Here’s a tutorial just in time for London’s Chelsea Flower Show this week: your very own minature garden. I found it in the latest Cath Kidston magazine, and it combines my love for tiny gardens (I have a bit of a thing for terrariums) and all things retro and twee (finally – I can put all my vintage cake decorations to good use!).

The best thing about this tutorial is that it requires basically zero gardening skills (that’s good news for me), and it costs next to nothing to produce. In fact, I already had everything I needed to make this project, and I ended up with a lovely table centrepiece that will last for several weeks. There’s also an added bonus: the chance to enter the competition to win a £100 Cath Kidston gift voucher.

Click here for all the details on the Cath Kidston website.

Here’s how my garden worked out:

What you need:
• Newspaper
• Twigs, leaves, lawn moss, sand, gravel and pebbles gathered from the garden
• A large bowl, deep plate or foil baking tray
• Gravel and multipurpose compost
• Foil cake case or tin foil for the pond (I didn’t bother with a pond)
• Any small decorative figures, animals and scenery that may inspire you* (I used a tiny pebble country cottage  and some vintage cake decorations)
• Water spray bottle

*remember young children can choke on small items.

What to do:
1. Gardening, even in miniature, can be a messy job, so before you start, cover your work surface with paper.

2. Until you’re ready to use them, stand twigs and leaves in a glass of water and leave the moss to soak.

3. Fill the container - use all compost or two-thirds gravel, then top up with compost to just below the rim. (I used all compost for my garden)

4. If you want a pond, sink a foil cake case or shaped tin foil into the compost. Fill with water once you’ve completed your garden. Plant twig trees, position pebble boulders, lay gravel paths and moss ‘grass’. Before using the moss, squeeze it gently to remove excess water.

5. To keep the greenery looking green, give your garden a spritz with water every day. You can stand the container on a windowsill,  but keep it out of bright sunlight.

I experimented with the placement of my chalky rock (for my own rocky outcrop) and created little mounds with the compost to create little hills. I planted all the tiny ferns, grass and clover together to create the sense of a tiny forest – and place the little cottage in the middle of it. Then I added my vintage deer decorations for a touch of kitsch fauna and fun.

Total spent: £0
Cost of similar centrepiece from one of London’s top florists (based on quote): £80
Total saved: £80

Watch me in action - video coming soon!