talk was on making hypetufa troughs,

which is what they plant mini garden in .

The speaker always uses mini conifers in his troughs.

He was quite the purest when it came to trough gardens.

I am not.

I don't think he would approve of mine.

But  I love the way it turned out.

I didn't make this container

( although , I do plan to give it a go , so stay tuned for a hypertufa post )

this one was given to me by a friend.

  Her daughter had made them as a 4H project.

I bet I've had it for at least 10 years.

It was made using the same basic method ,

probably a different "recipe" and

she used a rhubarb leaf to made the pattern .

Cool huh?

Over the years , I've used it as a bird bath , a bird feeder , or

just as an ornament.

I decided it was time to put it to use.

Plus after hearing the speaker I was dying to give it a try.

First I filled the bottom 3 inches ( approximately) with chicken grit,

I then filled it with a light weight potting mix.

Then the fun part...

planting.

The idea with these trough gardens is that it is actually a MINI garden.

So you arrange the plants as if you are landscaping a full sized garden.

Complete with ornaments, paths , arbors , etc.

This container was in my Moon Garden so of course it had to be a Mini Moon Garden !

I don't know if I've mentioned it before ,

but I have a slight obsession with Hostas.

Especially miniature Hostas.

The only problem with miniature Hostas is they have a tendency to get lost in the border cause they are just THAT small !

I thought mini gardens would be a great way to showcase my little lovelies.

I added a mini pine and a VERY small leafed mint.

The Hostas won't get much taller , but they will eventually get bigger around.

I anticipate the mint will spread, I really hope it does.

I'm really hoping it spreads in like grass.

Time will tell...

Then I added this little arbor and garden bench.

And the icing on the cake ( I think ) ...

The gazing ball!

I've got a couple more mini garden plans floating around in my brain.

I'll share them eventually.

The weather must straighten out first.

Do you like them ?

Has anyone else planted one ?

Are you tired of my Moon Garden yet ?

I hope not, cause I've got another update post coming soon.

I think I'm in love....

Linking to some or all of thse great Parties :

More the Merrier Monday@DIY Home Sweet Home http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/
So Very Creative Party Time @ So Creative http://soverycreative.blogspot.com/
Meet Me Monday @ You're Talking Too Much http://youaretalkingtoomuch.blogspot.com/
Amaze Me Monday @ DittleDattle http://dittledattle.blogspot.com/
What's in the GunnySack@The Gunny Sack http://www.thegunnysack.com/
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
Make the Scene Monday @ Alderberry Hill http://alderberryhill.blogspot.com/
Make it Yourself Monday @ An Original Belle http://anoriginalbelle.blogspot.com/
Show Me What You Got Linky Party @ Our Delightful Home http://www.ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com/
Party Time Tuesday @ Northern Cottage http://www.northerncottage.net/
Trash to Treasure Tuesday @ Sassy Sites http://sassysites.blogspot.com/
Cowgirl Up Creative Linky Party @ The FarmhousPorch http://farmhouseporch.blogspot.com
Show Off Your Stuff @ Fireflies and Jellybeans http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/
Primp Your Stuff Wednesday @ Primp http://micheleravendesigns.blogspot.com/
Your Whims Wednesday @ My Girlish Whims http://www.mygirlishwhims.blogspot.com/
Good Life Wednesday @ A Beach Cottage http://www.abeachcottage.com/
Rock & Share @ The Shady Porch(a pinterest party)http://theshadyporch.blogspot.com/
Tablescape Thrursday@ Beteen Naps on the Porch http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
Thursdays are Your Days @ 52 Mantles http://www.52mantels.com/
Show and Tell Friday@ My Romantic Home http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
Inspiration Friday@ At the Picket Fence http://www.atthepicketfence.com/
Pinning and Singing on the Weekend@ 5 Minutes Just for Me http://5minutesjustforme.blogspot.com
Potpourri Friday @ 2805 http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/
Fabulous Friday @ Faith,Trust and Pixie Dust http://michellelunt.blogspot.com/
Weekend Bloggy Reading : Link Up @ Serenity Now http://www.serenitynowblog.com/
Fridays Unfolded @ Stuff and Nonsense http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/
Shine on Friday @ Happy-Go-Lucky http://happy-go-lucky-harvey.blogspot.com/
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
A Pinteresting Link Party @ Here's to Handy Andy http://herestohandyandy.blogspot.com/
Tutu's and Teaparties : A Pinteresting Party @ http://tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com/