Mulberry Creek Herb Farm: Catalog/Mulberry Miniatures

Mulberry Miniatures

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Welcome to Mark’s dream section. The smaller the plant is, the more he likes it. "I find these miniatures, so often overlooked and even walked on, absolutely fascinating. Why? Possibly as I mature in my plant tastes, the subtle details of these noble, slow growers are just as exciting as their substantial, bold, splashy counterparts. Certainly it has to do with no matter how many varieties I find, there are, literally, always room for more. And there's the fact that they are just darn cute, like the tiny doll furniture, that make you yearn to be just their size. I suppose I like the contrast with this weird world and my own sacred space, where everything is child-like perfection for my boys and me. No war, no hunger, and no weeds! Creating authentic miniature worlds, transport the artists and lucky participants."

We hope you enjoy these selections as much as we have reveled in collecting them.

SWEET FLAG, DWARFS

Light: Shade-Full Sun in water
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Common Uses:Potpourri

So why do we keep offering these grasses? Well for one, they are hardy almost anywhere in the U.S. Secondly, they grow equally as well in a sunny wet pond as they do in the shade. Great houseplants yet hardy to Zone 5.While Sweet Flags enjoy a variety of conditions, the more sun they have the more water they need. As for soil, they prefer extra peat moss, cow manure or compost, that you can give.The "Japanese" types are best for mini landscapes in containers or along walkways and the A. calamas (or "American") prefer a wet, border area. Use the dried roots as a potpourri fixative, much like "Orris Root".

Sweet Flag, Japan. Dwarf

Acorus gramineus 'Nanus'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: P.Shade-Sun to Shade-Full Sun in water
Height: 6in. x 12
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Common Uses:Houseplants, , Miniature/Faery Garden, , Ornamental, Shade, , Water

A grass that grows in the shade or full sun in a pond, garden OR house is truly a rare find. Narrow forest green leaves grace this slightly smaller clump. Often used as a houseplant in terrariums.

Sweet Flag, Japan. Dwarf All Gold

Acorus gramineus 'All Gold'

Sweet Flag, Japan. Gold Stripe

Acorus gramineus 'Ogon'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: P.Shade-Sun to Shade-Full Sun in water
Height: 9in. x 12
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Common Uses:Jar-Gems"""""""" TM, Houseplants, , Miniature/Faery Garden, , Ornamental, Shade, , Water

The tallest and prettiest Japanese Sweet Flag we offer. Elegant yellow and green stripes glow as a pond plant in full sun or shade.

Sweet Flag, Japan. Mini Golden

Acorus gramineus 'Oborozuki'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: P.Shade-Sun to Shade-Full Sun in water
Height: 2in. x 6
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Common Uses:Garden Railroads, Houseplants, , Miniature/Faery Garden, , Ornamental, Shade, , Water

This dwarf grass grows to only 4"" tall. Lime yellow leaves contrast beautifully against black stones. In full sun, it needs a wet/bog soil, however, it is one of few grasses which grow well in full shade with just normal soil moisture. Great for small containers and as pond plant.

Sweet Flag, Japan. Mini White Stripe

Acorus gramineus 'Himenasumene'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: P.Shade-Sun to Shade-Full Sun in water
Height: 2in. x 6
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Common Uses:Garden Railroads, Houseplants, Miniature/Faery Garden, , Ornamental, Shade, Water

Terrariums may not be as hot as when I was in the 6th grade, but they still hold appeal for plenty of young (and veteran) gardeners. Sweet flag is among the dozen or so groups of plants that we offer that are happy under those often boggy, somewhat shady conditions in those enclosed ""conservatories."" These white striped clumps add linear texture outside, year round, in cold northern Ohio.

Teucrium, Alpine Germander

Teucrium ackermannii

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Full Sun Only
Height: 2h x 6w inches vine
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Mini Groundcover/Spiller

Find this in Mark's G-Scale railroad along the driveway where the blue needled leaves form a very low, waterfall mat with rose colored, hydrangea shaped flowers, all summer long. If you let it dry out a tad before watering again, it will give you heavy blooming in the spring, sporadic surprises in the summer and a nice rebloom in the fall.

Thalictrum, Alpine

Thalictrum alpinum

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: P.Shade-P.Sun to Shade
Height: 3in. x 8
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Flowers: Late Spring
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Shade

DELICATE in appearance but hardy in nature, you might mistake its 3-4 inch bluish green foliage for a shrunken ""Maidenhair Fern"" until the purple tufts appear in early summer. Shady, woodland is written all over this one.

Thrift, Faery

Armeria caespitosa (A.juniperifolia)

Light: Full Sun
Water: Normal- Dry
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Borders, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

“Cockroach hardy” alpine offers rose colored clusters of flowers in the early spring. Grassy tufts look great the entire season. Accompanied by “Veronica, Sunshine” growing around it, you have a great start to another growing season.

Thrift, Little Penny

Armeria caespitosa

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 2in. x 3
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Early Summer to Late Fall to Late Spring to Middle Fall to Mid
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Borders, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

Take ""Faery Thrift"", reduce by 50% and you have it! Flowers aren't even tall enough for any kind of stem, rather they just perch on the foliage.

Thrift, Mini Red-Leaf

Armeria maritima 'Rubrifolia'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 3in. x 6
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Early Fall to Early Summer to Late Summer to Middle Fall to Mi
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Borders, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

Blooms non-stop during any kind of cooler weather. I like the reddish pink, round flower clusters that bob above but I adore the dark, reddish purple blades in early summer for their contrast in the garden or container. Ben suggested faeries use these flowers as ballons when they go on parade.

Thrift, Red Faerie

Armeria caespitosa 'Bevan's'

Cold Tolerance: Zone ]4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 3in. x 6
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Late Spring to Middle Fall to Middle Spring to Middle Summe
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Butterfly, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

Actually it is more of a dark pine heading toward red, but, trust me, the flowers' hue is intense. In all other respects, it is very similar to ""Faerie"".

Thrift, Variegated

Armeria x 'Nifty Thrifty'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 3in. x 6
Water: Dry-Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Early Summer to Late Spring to Middle Fall to Middle Spring
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Borders, Garden Railroads, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

Leaves are generally larger than ""Faerie Thrift"" and golden with a green stripe down the center. Even in cooler climates, you can not miss the dark pink flowers by June through Labr Day and beyond. On a miniature scale, it would be viewed as a large, mounded ornamental grass.

Thyme, Thyme -

Don't forget the miniature garden. We have dozens to choose from in the herb sections.

Thyme, Woolly

Thymus praecox ssp. arcticus 'Languinosis'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b
Light: Full Sun to Full Sun
Height: 1-2in.
Water: Normal- Dry
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Borders, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental

We have never seen flowers on this true variety of ""Woolly Thyme."" Too cold in northern Ohio? A popular groundcover which adores the sun even in between stepping stones, and is a natural for rock gardens and bonsai.

Trichodiadema /Desert Bonsai

Trichodiadema bulbosum

Cold Tolerance: Zone 9b-11
Light: Full Sun
Height: 2h x 4w inches
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Common Uses:Mini Shrub, Bonsai

This South African succulent is a.k.a "African Bonsai" for its origin and natural tree habit. Great starter bonsai for boys of all ages. Stems thicken at the base like baobob trees. Don't be intimidated. The crown of bristles sprinkled over the grey to green leaves on each of the branches, are fairly soft & host to bright purple flowers throughout the year. Traditionally the roots have been used to speed up the fermentation for bread and beer.

Valerian, Miniature

Valerian supina

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a
Light: Sun-P.Sun to P.Shade
Height: 3in. x 12in. wide
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy-Loamy
Flowers: Late Spring to Middle Spring
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Borders, Butterfly, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Walk About

For those of you fond of the delicate, fragrant flowers of ""Garden Heliotrope"" a.k.a. ""Valerian"" but not the four to five feet stalks, well how about this proud, 2 inch small cousin that flowers pink most of the summer? Forms a neat, 1 foot in diameter, tight mat of 1/2"" leaves. Native to high European Alps meadows.

Veronica, M & Mini Blue Carpet

Veronica spicata nana 'M & M Blue Carpet'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 2in. x 12in. spreading
Water: Normal
Soil: Sandy
Flowers: Early Summer to Late Summer to Middle Summer
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Borders, Butterfly, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Walk About

M & M Blue Carpet is a very sweet Mulberry Creek introduction selected from a seed grown variety that has extra small leaves, but all the same flower power as other veronicas. Bright blue buds pop up through the carpet of green leaves each summer. Slowly spreads to form a thick carpet. Plant about 6-12 inches apart for an eventually solid groundcover.

Veronica, Sunshine

Veronica repens 'Sunshine'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Full Sun to P.Sun
Height: 3/4in. groundcover
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic
Flowers: Early Summer
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Butterfly, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery , Garden, Ornamental, Shade, Walk About

Tiny, pinkish spikes in June add another 75 watts to this already fluorescent gold leaved ground-cover. Needs full, hot sun for best color. Will also brighten any partially shaded pocket where thymes won't grow. Here the leaf color fades to lime green only to start over gold each spring.

Violet, World's Smallest

Viola verecunda var. yakusimana

Cold Tolerance: Zone 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: P.Shade-P.Sun to Sun-P.Shade
Height: 1/2in. x 4
Water: Wet-Normal
Soil: Organic
Flowers: Early Spring to Middle Spring
Common Uses:Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Ornamental, Shade

It's BAAACK! Absolutely the world's smallest violet with a very long botanical name. Each heart-shaped leaf fits comfortably on the head of a pencil eraser. Tiny lavender & white flowers come out just above foliage during cooler weather. Will spread by seed, so use it between stepping stones in a moist shade. Never a nuisance.

Willow, Arctic Creeping

Salix arctica 'Petraea'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a 9b-11
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 2in. groundcover
Water: Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Flowers: Early Spring
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Butterfly, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Topiary

This slightly larger leaved willow was found grwing around Santa's workshop and was dropped off here last Christmas. This is a true Zone 1, Arctic, tundra plant that seems just as happy as a snowbird in the lower 48. What a great miniature ""Pussy Willow"".

Willow, Arctic Creeping- 2Year

Salix arctica 'Petraea'

Willow, Mini Creeping

Salix repens 'Iona Form'

Cold Tolerance: Zone 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 2in. groundcover
Water: Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Flowers: Early Spring
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Butterfly, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Topiary

This is one of the world's smallest willows. Tiniest of catkins appear with the crocus flowers, followed by the flat growing stems letting out their 1/2"" willow leaves. Perfect railroad addition in the ""mountains"" or as a sacred tree in the fairie garden. Train upright for a miniature ""Weeping Willow"" by the pond.

Willow, Mini Creeping- 2 year

Salix repens 'Iona Form'

Cold Tolerance: Zone ]3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 9a
Light: Full Sun to Sun-P.Sun
Height: 2in. groundcover
Water: Normal
Soil: Organic-Loamy
Flowers: Early Spring
Common Uses:Alpine Rockery, Bonsai, Butterfly, Garden Railroads, Groundcover, Miniature/Faery Garden, Topiary