Are you one of the many people that won't be able to take a vacation this year?

One of the numerous benefits of miniature gardening is the ability to recreate any garden theme quickly and easily. Escape the winter weather and create your own tropical get-away for either your home or office, or, why not do one for both.

Here are two very warm mini garden themes to warm your soul and heat up your attitude: tropical and beach.

At this time of year, you can find tiny succulent and cacti plants at your local nursery, their indoor plant section should be stocked full of plants that are perfect for this purpose. There are a multitude of different kinds succulents, so I won't even attempt to go through them here.

Just pick out a couple of the tiny pots, match or compliment the colors, vary the textures and get one that is more upright than the others to create some height. There are a few climate and care variances among this family of plants, so be sure to ask someone at the nursery if the plants you choose make good companions. When planting, separate your plants with rocks to avoid overcrowding, and you can remove them as your scene grows in.

The tropical garden is full of plants, tall and short, with a path meandering through it. Add some whimsy: most toys stores have a section where you can pick and choose small plastic animals.

Think monkeys, leopards or elephants, anything "warm." Add a pond, or a small pool, and you're well on your way to a tropical paradise to call your own.

The beach idea is simple, too. Plant half the pot with spiky succulents. (miniature aloe and haworthias come to mind.) Add a couple of pieces of small logs or tiny driftwood. Smooth some miniature sand over the other half, add an adirondack chair and you have yourself an instant beach vacation without the airport hassles.

Succulents are great for a dish garden, small, low containers with, or without, drainage holes.

If you have a container that doesn't have a drainage hole, put it together like so: Place a layer of pebbles or gravel in the bottom of the container, then a layer of charcoal, then the potting soil, make sure to use soil for succulents or cacti, this type of soil will drain faster that regular potting soil and won't rot the roots.

When watering a succulent or cacti garden, let the soil dry out between watering and only water enough to moisten the soil. In the winter months, water infrequently. Your get-away is going to want to live by a bright window with a little direct sunshine. Note that the winter sun is a lot cooler than the summer sun and you'll have to shade it from the hot sun in the summertime, behind a sheer curtain or a little bit away from the window works too.

Now, sit back and let your mind wander to that sunny, warm place... breathe. Feel your toes in the water? Good. You are there.

Visit Janit's Web site; http://www.TwoGreenThumbs.com. Her online store is http://www.shop.TwoGreenThumbs.com.

info@TwoGreenThumbs.com, 206-352-0494.