How to Design a Magical Fairy Garden

Children love fairies and adults love flower gardens. Add in a few special design items and transform your flower garden into a magical fairy garden. Designing this type of garden will get your kids interested in helping out and learning a few things about gardening along the way.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Gloves
• Plants
• Gardening Tools

1. Choose a place for your fairy garden. Pick a spot in your yard that is easily accessible to children, or consider making your fairy garden in a container for the patio or inside.

2. Research the kinds of plants fairies love best. Consult sources like Shakespeare or children's library books about fairies. According to "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the fairy queen sleeps in a bed of thyme.

3. Construct tiny pieces of furniture such as chairs, benches and bridges out of twigs and rocks. You can also find tiny fairy furniture in some specialty garden supply stores.
   

4. Plant small shrubs that can be trimmed to look like miniature trees. Boxwoods are easy to keep small and easy to shape.
   
   

5. Supply your fairy garden with a water source. This can be a small fountain or simply a miniature birdbath.
   

6. Keep sources of food for your fairies close by. They like nuts, small cakes, seeds and other tiny things to taste.

7. Write notes for the fairies and invite them to your garden. Small children will especially enjoy this part of the fairy game. Adding a miniature mailbox would be a great addition.

Tips & Warnings

• Construct a small fence or enclosure for your fairy garden. This will help remind everyone where it is and protect it from lawn mowers and other equipment.
• Consider using plants that attract butterflies and small birds like finch. Sometimes fairies have been mistaken for butterflies as they like the same types of flowers.
• Choose plants carefully for the area you live in if your garden is outside.
• Water new plants each day until well established.

[spiritcharms]

on 4/20/2009 Awww a really sweet idea! and some great tips! I always wanted a Fairy Garden! would be lovely to do for my 16 month old son. Thanks for a great article and tips on how to do it. We have some wooded area at the back of our garden, so I may just go on up there. :)

[HottCookie94210]

on 1/12/2008 I think the whole Fairy garden is Awesome!! i mean i combines both adult intrest but also childrens too and i think its a great way to keep kids six or under buisy and happy and excited and also a way to get them to help clean the yard with parents!!! GREAT HOW TO!!! IT WAS EXCELENT!!!!!!!!!!!!