Making and caring for dish gardens

Have you ever looked at an old dish and wondered what it would look like with a garden in it? Probably not, but dish garden trends are on the rise and you might be surprised by how creative and versatile they can be. What are they exactly? Dish gardens are simply a collection of different plants in one container. Sometimes that container is a dish of some kind, and sometimes it’s not.

The dish garden trend started with a variety of succulents and cacti in shallow bowls. As it increased in popularity, creative crafters started collecting old dishes from cabinets, thrift stores, and attics and repurposing them for lovely garden arrangements. Succulents and cacti work well in shallow containers because they have more shallow roots, but dish gardens can contain almost any kind of green and blooming plant you would like.
 

Although succulents are a popular choice, people are using more and more different varieties of blooms in their purchased or DIY dish gardens. Container choices are expanding as well, ranging from tiny gardens in tiny teacups to big blooms in old toilets! The toilets are no longer in use of course (or at least we hope).

Before you buy or design your own dish garden, be sure to know what it is for and how long it will need to last. If it is a variety of specific blooms for short term used at an event or for a holiday, you will be able to use plants that might not generally pair well together in the same container.

If you want the garden to be a little more permanent, you will need to choose your plants carefully. They should have similar exposure and watering needs. Their root systems are also important, as some plant roots are stronger and hardier than others and can strangle weaker, more shallow root systems.

When it comes to dish garden care, it’s important to know what plants are in your garden so you can determine how much water you need. The amount of water needed for a succulent is vastly different than the amount needed for a delicate ivy plant. If your dish garden came from a florist, call them and ask if they can help you with names of the included plants. If you’re choosing your own plants, do some research on the varieties you’ve chosen so you know how best to care for the assortment of plants.

Dish gardens are fun to make and even more fun to give because you can personalize them specifically for the recipient! Heirloom dishes, old toys, or grandma’s old coffee mug — any and all would make a cute little dish garden full of fun memories for you and your loved ones to share. Or give us a call at Lilygrass, and we can customize a dish garden for you.

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