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The Beauty of Dish Gardens

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Keys to Creating a Dish Garden

Dish gardens come in all sizes and can include a variety of plant types and themes.

The key to a good dish garden is creating ones of plants that have similar needs (soil, water, etc.)



From succulent cacti to mouthwatering herbs, a dish garden can be planted in any zone, and are suitable for indoor or outdoor locations, depending on the plants you add. I've created numerous dish gardens over the years, given them as gifts, and have relied on them to add a bit of color or interest to drab apartment patios. Hopefully, the information you find here will inspire you to create your own dish garden, for yourself or as a gift.

If you're fan of Pinterest, you'll be happy to know there are dozens of pins to help you create your own dish gardens and terrariums.

The Versatile Dish Garden

Beauty, Variety and Color All In One Bowl

Indoor houseplant dish gardenI love dish gardens for a number of reasons:
  • They're easy to plant
  • Easy to maintain
  • They're great for small spaces
  • They defy traditional gardening rules
  • They add color and interest
  • They're a great way to add green to your desk or office
  • They make a thoughtful gift for any occasion


    • 36 Mixed Succulent Spring Collection




    Hirt's Baby Tears Plant - 4" Pot - Helxine - Great Indoor Plant

    Dish Garden Supply List

    Dish Garden Figurines
  • Shallow dish
  • Potting soil
  • Pea size gravel (comes in an array or natural shades or dyed colors)
  • Small paint brush - used to brush dirt off leaves and sides of bowl easily
  • Small garden trowel or indoor gardening tool set
  • A variety of plants (min. 3-5 different types) with similar water/light/soil requirements.
  • Optional decorative touches - some people like to add additional items (miniature signs, figurines, or other objects made from porcelain, clay and natural materials).

    • In the photo you'll see that some choose to add a lot of detail, like this dish garden with steps and a small fountain.


    The Rumford Gardener Mini Indoor Garden Set with Molded Case HPC3010

    Decorative Touches for Your Dish Garden

    Bridges, pagodas, animals and other small figurines are a fun way to add whimsy and charm to a dish garden.



    LAUGHING BUDDHA - STATUES - 6 FIGURINES SET - RED

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    Plants to Add to A Cactus Dish Garden

    Echeveria elegansA variety of succulents and cacti, along with a covering of small rocks makes for an interesting arrangement that requires little maintenance. Here are a few plants that work well in this type of dish garden:
  • Echeveria elegans (also known as Mexican snowball or "hen and chicks") is a compact rosette forming succulent that is available in colors ranging from gray to blue green.
  • Sedum rubrotinctum (also known as the Jelly Bean plant or "Pork and Beans") is an easy-growing plant that can handle almost all types of soil. It's leaves change color from green to red in warmer months.
  • Dwarf Prickly Pear Cactus - these mini versions of the popular cacti that can grow up to 8-to-10 feet are a good addition for larger bowls. Dwarf varieties in general have smaller globular pads that are in the 2-3 inch range.


    • Succulent Container Gardens: Design Eye-Catching Displays with 350 Easy-Care Plants

    Shallow Planters for Dish Gardens and Bonsai Trees

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    Houseplant Dish Gardens

    Small ivy dish garden

    The following houseplants are good choices for dish gardens that will remain indoors either at home or at the office. A few of the varieties of houseplants that are similar in watering and light requirements are:

  • Ivy - comes in a few different color variations and is best planted near the outer edges of a dish in order for it to continue to grow unencumbered trails.
  • Polka Dot Plant - this is a fun plant with green and pink leaves that can actually get quite large if its not trimmed back occasionally. Polka dots are good for creating interesting height variations.
  • Aralia - it's been described as looking similar to a Bonsai tree because of their twisty branches and stems. A compact tree or shrub with leaf color variations that are green and white or green and yellow.

    • Mother and Daughter Share the Job of Watering the Indoor Plants
    Buy This at Allposters.com

    Dish Gardening How-to Video

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    Small Container Gardening Books

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    How to Make a Dish Garden

    Here's a few more links to great sites offering instructions on how to make a variety of dish gardens.

    Tabletop Gardens: 40 Stylish Plantscapes for Counters and Shelves, Desktops and Windowsills

    How to Set up, Plant and Care for a Dish Garden or Indoor Planter Arrangement
    Guide to Setting up and Planting Dish Gardens and other Indoor Planters
    How to Create a Dish Garden | Garden Guides
    How to Create a Dish Garden. Dish gardens are given as gifts or made for a home or office decoration. A dish garden usually consists of a group of plants suitable for low light or indoor situations, but they can be made with plan...
    Dish Gardens
    A dish garden is a garden of plants growing in a shallow dish or bowl for a container. The dish garden can be landscaped to represent a scene in nature, it is a miniature ecosystem. The plants used in a dish garden should be compatible and cultivars that stay small
    Dish Gardening Project | Instructions To Make An Attractive Dish Garden | The-Artistic-Garden's Blog
    How about a dish gardening project for something new to try? Making a garden dish is easy. Recycled containers a great to plant in - even an old shoe!
    Creating a Garden Out of Used Containers
    Fun ideas for using containers from around the house to grow your plants in.

    Dish Gardens Available on eBay

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    Dish Gardens Poll

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    Dish Garden Guestbook

    I appreciate your comments and dish gardening tips!

    • flycatcher May 3, 2012 @ 12:15 am | delete
      I used to have a number of dish gardens, years ago - you've inspired me to give it another go!
    • SoundFinance Apr 26, 2012 @ 7:28 pm | delete
      Great lens. I was given a lovely one hand made with stones. Unfortunately the water comes through. Guess I should look for a dish to stop the leaks! They are so pretty.
    • JoshK47 Mar 31, 2012 @ 2:31 pm | delete
      Positively beautiful!
    • gottaloveit Mar 30, 2012 @ 10:45 pm | delete
      I love dish gardens. It's so easy to move them around to catch sun/shade or rain/dry depending on what you're growing. Blessed.
    • ItayasDesigns Mar 23, 2012 @ 1:46 pm | delete
      What a wonderful idea! I haven't thought of them as 'dish gardens' but rather as pretty little gardens in a pretty and shallow container. LOL Very nice article!
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