Fun Gardening Themes For Your Mobile Home | Summer 2020

Gardening is a great way to kick off summer and involve the whole family. Planting a garden in your mobile home lot is also a fantastic way to make things feel homey and relaxed. Of course, you could always do a little research, pick out some of your favorite plants, and go for it. But have you considered creating a garden that’s centered around a certain theme? It’s a great way to explore the world of gardening if you’re unsure where to begin. 

Today we’re going to talk about several fun gardening themes for your home. We’re hoping this narrows down your options and inspires you to create a cohesive yard that looks beautiful too.

Creating a butterfly sanctuary

The first theme of the day is butterfly gardens. You’ll have to do a little hunting in your local greenhouse, but most of the flowers that are butterfly-friendly will say so on the label. Look for brightly-colored flowers and vary the heights of your plants to attract a range of butterflies. For instance, some butterflies may like vine flowers such as honeysuckle. And some will be more drawn to low plants such as lavender. You can also use hanging baskets and planters to vary the height of your plants.

We recommend doing some research into what butterflies are common in your area. If you’d like to broaden your vision, consider finding out what plants the butterflies in your state lay their eggs on. Add these to your garden. Not only will you be able to experience the entire life-cycle of your butterflies, but you’ll be helping increase the butterfly population.

Attracting wildlife 

To create a mini wildlife garden for your mobile home, first consider what kind of wildlife you want to attract. If you live on your own lot outside a park, you can think about attracting larger animals like deer. But if you live in a mobile home park, you’ll want to stick with birds, squirrels, and pollinators.

How large or small your garden will be and what it includes is ultimately up to you, but here are a few fun (and kid-friendly) ideas we love:

• A birdbath
• Birdhouses
• An arbor with flowering vines
• A tiny pool (to attract frogs, toads, turtles, and even butterflies)
• A small fruit tree
• A wildflower “meadow”

English cottage vibes

Creating a cottage, or English garden, is something that requires a fine bit of planning. But the end result is stunning. Cottage gardens are wonderful for providing privacy and a relaxing air. This style of garden is sprawling and informal and takes a few years to come to fruition. 

Start by planning out areas for paths and for plots where you’ll grow wildflowers or herbs. Add a picket fence or maybe just a small picket gate, and perhaps a small arbor. Trellises are also a classic staple. Plant a diverse selection of flowers and greenery that can spread out and look a little overgrown. Combine different textures and vary plant heights. Have fun with the whimsy and informality of it all.

For the tea-drinker

A tea garden is a fun theme that reaps tangible rewards. It’s like an herb garden…only you can drink everything in it (well, after it’s been steeped). Not only can you dry your tea and keep it all winter for hot drinks, but you can grow plants that will make you fresh iced tea all summer.

Some great herbs to plant in a tea garden are:

• Apple mint 
• Lavender
• Ginger
• Chamomile
• Jasmine
• Stevia (stevia can be steeped alone, or added to other teas for a 100% natural sweetener)
• Hibiscus

Fairy garden

There’s nothing quite so kid-friendly as a fairy garden. If your children (or even you) love whimsy, group effort, and hours of fun, this theme is for you. Fairy gardens are perfect for mobile homes because they fit into small spaces. You can plan an entire garden complete with various paths and fairy homes, or you can keep it simple with just one or two gardens in pots. 

Creating faux doorways at the trunks of trees is a good way to start. You can create mini hedges using flowers, greenery, or sticks and clear out small spaces to serve as little garden areas or to hold the fairy houses themselves. Using fairy lights or bulb lights will give everything a magical feel. And there are dozens of tutorials available on how to create mini toadstools, wells, ponds, and houses.

Make the most of summer

This summer is a little different for many of us who still feel stuck at home and unable to travel. Make it extra special by planting a garden. Or maybe you already have one but want to be more focused on it. Creating a theme for your garden is a great way to do that. We hope this has inspired you to get out there, get dirty, and have some fun. And if you don’t have space or time to create a garden, try creating a themed mobile home summer porch instead.