Create a dish garden this winter to bring part of the outdoors inside. The humble cactus grows as a native in our part of the world, but it is also highly ornamental. These plants are especially well-suited to indoor growing because they thrive in dry winter homes and require almost no maintenance to look good.

Begin by selecting a shallow bowl to serve as your container. Decorative clay and glass bowls work well. The garden doesn't require any drainage so any bowl will work.

Fill the bowl with a shallow layer of clean gravel, topped with a thin overing of activated charcoal. Excess water drains from the soil and into the gravel. The charcoal prevents the standing water from producing a foul odor. Gravel is necessary, otherwise the excess water can cause the cactus roots to rot.

Cactus plants have different soil needs compared to most houseplants. You can purchase soil formulated specifically for cacti and desert plants at garden centers, or make your own by combining equal parts peat, sand and compost. This mixture provides optimum drainage that prevents root rot issues.

Plant small varieties of cacti or succulents in the prepared dish garden. Lithops and hedgehog cactus grow slowly, making them an attractive dish garden choice. Succulents, including aloe and sempervivum, also make a beautiful addition to the garden and they require care similar to that of the cacti.

Your garden requires watering only when the soil dries out completely to the touch. Most cacti grow best in bright, indirect sunlight, although some need more or less light so refer to the plant's nursery tags. The plants rarely require fertilization or repotting, so you can enjoy the garden for many years.