Last time I wrote on fairy gardens was a number of years ago. This year, every garden centre you go to has caught on to this latest craze.Yes, fairy gardens are little spaces that everyone can fall in love with, young and old.
So what exactly makes up a fairy garden. Fairies as we all know are ethereal creatures, perhaps we might imagine them as tiny, green, female (beautiful female) winged spirits. It might conjure up that when you meet a fairy, perhaps you will be granted three wishes, and this makes fairies a symbol of luck and happiness. Fairy gardens are built to lure these tiny little creatures into your home and of course bring with them a fair portion of luck! Of course, in order to keep them as part of your home, it is necessary to provide a miniature garden that allows these mystical creatures to be happy and find a suitable place of rest.
So, if you are not sold on the mystical creature idea, perhaps you just want to create a fairy garden because it is fun and can take up very little space. In fact, your fairy garden could even exist right in your house. Great features is that a fairy garden can be very inexpensive, will bring nature to you and will also teach patience, care of other living things and bring an element of fun into your lives. It is a good activity for all ages - from the wonder of young children to the sentimental feeling of a world that is just a little bit better from the older folks.
Your fairy garden could be a terrarium on your coffee table, your patio or a little part of your outdoor living space. To create this space you need to begin with flowers. Humans of all ages and fairies all love the romance and beauty of a flower. To complete the balance of your fairy garden dream, include some ferns and other greenery to create potential secret hiding places for the fairies you attract.
Another thought to creating a special place for the little people is you need to include water. A birdbath to cater to the creatures that are closer to our earth world could be easily incorporated in an aesthetic fashion. Stepping stones are another nice feature as it helps you, the steward, to step carefully so as to not harm any of the little creatures who also inhabit your outdoor space.
Once you have some of the basic essentials in place it is time to build the “fairy” portion of the garden. Suitable fairy houses can either be purchased readymade or you can build them from materials from your favourite building or craft store. You do not want many houses, perhaps two or three and a nice entrance door into a mature tree conjures up visions of Alice in Wonderland. Tiny table and chair sets, small mushrooms and even some miniature critters can all be part of your fairy garden. Use your imagination and let the child in you out to play!
Remember fairies are attracted by beautiful, natural things like water, flowers, animals and, of course, fairy dust. Perhaps you might like to create some fairy dust to sprinkle around your garden to make it just that much more attractive to your potential new fairies. Imagine and enjoy.
— Hanbidge is a horticulturist with the Saskatoon School of Horticulture and can be reached at 306-931-GROW(4769); by email at growyourfuture@gmail.com or check out our website at www.saskhort.com.
