FAIRY GARDEN IN A CONTAINER

I've always been intrigued by fairy gardens.  I wanted to make one in a container that I could enjoy on my deck.  I also wanted to put it on a stand so that it could be eye-level for my grandson.  It is the first fairy garden I have ever made and I have enjoyed it very much. 

I'll share a few tips with you at the end of this post, but first, let's just go in for a closer look.  There are seven focal features and five different plants in this one container.  The main feature is the bridge which I picked up a garden store.

This little angel was a "pot sitter" that I adhered to a rock with some E-6000.

 The mushroom came with a little stake on the bottom of it.

This rock little is called a moonstone and it actually changes colors depending on the light.  During a sunny day it's color is a robin's egg blue, but at night it changes to an ethereal pale lavender color.

I found this miniature gazing ball at a garden center.  Perfect!

This path is made out of  white aquarium gravel.

The little bronze statue of the boy peeing is actually a souvenir from the Worlds Fair in Brussels, 1935.  I picked it up in an antique store one day years ago.

Just a little orange glazed ball that came off of some long forgotten macrame plant hangar.

A few tips on making a fairy garden:

• Check with your local greenhouse on plants that will stay small or grow very slowly.  You can also use starts of regular plants as long as you know that you will be re-potting/re-planting them at the end of the season.  Small herbs are ideal as well.
• Start your fairy garden early in the spring so that you have time to watch it fill in.
• Choose a container that is wide with straight sides so that you have room for plants to spread and roots to grow straight down.
• Choose plants with a variety of color,shapes, shades and textures.
• Using aquarium gravel or pea gravel is another way to add texture to your garden.
• Keep statuary or focal pieces small and intriguing.  When placing them in the container, keep  in mind that your plants will grow. 
• Water  very slowly and close to the plants to avoid disturbing gravel or having mud splash onto your focal pieces.  A good mister works even better.  

 I'll leave you with a before and after picture so that you can see how well my fairy garden filled in over the summer.

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