A glimpse of the past: an article from The Prairie Garden--1953: Dish gardens. (2003 Feature Section--"Themes and Extremes").

Dish gardens or small plant arrangements seem to have become a very popular fad in recent years. Greenhousemen and florists have had tremendous demand for tiny plants suited to such culture. It is possible now to buy collections of small cactus and succulent plants that fit in such a miniature garden scene.

The containers used for these gardens are as varied as plants used in them. Low, flat containers adapt themselves well in the development of this kind of garden. They may be clay, porcelain or of metal ware. Containers may be square, round, oval, rectangular, or even irregular in outline.

This type of garden is much easier to handle if provision is made …