Create Your Own Fairy Garden

“Come out from your Faerie bower, Come upon this golden hour
Come to us, we beg you please, Faeries dancing on the breeze”

Fairies come in the gloaming hours, when the day is muted and soft. Perhaps you’ve seen them and thought they were only a trick of the light. Ah, but they are real!

Be ready for them with your very own garden.

Fairy gardens are whimsical spaces where the imagination of childhood blooms. But they aren’t just for children. They are for anyone with a childlike wonder and a little imagination. These tiny gardens are great for those with limited space or no yard.

You can have an entire world in a single flower pot.

To create a fairy garden of your own, just follow these easy steps:

1. GATHER SUPPLIES

One of the best parts about creating a miniature garden is shopping for the plants and decorations. A greenhouse is always my first stop. Mini gardens have become quite popular so many greenhouses have entire sections dedicated to them!

Grab a box and fill it with tiny terrarium plants. Succulents are the best plants for mini gardens. Get varying sizes and shapes to add variety.

Pick up accessories. There is a huge assortment of fairy garden decor available. (See my shopping list at the end of the post) You may also find mini garden sets at grocery stores, garden shops or all-in-ones places. If you are looking for specific items, check online. There is an entire world of mini furniture and decor!

I used part of a gnome garden set and then added my own items.

Pick up any type of pot of your choosing and a bag of quality potting soil. Usually shallow pots with drainage holes work the best, but the options are endless: an old wheelbarrow, a bathtub, a window planter box, a hollowed out tree stump.

I also love adding tiny string lights to my gardens. They add so much ambiance and magic. Make sure to get the outdoor variety so they don’t fizzle out when watering your garden.

Use natural items. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to create your garden. Try DIY decor or find things in your own backyard.

Moss
Stones
Wood

2. DESIGN IT

Find inspiration. You can find a whole world of fairy garden inspiration on Pinterest. Or check out gardening magazines. I used Mini Gardens & Terrariums Magazine as inspiration. I would recommend picking up a copy. It has some really cute ideas.

Brainstorm.

Think about what theme you want your garden to have. Perhaps it’s a gnome garden, or a medieval castle. Do you want it to be colorful? Elegant Natural?

Choose a centerpiece like a fountain, a house, a waterfall or a swing. Next, pick some accents. I love this glow-in-the-dark mushroom & magic ball piece.

3. SET UP

Find a flat workspace. Outside works best.
Add at least a few inches of soil into the pot and pack it down.

Carefully remove the plants for their containers, squeezing the bottom to release, and gently bury them in the soil.

I did a basic set-up just to see how it looked. I didn’t place anything in too deeply in case I wanted to change it.

Add your lights now. You will have to partially bury them and curl them under and around plants and fixtures to make them stay.

After all your fixtures and plants are in place, it’s time to decorate! Add stones, paths, bridges or fountains. I poured a rock path in my garden, making sure to cover the string lights.

You can really go all out with these gardens, creating multi-levels waterfalls, working fountains or anything else you can imagine. I kept my design pretty simple but it can be upgraded in the future.

TIPS:

When everything is in place, trickle a bit of water throughout the soil to help everything settle into place.
Since there are several different plants in my garden, some need watered more than others. I water them weekly and use a spray bottle to mist and spray them every day. The plants that need more water get a small cup of water every couple days.
If you are keeping it outside make sure that the weather isn’t too harsh.
If you are keeping it inside, make sure that all your plants are non-toxic to children and pets.
Don’t be afraid to rearrange your garden if you get the urge. Add on. Get new furniture. Upgrade!
If the plants grow too large, you can always take them out and replace them with smaller plants.
Decorate your garden for seasons and holidays. It’s so much fun!