Windowsill Gardens

Informal Japanese Garden

Materials:

waterproof rubber container
bamboo or the bamboo look-alike dracaena
bamboo place mats
jute
soil
glass
river rocks
water
moss
sand

Steps:

1. Wrap a waterproof rubber container with decorative materials such as bamboo or the bamboo look-alike dracaena (readily available at nurseries or even by mail order) that has been cut to the appropriate length. Bamboo place mats (figure A), trimmed with garden shears, would also work. Hold materials in place by wrapping several times with jute.

2. Add soil to the base of the container to within two inches of the top of the container.

3. Imbed a glass with some river rocks inside to anchor into the dirt. Fill the glass with water.

4. Group four to five stems of bamboo or dracaena in the water.

5. Place river rocks around the top of the glass so that the plants can easily be watered.

6. Place moss around the rocks.

7. Fill in the rest of the top of the planter with sand that can be groomed with a plastic fork.

8. Water the bamboo and spritz the moss with water about once a week.

Formal French Garden

Materials:

shallow tray of Irish moss
scissors
gravel, pebbles, or aquarium rocks
river rocks
miniature pedestal filled with colorful plants
decorative ribbon (optional)

Steps:

1. Clip out sections of moss in the tray to create the sense of a hedge (figure B).

2. Add gravel, pebbles, or aquarium rocks in the bare spaces created in step 1.

3. Center the miniature pedestal in the center of the tray and fill in around the top with river rocks (figure C).

4. To embellish the tray, wrap with decorative ribbon if you like.