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<p>FORTY FORT &#8212; Spring was in full swing Saturday at Edward&#8217;s Garden Center on River Street, where patrons were selecting the newest additions for their gardens, yard hands were busy trimming Bonsai trees, and children peered curiously into the enclosures of goats, rabbits, tortoises and other creatures.</p><p>Inside one of the many greenhouses, yard manager Diane Donnelly demonstrated one of the Internet&#8217;s latest do-it-yourself gardening fads: miniature gardens.</p><p>Fern-, flower- and herb-adorned creations have dominated sites like Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram for their space-saving and easy-to-care-for nature. The tiny gardens, popular with all ages from kids to seniors, are a great way to start gardening or add some character to existing gardens.</p><p>The hearty perennial plants of which the pint-sized landscapes are comprised are easy to take care of both indoors and outdoors and can tolerate a variety of weather conditions.</p><p>&#8220;Just like a full-sized garden, you should put the right plant in the right place. If you have a shady area that you&#8217;d like your planter to go, it&#8217;s best to plant flowers. For full-sun areas, it&#8217;s best to choose ground covers or succulents,&#8221; Donnelly explained.</p><p>Edward&#8217;s offers an in-depth course on how to assemble a miniature garden. On July 16, there is a course on building terrariums, and on Aug. 13, a course on fairy-themed gardens. Edward&#8217;s is also planning a Mother&#8217;s Day course at which children can paint their own pot and select their own plant. The courses take about one hour.</p><p>At the course, soil and a pot are provided for $20 and there is a wide selection of plants and accessories with which to create a unique garden. Walk-ins are welcome at the event. Pre-made gardens can also be purchased. Accommodations for gardeners in wheelchairs and families with strollers have also been made since last season, making the greenhouse more accessible to everyone.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re looking to expand out miniature garden programs,&#8221; Donnelly said. &#8220;We&#8217;d like to take the materials to nursing homes and Alzheimer&#8217;s wards so patients can garden again without having to bend down or risk heat exhaustion.&#8221;</p><p>And there are plans in the works to make the center more kid-friendly.</p><p>&#8220;We have a new snack stand that we&#8217;re putting in soon, too. We&#8217;d also like to work on having birthday parties where kids or even adults could make their own gardens to take home with them,&#8221; Donnelly noted about Edward&#8217;s upcoming expansions.</p><p>&#8220;Little girls usually like the fairy-themed gardens, but we&#8217;ve had girls bring in gymnastics decorations and other unique accessories. The boys often enjoy creating ones with trucks, and we have a lot of animals for anyone who&#8217;s an animal lover. We can really do any theme,&#8221; Donnelly said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Diane Donnelly the yard manager at Edwards Garden center makes a fairy garden. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_TTL041617garden2-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Diane Donnelly the yard manager at Edwards Garden center makes a fairy garden. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_TTL041617garden1-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Diane Donnelly builds a fairy garden at Edward&#8217;s Garden Canter in Forty Fort on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_TTL041617garden1-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Diane Donnelly builds a fairy garden at Edward&#8217;s Garden Canter in Forty Fort on Saturday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Katherine Pugh</p><p>For Tmes Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

Edward’s Garden Center down with hottest trend: Miniature gardens