conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What could be a title for a book about Quarto, Small, Plants with the genre: Crafts, Hobbies & Home, Gardening & Landscape Design?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: A title for this book could be 'Gardening In Miniature'
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What is the first five paragraphs for this book?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Gardening In Miniature
  The information shared here comes from more than twelve years of working full-time promoting this hobby throughout the United States, Canada, and the world. Some of my miniature gardens have been with me for over nine years and are still thriving—a testament to the longevity and sustainability of miniature gardening. And a number of my customers, my beloved fellow miniature gardeners (MGs), have been with me for just as long—proof of the depth and breadth of this hobby.
  For most of us, anything miniature brings to mind the days when we were young and full of imagination, spinning tales of majesty and grandeur. The garden brings us beauty and lovely living things to nurture and grow. Together they create something magical, yet just challenging enough to hold our interest from year to year. You can build a miniature garden in an afternoon, or it can take several stages to achieve your goal. There is no right or wrong way, only your way. Best of all, it's your world to grow, so remember: whatever you do, make it fun.
  WHAT IS IT THAT draws the heart and eye to things smaller than real life? Perhaps the fact that anything miniature reminds us of play. After all, our childhood toys were our first miniatures. Whether they were Lincoln Logs, Legos, Barbies, G.I. Joes, or other kinds of dolls, our toys were always miniature versions of us or other parts of our lives. We projected ourselves into the scene and got lost in the small version of our world, exactly how we liked it. Those positive feelings of play and laughter were—and still are—vital to our happiness, and when we see miniatures and remember our fun, carefree playtimes, we feel that way again.
  The sense of wonder that comes over us can be quite potent. When you are the writer and director, creating the story, setting the scene, and placing the props, you bring that innocent pleasure into your adult life under the guise of a hobby. But really, hobbies just give us permission to play again.
  Many miniaturists are enamored with the idea of anything small because miniatures are a part of our history. The oldest known human artifact is a diminutive replica of the female form, the Venus of Hohle Fels, dated between 35,000 and 40,000 B.C. This tiny sculpture is just under two and a half inches tall. Dollhouse miniature themes are often a memory from childhood, a place visited in the past, or a love of a specific historical period. It is noteworthy that the main themes of dollhouse miniatures and model railroads are historical, reminding us of a simpler time. Model or garden railroading takes us on a journey through a specific landscape that is either a historical model, or comes from the creator's mind. You can't help but imagine yourself in the scene.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What is another paragraph?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: ONCE YOU ADD a miniature garden accessory to your pot of plants, the scene suddenly shrinks down to scale, the pebble mulch turns into a mini patio area, and you have a fanciful, living scene. A true garden in miniature needs at least one tiny accessory. Whether it's a small bench, a birdhouse, or something decorative, these focal points are key signals that something magical is afoot.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What is the last five paragraphs? End with the sentence '
  Photos by Kate Baldwin appear on pages 8–, , , , , –, , , , , , , , , , , right, –, , , , right, , , , , , –, –, , –, , , –, , –, , , right, , , , –, , left, –, , , , , , , , , , left, , , , , , –, , , –, , , , –, , , , , , , , –, , –, –, , –, , –, –, , –,'.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Check for conifer dieback every season. Some miniature and dwarf conifers shed from the middle of autumn right through to late summer. If you check often and early, you can easily stay on top of this necessary chore.
  As you get further into this wonderful hobby, the trees will grow up slowly, your groundcovers will spread, and you'll find that your miniature garden keeps getting more and more magical. It really becomes an old friend after a number of years.
  But there will come a time when you'll need to pull a tree out because it has grown too large for the scale of the garden, the soil level has gone down in the pot, or you are simply in need of a change. You may want to keep the garden in its pot and just give it a makeover. You may also want to transfer the tree to an inground bed and start a brand new miniature garden. Most important, you'll have options galore, having learned how to grow your own world.
  There are no words in the dictionary for the amount of gratitude I have for my loving husband, Steve. Thank you for coming over to the "green side" and moving mountains with me. You took over the house, the online store operation, and pretty much held down every aspect of our lives while I pushed this out the door. And all of that on top of being my biggest fan. You are my rock.
  Photos by Kate Baldwin appear on pages 8–, , , , , –, , , , , , , , , , , right, –, , , , right, , , , , , –, –, , –, , , –, , –, , , right, , , , –, , left, –, , , , , , , , , , left, , , , , , –, , , –, , , , –, , , , , , , , –, , –, –, , –, , –, –, , –,