A tiny garden can bring you closer to nature as you tend the plants with special care and watch them grow.

It could be a niche in a corner of the yard, a raised bed of flowers or vegetables, a window box or two or a container garden on the deck. In any case, the compact garden takes less time and work. The satisfaction comes from working with each individual plant.

For most flowers and vegetables, consider a spot that gets morning sun and afternoon shade. If your place is shady, search for shade-loving plants with greenery or flowers that may be planted under an ornamental tree.

Adding a wooden bench or chair will give you a place to relax in your niche. You could add a sundial, a birdbath or trellises for your climbing vines.

Men particularly enjoy building a rose garden. One costs a little more to start, but with proper care the roses will come back bigger and more beautiful with each passing year.

Roses are very attractive as they bloom in sunny niches, raised beds, or even when growing in wooden wine barrels from the garden store.

Container gardening is a pleasant alternative to having a garden in the yard. Containers come in all shapes and sizes. They can be put on trays with wheels so you can move them whenever you want. Or they can be put on stands to make a more dramatic statement. And you don't need "mud shoes" to tend them after a rain.

Plastic containers require less water than clay pots. Soil in clay pots dries out faster.