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2009年度のwater gardeningに続きMichelleL先生の『ミニチュアガーデンを作ろう！〜Let's enjoｙ miniature gardening〜』を開催しました。MichelleL先生のガーデニング知識はとても豊富で、植物や鼻の種類や名前、適した環境、育て方をたくさん教えていただきました。普段庭いじりをしていない初心者も、普段からガーデニングを楽しんでいる方にでもどなたでも気軽に楽しめる内容のレッスンでした。また、MichellL先生が用意してくれたミニチュア家具や手作りの小物たちは、とても可愛く、ミニチュアガーデンをとてもかわいらしく飾ってくれました。参加させていただいたスクールスタッフも、家に持ち帰った作品を毎日眺めて楽しんでいます。
 2010/4/25 AJ Café
Hobbinglish 「MichelleL先生のミニチュアガーデニング講座」
“MichelleL’s AJ Café report!” ミシェルL先生のAJ Cafeホビングリッシュレポートです。
Miniature gardening Lesson
Hello Everyone!
Well, we just had our miniature gardening class and it was a splendid success! First of all, I’d like to say a warm thank you to all the participants of the AJ Cafe miniature gardening class. You were all very patient, creative and
 wonderful! All the participants made excellent and unique container gardens using a wide array of miniatures, materials and handmade items. The tables were filled with great stuff! We have some photos to share with you.
During this class, my primary focus was to explain how to make a western-style miniature garden as inexpensively as possible. This is a fantastic cultural experience as miniature gardens in the west are often different from those here in Japan. I wanted us to create something delightful, both relaxing and fun for adult students that could enhance areas around their homes. However, my secondary goal was to demonstrate converting this western miniature garden to a woodland style ‘fairy garden’ for kids. Having children participate in such a project is a wonderful way to open their minds to the gardening experience while building a bridge between them and the natural world around them. Children learn  about the basics of gardening as it opens their senses through sight, smell and touch. It’s an opportunity for parents to do something educational and fun with their children while allowing children to be creative and imaginative. However, for this class, I think the adults were having just as good a time as children do!
For our class, the design was simple miniature gardens with hints of the ‘fairy garden’ theme. The first step after students chose their sets of miniatures and containers was to prepare the containers with soil. The containers were simple plastic ones in both round and rectangular shapes. They have excellent drainage holes at the bottom which is essential in container gardening. We filled them with basic potting soil and a mix of perlite, peat moss, compost and sand.
Next, students had an array of sixteen different kinds of plants to choose from. The plants ranged  from dwarf conifers, low-growing flowers, mint, dwarf hosta, creeping plants and coleus, among others. Most of the plants are somewhat shade tolerant which allows for these containers to be placed in various locations. For this class, the students were given a choice of up to five plants for each container. It was fun choosing which plants would go together best.
After that, we began testing where to put the plants in the container. It’s good to keep the taller plants in the back (15 cm to 30 cm) and shorter plants in the front (under 15 cm). Students placed their potted plants in various locations within the pot, moving them around to establish the best location for each. The planting began once a general plan was decided. During  this part, students could start to visualize placement of the miniatures.
Next, the students dived in and used the numerous materials we provided to complete the look of their garden and miniaturize. Miniatures and earthy elements combined to transform the gardens into heavenly little places of paradise!
About those miniatures and the equipment we used:
We had miniature dollhouse sets of four main pieces per student consisting of miniature garden chairs, garden tools, flower pots, bird houses, animals and other pieces giving a unique aspect to each container. Also included were some handmade clay pieces such as gazing ball stands with marble gazing balls, bird nests, fairy mushrooms and miniature garden pots – all of which are easily made at home using clay, hobby paints and a sealant. Some handmade baskets were weaved using hemp yarn and thin wire. Other items were various products from the local \100 shops: deco glass tiles for ‘stepping stones’, bamboo and cork coasters for ‘patio flooring’, chair leg caps for ‘planters and pots’, and CD disc dividers for ‘fence’. To add the finishing touches, we used very small pebbles, gravel, bark chips and coconut bits for trails and other effects.
CD disc dividers become… |
Coasters become… |
Chair leg end caps become… |
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White picket fence |
Patio Flooring |
Miniature planters |
With a great deal of creativity, the result of putting all these pieces together was excellent! I think the pictures speak for themselves. Well done, everyone!
Other homemade miniatures can be created using various items. For example, small dishes such as ochoko can be added as a birdbath or gazing ball stand. Small piggybank houses, clay miniature houses can replace miniature furniture as the focal point. You can also use sumaki (sushi rolling bamboo) to make fence or a patio. The possibilities are endless.
Ochoko can be a bird bath |
Miniature house and garden |
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