1933 World’s Fair Alpine Garden

All of the World’s Fairs, starting with the Crystal Palace in London in 1851, presented the latest trends in horticulture. The 1933 Century of Progress fair in Chicago featured an alpine garden with small alpine plants.

1933 Alpine Garden

Where are the houses?

Kids walking by my mini-garden in progress are starting to see that it is not a full-size landscape and many of them are calling it a fairy garden. That is fine but I feel like I have let them down by working on the plant materials first and then thinking about the miniature accessories. As one kid said this week, ‘Where are the houses?” It so happens that at that moment I was on the porch making some stone houses but until those are done I will just be able to show the progress on the plants. Many of the neighbors stop by when I am working out there (usually pulling weeds) and they, too, appreciate the novelty of a miniature landscape instead of another boring lawn.

Sidewalk viewing: gives you a sense of the scale.

The ground covers are filling in.

The thymes will eventually cascade over the side.

The stones look especially good now that the plants are growing over them.

The plants are blending in to each other.

The same area as above, two months earlier.