Think you don’t have a green thumb? I don’t either, but that hasn’t stopped me from getting my hands dirty creating small gardens. I love it — even though I often kill plants and am still learning. It’s therapeutic and fun, so I keep trying.
Update, here are some of my own tiny gardens!
Open Face Terrariums West Elm
For me, gardening is a process of learning and experimenting. Small gardens and containers are ideal for trying things out — there’s less at stake than planting a tree or a large hedge. They’re easier to manage, change, and enjoy.
Recently I attended an urban gardening event at the new West Elm store in Seattle. I was excited because I’m obsessed with tiny gardens and wanted to learn more about terrariums. The demonstration made it clear how simple terrariums are to assemble — they’ve been on my to-do list for ages.
West Elm Glass Jar Terrariums
West Elm even gave attendees a glass jar to take home, so I’ll be making my own terrarium soon and sharing the results. Terrariums are a stylish, low-footprint way to bring greenery indoors.
How to make a tabletop terrarium
West Elm Glass Terrariums
At the event I learned about air plants and hanging glass planters — the idea that some plants thrive without soil fascinated me. These hanging planters look lovely on a patio umbrella or porch and are a neat way to add greenery without taking up floor space.
You can hang small glass planters with air plants from a porch or patio and they make a striking display. I was also drawn to a bee hive–shaped glass dome that makes a charming, contained terrarium on a cake stand — perfect as a centerpiece and a reminder that a garden can fit almost anywhere.
Tabletop planters and terrariums are especially well suited to apartment living — no deck or yard required. There are so many enjoyable ways to garden on a small scale.
My interest in small-space gardening grew out of practicality. In a previous home we had a large, overgrown yard that felt impossible to maintain. After that, I committed to gardening on a smaller, more manageable scale. When we moved to a tiny house with a compact yard in Portland’s Eastmoreland neighborhood, I designed a curvy paver patio, planted creeping groundcovers, and created a small backyard oasis that was easy to care for.
That little yard was a joy to tend because it was the right size for our needs. Since then I’ve explored many small-space gardening ideas: container herb gardens with a potting table, fairy gardens in boxes and jars, hanging pallet gardens, stacked planters, and more. Each approach offers creative, space-saving ways to bring plants into your life.
Last year I set up a small potting table and herb garden and it became one of my favorite summer projects. I didn’t stress about plant failures — if something didn’t make it, I replaced it. Surprisingly, most plants thrived. I even returned one struggling blueberry bush but the replacement is now flourishing in a container on my deck and producing healthy growth.
I also made a fairy garden last summer, and despite some teasing from my kids, it was a hit — even featured in publications. That tiny scene sparked more interest from our family, and now my kids are likely to create their own miniature gardens this year.
Another favorite idea is a pallet garden — an efficient and attractive way to grow plants in a limited area. I still keep mine on the deck and enjoy refreshing it with seasonal plants.
Stacked planters are another clever tactic: combine two pots of different sizes to create vertical interest and fit more plants into a small footprint. Container gardening opens many possibilities for patios, balconies, and tiny yards.
There are so many rewarding ways to garden in small spaces — from terrariums and air plants to containers, pallets, and stacked pots. Each method makes gardening accessible, creative, and manageable.
Do you enjoy small space gardening? Have you ever made a terrarium garden?
See my Five 5 Minute Miniature Gardens for quick, simple projects you can try at home.