Technique Has anyone created a specific area in their garden?

I’ve wanted to do this as well! We finally bought our own house and we have a fenced back garden. So far most of my dolls have had photos in the woods or a field. I think I would plant whatever is easiest to take care of, since I have a horrible history of taking care of my plants. XD Most of my collection is MSD or yosd and smaller so I’m not too worried about finding plants that are to scale.

What kind of dolls do you have? It’s always nice to fill your garden with local plants for your area. Did you have any kind of plants or decor in mind? I would suggest if you’re still in the planning stage to try a garden centre.

 

I have an indoor setup with growlights for various ornamental plants (mostly aroids, some air plants, some hoya, and some other random plant species mixed in). I have wooden plant stands so I could take advantage of vertical space, but a lot of plants just chill on the floor with catch plates because that's where they get the light levels they like best.

For safety purposes, I only put MSD-sized dolls on the plant stands because they may not support my really heavy 65cm+ resin babies (big'uns stay on the floor). Even then, I strictly regulate the time they spend there for "greenhouse photoshoots" -- LED lights can speed up yellowing if they're exposed to it too much! Sample photoshoots below.

Fashion mini RaccoonDoll Momo on the stand:

Ocean water chemise by Yela Gatchalian-David, on Flickr

Same doll wading among the floor plants:

Okuni with Pothos and Scindapsus by Yela Gatchalian-David, on Flickr

Iplehouse HID Scarlet and LoongSoul ZhuZhao standing on the floor next to the raised plants:

Not to Worry, Mum by Yela Gatchalian-David, on Flickr

And a temporary setup with two more fashion minis and a pair of potted plants:

Monstera and Philodendron by Yela Gatchalian-David, on Flickr

I've accumulated enough plants to simulate lush jungle photoshoots (most effective with MSD size and smaller, even if the leaves may look a touch too big compared to the dolls), but I'm pretty sure fairy garden-esque setups (herbs and such) can also be attained with some modifications.

 

My good friend Scarlett Empress is in her element creating gardens for her dolls, she even made an actual Garden Centre and a Park for them

Here's a couple of links to where they feature in her story world:

This one is Effie and Will's garden

/threads/over-the-garden-fence-elfdoll-sooah-k-angel-fantasy-vent.402227/

This one shows the garden centre and the park

/threads/walking-home-soom-epidos-oasisdoll-yaoyue.533746/

 

I am planning to make one!! Will be working on a 1:3 house front façade when i have a little more time and money.

I love how Azureffantoccini on IG makes both indoor and outdoor dioramas
https://www.instagram.com/azurefantoccini_bjd?igsh=MTl4azJ1NDVrdjFqdw==

 

Any fairy garden plants look great in a small scale garden for photographing bjds. Some garden centers have entire departments devoted to fairy garden, or terrarium plants, which are miniature plants. Regular plants don't look well, as they are much too big. Also, miniature trees , like bonsai trees, look well. I grew a bonsai miniature tree which is about 18" tall and it looks amazing with my dolls sitting on the tiny leafed ground cover growing beneath it. I live in California and my miniature garden is right next to my house, so all the plants survive through the winter outside.

 

We live in the country and have almost 5 acres of land with a hose and barn taking up almost an acre. The pasture which had horses until 2001 has become overgrown except for paths we make to walk dogs as well as just take photos. Here are some I have taken around the property.
The Final Ride for 2021 by Marie, on Flickr
Leaf Contest by Marie, on Flickr
Parker & Poppy by Marie, on Flickr
Hyun Outside by Marie, on Flickr
All these dolls are in new homes, but I hopefully can take new photos soon. Just recently got dog to cooperate for photo taking with dolls.

 

I'm a big fan of taking forced perspective photos of my dolls in real locations.

Our backyard is cut into the side of a hill, so we have a raised garden along the back. I set up scenes with dolls on the patio table, which is roughly the same height as the raised garden. Every spring I go around the various garden centres looking for a nice selection of baskets of million bells. They are just one Inch wide flowers, the perfect scale for an MSD garden background.



Then I take my photos straight on at the doll's eye level, and it looks like she's a fancy garden..


I usually buy around eight baskets with all kinds of different colours, so I have variety.



We also planted lots of scillas in our lawn, so I'd have a blue carpet for doll photos every spring....

 

These are so beautiful! Forced perspective really is magical. I always love your photos.

 

Thanks! Every spring I look forward to collecting a new selection of million bells for the summer's photo shoots.