Indoor Mini Succulent Gardens Make the Cutest Addition to Any Dorm or Small Apartment

Just because you live in a smaller space without a backyard doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your own collection of plants—you just need to get a bit creative. If you want to display a little garden, gather up some of your favorite succulents.

Creating a succulent garden that fits on a windowsill, bookshelf, or side table is an adorable option for anyone in a studio or apartment. They’re especially perfect for dorm residents due to their small size and easy care (and you don’t have to haul a bunch of plants needing water back and forth during breaks).

Aesthetically, succulent gardens are seen as a more elegant alternative to just keeping a single succulent by itself. But you’re not just arranging a collection of plants; rather, you’re designing a miniature garden in a box.

Here are the essential steps for putting together a succulent garden for your space, plus some trendy ideas.

Choose Your Container

To fit your succulent garden into small spaces, you’ll want to opt for a small garden container. Shaped containers work great for this, whether you use a glass bowl or a tiny square planting box. 

For even more visual interest, consider tiered miniature containers or a small wicker basket—just make sure to line the basket before adding soil.

Design Your Garden

Before thinking about succulents or soil, consider the design elements of your garden. This ensures you get the right size and number of succulents (and the right kind of soil for them). 

Many mini succulent gardens use a realistic garden theme, with tiny "stepping" stones forming a pathway around the container. A bowl filled with water or pebbles for landscaping rocks can also add visual interest.

You can also create a trendy fairy garden, often featuring trellises around the edges of the container or even a decorative ceramic cottage in the center. Themed succulent gardens are a cute way to add personality to your plants—and can give you another container to put them in, depending on the trinkets you add to your "yard."

Some succulent gardens use sand in a square shape on the surface of the container to create a mini zen garden. This adds a functional element to your little landscape. 

Select Your Succulents

Once you have your container design picked out, it’s time to choose the succulents to fill it with. 

Some mini succulent gardens focus more on the design itself and less on the plants, using only a few succulents in the layout. Others prefer to cram as many into one bowl as possible. There’s no right answer—just whatever you think looks best.

Air succulents are another option for your mini succulent bowl. They don’t require soil, making them easy to set up anywhere in your design. 

Some popular (and very cool-looking) succulents you might want to add to your tiny garden include living stones, echeveria, or jade cacti. Want to make your garden even tinier? You can find succulents that will stay smaller than the size of your thumb.

Fill Your Container

Once you know which succulents you’re getting, you need to find the right soil for them. Succulent soil mixes are a safe bet—most varieties do well in the same soil. As you add soil, leave room for elements that need to be partially submerged, like water bowls or garden decorations. 

After your base layer of soil is in place, plant your succulents according to their variety. Then, add a top layer of sand, gravel, or rocks to decorate the container. This sets the stage before you add air cacti or trinkets.

Now all you need to do is set it in a sunny spot and mist it with water occasionally. Depending on its needs, you may also want to water your succulent garden once or twice a month.