Wednesday, July 27, 2011

A Fairy Garden-Sweetwater Style




Garden fairies come at dawn,
Bless the flowers then they're gone.
~Author Unknown
The little fairy garden in an old birdbath makes me smile whenever I look at it.  
I imagine it may entice some fairies to come bless the flowers.  
Do you think they could cast a spell on the weeds too? Here's hoping!
Read on to learn how to make your own and find inspiration from some other fantastic Fairy Gardens out there.

A trip to  TonkaDale Gardens is never complete without a visit to the Fairy Garden display.
Alas....I know my thrifty soul will never allow me to spend $200 on a Miniature anything! I would rather eat and buy shoes! 
So in true Sweetwater Style, I found a way to make one for almost NO money.
Here is my first attempt....about 4 years ago.  I used an old wooden box...lasted about 2 seasons.
The "tree" is a basil plant I pruned into shape. 
Then I hit upon the idea of using the cement birdbath that was always full of ishy smelly water and leaves.....no birds....obviously better for fairies.


I have included links to several webpages with step by step tutorials for DYI Fairy Gardens.
Here is how I made mine:

Cleaned out the muck from the bottom of the birdbath.

Lined the bottom with a couple of inches of rocks and sand for drainage-no holes
 I think one time I had to tip water out of the garden after a major rain, but generally it hasn't been a problem
Filled the birdbath with potting soil. I made the center taller and packed the soil very well
Arranged the buildings
Put in the pathways and wall
Planted the plants
Put up the archway
Arranged the accessories
  •  The little ceramic houses are from the Christmas section at Goodwill.....painted them with acrylic paint from the craft store. ---$5 or so
  • The arch is just twisted grapevine-easy to do if you soak it first.---FREE
  • The plants are sedum,  creeping thyme, moss transplanted from other spots in the garden---FREE
  • The little hosta pop up next to the mature plants...don't know why this happens, but they are perfect---FREE
  • The "garden wall" and stepping path are just rocks from the landscaping around the house.--FREE
  • The "gazing balls" are big marbles---reused  FREE
  • The little pots are from the dollar bin at Target---reused FREE
So for around five dollars and a little creative reuse...I have my Fairy Garden----Priceless!

Here are some other great examples

    Don't you love the idea of using an old roaster?

    From Ohdeedoh
    This is a great version of my original fruit crate....love the little toy trucks!

    From Cozy Little House
    Makes me wish I had an old wagon sitting around...do you?

    So simple and elegant!


    This site has lots of information about Fairy Gardens.
    You can even order kits from this site....NOT Sweetwater Style....but the ideas are great!

    After seeing all these great options for Fairy Gardens, I might just have to make another one!
    In the meantime, I will just enjoy the view of the one I have from the deck!



    Delightful Order
    The Shabby Nest
    The Creative Corner
    My Simple Home Life
    Lolly Jane
    Craft Envy
    Somewhat Simple
    Funky Junk Interiors

    3 comments:

    Dannyelle said...

    Your fairy garden is so adorable, I'm sure the fairies love it! I made some this spring too, and my little girls and I have been enjoying them too. http://www.lifeisaparty.ca/?p=2628 Thanks for sharing, I love the idea of using the bird bath.

    The Sage Butterfly said...

    That is beautiful! I could stare at it for a very long time just to take in all the details. Thanks for sharing!

    Chari at Happy To Design said...

    Hi Mary...

    Ohhh..what fun you must have had...creating your little fairy garden! I love that you used your bird bath. It turned out sooo beautiful...just magical!!!

    Thank you for sharing this lovely post with us for the Sunday Favorites party this week, my friend! Have a wonderful week!

    Warmest wishes,
    Chari

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