“Everyday is a gift, that’s why they call now, the present.”

When buying plants, what is your time limit? Are you worried what will happen 25 years from now? Twenty years? Ten years? It really depends on where and what doesn’t it?

When choosing plants for your life-sized garden, there should be some consideration for planting giant sequoias or a huge laurel hedge right next the house. But when choosing plants for your miniature garden, I think you can throw a little caution to the wind.

“It’ll take 25 years to reach its mature height of 2.5 feet.”

“No, too big.”

Surprisingly, I hear this a lot. What I want to ask next is, “Do you actually know where you’re going to be in 25 years?” But, alas, I can’t, for that would be rude.

(But, really, do you know where you are going to be in 25 years? A piece of airplane shrapnel may fall on your head tomorrow! Really!)

When planting your wee miniature garden, I think worrying about the year 2034, is a lot to ask from such a small garden. Some true miniature trees, or shrubs, have a growth rate as slow as 1 inch, or less, per year.

In 25 years, the wee plant might be a little more than 2 feet tall – and this is without pruning. We can happily put these wonderful miniature plants in container at least 8 inches deep and wide, and they will last several years without needing to be transplanted. We can enjoy them NOW.

It’s kinda like the old hippie/Buddhist saying, “Be here now.”

Let me pause and ask this question: How often do you add to, rearrange, or take away from your regular-sized garden? Once a year in the spring? Twice a year, spring and fall? Anytime you feel like it? Why wouldn’t you expect the same from your mini garden?

The idea behind mini gardening is an interactive miniature, living piece of you – are you going to be the same in 25 years?

As with anything that nature provides, ultimately it is just borrowed. We don’t really own the grass, trees or flowers, we just cultivate them to grow close to us, so we can enjoy them while they last.

If you don’t want your garden to grow, change and mature, take pictures, and document your favorite moments and then you can have them forever.

And stop worrying about 2034. Be here now.