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Have you ever thought of having a bottle garden? I have, and that is as far as I have got. I have thought about it, and thought about how I would go about making one. One of these days I might try. The first thing that is needed, of course, is a suitable container. And it is at this point that all my good intentions come to nought. I haven't got one. I can't remember ever seeing one for sale in all its nudity so that I could go about making one. Maybe my trouble is looking for a carboy. It is a great pity that somebody once used a carboy for a bottle garden, because that is what everybody expects a bottle garden to look like. But, thinking about it, planting through that narrow opening of a carboy can't be easy, even when using table forks and spoons tied on to the ends of long canes for moving the soil around, and a cotton reel on ditto for firming it. Pruning, I should think, would be very difficult, and the chance of removing dead plants virtually impossible. And buying one ready made goes against the grain - I want it to contain the plants that I want it to have, not the plants that somebody else thinks I ought to have. Maybe I should look for some container with a bigger opening. Perhaps one of those old fashioned sweet containers with an opening you can get your hand through - now I come to think of it there seem to be more and more of them in the sweet shops than there were a few years ago. Or maybe a large fish tank. Almost any container providing that it has the bare necessities - the glass should be clear, it must have a transparent cover, and it must be leak-proof. So, if I did happen to have a suitable container, how would I go about it. Well, the first thing that would have to be done is to ensure that the container is thoroughly cleaned, especially if it has been used for the storage of some obnoxious chemical. So a good scrubbing inside and out - especially inside - is essential. Next, something in which the plants are to grow is essential. And this will need some form of drainage, so the base will have to be covered with a layer of gravel or small crocks. And mixing a quantity of charcoal in with this would definitely be a good idea to keep the water sweet. Something decorative, especially round the edges where it might be seen would be of an advantage. Come to think of it, the charcoal might be better as a layer over the top of the gravel. That is something I will have to think about. Now a layer of seed and cutting compost - at least two inches. I might even mix my own. One part fibrous loam, one part coarse sharp sand (definitely not builders sand) or very fine gravel, and two parts peat should do very nicely. I must admit that a flat expanse of soil would not look all that interesting, so I would have to make some hills and valleys, always bearing in mind that two inch minimum. Some small rocks and large pebbles could come in useful here. I have seen some for sale in garden centres, but I have always thought of them as expensive items. Maybe just two or three wouldn't break the bank, and they would add interest. I have got some bits of old wood, but undoubtedly in the damp atmosphere that will have to be maintained inside the container they would only rot and cause trouble. Now comes the interesting part - picking the plants to put in it. There seems to be a limitless choice, maybe it would help if I decide what plants or types of plants not to put in it. First off, plants with large soft flowers. Individual flowers never last all that long. They fade and die and would have to be removed. If left, they become unsightly, they rot and become a source of disease. Next, plants which grow quickly, otherwise the container would soon fill up with foliage so that all that could be seen is a mass of leaves pressing against the glass - not a pretty sight - unless surgery is done every week or so, and the main idea of a bottle garden is to cut down on maintenance. Bulbs are out, too. At the moment I can't think of one that will get by in just two inches of soil, and anyway, the flowers don't seem to last all that long, and once flowering is over they die back and look unsightly. And I don't think cactus would be a good idea. The desert types need a dry atmosphere - which is what you don't get in a bottle garden - and the desert type grow too quickly and straggly. Plants that need strong sunlight are out, as are those that need a dry atmosphere. And insectivorous plants would starve to death. So what does that leave. Actually quite a lot. Flowering plants to add a bit of colour, but only those whose flowers last for quite a while. Saintpaulias - the African violets - spring to mind. There are miniature varieties which only grow to a maximum of six inches across - some with single flowers, and some, like 'Tiny Rose', with double flowers. And then there are the micro-miniature varieties with a maximum spread of three inches, like 'Twinkle' and 'Pip Squeak' (I wonder what happened to Wilfred). If you want a bottle garden in a wine glass, these are the ones to pick. And I would definitely have foliage plants to add some structure. Something spiky like a yucca. I know they grow to be quite large, but they are slow growing and there are even some variegated ones which would make it more interesting. A Sweet Flag - Acorus gramineus variegatus - may not be too bad. It is a pretty tough plant and will withstand poor conditions, and its white-striped leaves will add a bit of colour, and it does like to have its roots in a damp place. When it grows too big it can always be taken out and divided, and even planted outside in the garden for it is quite hardy. Although other Acorus are fairly common, this one could probably take a bit of finding. Not to worry - I've got the rest of my life. A creeping fig probably wouldn't be too out of place, and there is a small leaved one, Ficus pumilla minima, which has leaves only half an inch long. The Earth Star - cryptanthus - with its crinkly leaves tinged with purple-brown or rosy red or, in some varieties, covered in grey scales, is something unusual. An Umbrella Plant would give some height - the Cyperus diffusus and Cyperus esculentus grow to about twelve inches and, with their straw like stems, take up very little room at soil level. But there must be plenty of others. I suppose it means a few trips round the garden centres to see exactly what is available. That is, if I ever do get round to making one. Happy Gardening. Bill Hutchings |
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page last updated 29 MAY 2000 |
