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Miniature Cottage Garden
By Marie Browning, Marie Browning Creates

This miniature garden comes complete with a birdbath, a white-washed fence and other miniature garden accents.  An enchanting plant for the middle of a table, the desk at work or a special Easter gift.  If the winter "SADS" are getting you down and you're ready to garden, this project is for you.

BIRDBATH
Materials:

-- plastic 3" cake column
-- 3 1/2" clay saucer, glazed on the inside
-- perm enamel paints -- Harvest Orange, Country Tomato, Light Khaki, & Mushroom
-- thick tacky craft glue
-- paint brush, small natural sponge

1) Glue the saucer to the top of the plastic column and let dry
2) Base coat the column and the outside of the saucer with the harvest orange paint
3) Sponge the pot with the remaining colours to look like weathered terra cotta

FENCE 
Materials:

-- 9 wooden craft sticks
-- thick tacky craft glue
-- wire cutters
-- white acrylic paint
-- sponge

1) With the wire cutters, trim the tops of seven craft sticks to a point
2) Trim off the rounded ends of the remaining two sticks
3) Line up the seven sticks on a flat surface, spaced 1/8" apart. Add a line of glue 1" and 3"          down  across the row
4) Place the two trimmed saticks across the row of sticks where the glue has been placed
5) Do not remove until dry
6) With a wash of white paint and water paint the fence.

CONSTRUCTING THE GARDEN

1) The container --  A large, low terra cotta pot is the best choice for this garden

2) The plants -- Houseplants with small leaves, mosses, small ivy plants all work well

3) The accents -- Other miniatures such as mini garden tools, watering can, mini clay pots,      birdhouses, pebbles and a small garden sign can also be placed in the garden to add to the enchantment.

4) Place the birdbath into the planted pot by placing a stick up the hollow centre and pushing into the soil. This keeps the birdbath from falling over when moved. The fence is pushed into the soil about an inch.  Add any other miniature accents, but don't add too many, just one or two, or it will get to busy

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