What Is The Purpose Of A Fairy Garden

What are Fairy Gardens and Why Should I Care?

A Fairy Garden is a miniature garden complete with structures and actual living plants. It is designed to lure fairies and with them, good luck, to your home. It's a tiny space created and tended with love. The design and components are limited only by your imagination and the fairies encourage you to be extra-creative in crafting the perfect abode

The Back Story

Once upon a time, hiding in the grass, in the woods, and anywhere there was space, there lived these magical beings called fairies. Unfortunately, as enchanting as these diminutive creatures were, they lacked certain skills. Fairies were not known to be competent builders. So instead of living in elaborate, well-constructed houses, they made due with whatever dwelling they could find.

Instead, they survive the cold and rain by finding shelter in the unsuspecting places of the human world: computers, cars, and even sweater drawers. (You think its moths eating holes in your sweaters? Guess again.) You may notice your, appliances and cars breaking down, and computers crashing. Fairies are often to blame. While these mischievous characters only seek solace and safety under the hood of your car, etc, they'll haplessly break all that you own in the process. It's not malicious intent on the part of the fairies. They simply need help-that is, a place to lay their heads at night, like humans.

For centuries, mankind has been fascinated by the mystifying legend of fairies, of so-called "wee folk" who can be kind to us humans or be mean and mischievous.

While concrete evidence of the existence of fairies is, naturally, rather hard to come by, adding fairy gardens within our landscapes is one way to we can participate in this beautiful centuries-old tradition.

And creating these gardens of whimsy takes little more than a tad of fairy knowledge, a bit of imagination, and a small patch of space in your landscape or home.

Creating a fairy garden

As with any other project, knowledge of the subject matter is imperative for success. You do not need to believe in the mythical creatures in order to create a fairy garden. Nor is it difficult to create one, but learning what fairies are supposed to prefer in their environment is probably a wise move if you want to entice them to your garden.

If you are not sure where to begin, begin small. Create a container fairy garden. This approach allows even apartment and condo dwellers that lack a backyard to have one, as seen in the photo.

Though there are certain flowers and herbs that have long been associated with fairies, if those plants don't fit your garden scheme, don't fret.

Instead, select plants that are suited to your garden theme, making sure they are small enough to keep them in scale with a fairy garden.

Since fairies would need a space of their own for celebrations and festivals, small stones and pebbles for pathways and tiny benches, chairs, fencing, and arbors could provide encouragement for the fairies to stay.

Allow your imagination to bloom. Think of acorn caps as fairy cups, walnut shells as fairy bowls, and small inverted champagne glasses as birdbaths.

Tap into the minds of your children for ideas. Your only limitation is your imagination

Created on 30 August 2012.