Taking Care of the Fall Miniature Garden

School bells are ringing, the sun is setting earlier, and sweaters are beginning to appear in stores. What can this mean? Fall must be on its way! Just as you might make changes to your wardrobe and morning routine each time fall comes around, a few small, seasonal modifications can make a huge difference in the miniature garden. Whether you are readying your outdoor bed for cooler temperatures or adjusting your miniature accessories to get the fairy garden autumn-ready, we have just the tips you need to keep your miniscape plan on track.

First things first: weatherizing your garden for the fall season. If you keep your miniature gardens indoors or on a covered porch, you will not need to worry. However, if your garden is located outside, it pays to take care of a few details before the first frost ushers in the winter cold and snow. To start, remove any leaves or debris from your plant beds, prune your shrubs and trees, and spray any animal deterrents following the manufacturer’s recommendations. If you have had houseplants living outdoors, be sure to move them inside before the temperature drops below 50-degrees. After the first frost, you will want to apply tree and shrub food or fertilizers to trees, shrubs, and perennial beds. When fall is ending, and snowy winter weather is on the horizon, remember to bring your resin and polystone items inside and store them out of the freezing temperatures.

Once you have your plant beds ready for fall, you can begin to consider switching out your décor for a more autumnal look! Decorating is one of the most enjoyable fall tasks for indoor and outdoor gardeners alike. There are some extremely easy swaps. If your spring and summer flowers are fading, you can replace them with mums, gourds, and pumpkins. Are your fairies dressed in light summer dresses?  Try dressing them up in costumes or replacing them with ghosts, goblins, witches, and seasonal garden fairies. Halloween-themed miniature gardens can be spooky or cute depending on your audience. Artificial cobwebs and swamp accessories make for a creepy scene, while tiny lights and smiling ghosts offer a friendly, non-threatening environment. 

Other treats of the season that can be featured in a fall garden include apples, miniature decorative gourds, and even orchard scenes. “Back to School” is a fun scene for the garden, especially when you feature a mini school bus! If you want to bring the pumpkin spice trend to your garden, consider setting up a coffee shop or teatime miniscape for your fairies. Pumpkins, cinnamon sticks, and a small coffee bar will have everyone in the mood for a warm beverage. Of course, if sports are your favorite part of the autumn season, you could construct a football field with miniature accessories—right in your garden! These are the ideal months in which to put your school spirit on display, whether you are rooting on a high school, college, professional team, or even an imagined fairy garden, football team. Think positive and be imaginative since there is so much creativity and beauty to be had in the miniature garden as the flowers of summer begin to fade, and the colors of fall arrive.