How to Make a Magical Fairy Garden

Check out these great tips and techniques for creating your own tiny, enchanted world.

By Lauren Matthews, Country Living

Fairy gardens—those miniature plantscapes filled with teeny-tiny accessories, greenery, and more—are completely enchanting, and we can't get enough of them! And all you need to create your very own is a container, some potting mix, a few plants and accessories, and a healthy dose of imagination. We're totally smitten with the site MiniatureGardenShoppe.com, an excellent resource when it comes to all things miniature gardens. Owner Kathryn Newman sells all kinds of tiny furniture and accessories—from little jugs of lemonade and gardening tools to itsy-bitsy birdfeeders and lawn chairs—as well as hardscaping materials and plants when in season.

Here, Kathryn shares some tips and techniques to help you get your own fairy garden growing.


1

Choose a container.

"Any vessel that will hold soil and also allow excess water to drain away will work. The best containers for little landscapes have a large open surface area to accommodate many garden features. Ceramic and terra cotta pots, wicker baskets [with a liner], hyper-tufa troughs, and wooden boxes are all good choices."



2

Choose a spot in the garden.

"Miniature gardens need a special spot when established in the ground. A location under a tree or near a bench can anchor the little landscape and ensure visitors won't miss seeing the tiny treasure … Any protection from heavy rains, strong winds, and direct afternoon sun will help to maintain the integrity of your little landscape design and miniature garden pieces. The best location for your garden will depend on the plants you choose, and vice versa. Sun plants should be grown with at least a half day of sun, and shade plants should be grown with protection from direct sun after 10 or 11 a.m."



3

Pick the right potting mix.

"The growing media for a miniature garden in a container must provide good drainage. The average potting mix—with peat moss, perlite, vermiculite—that is used for garden planters and window boxes will work. Stay away from mixes containing actual soil/dirt—they will not drain well enough."



4

Lay out the garden.

"This is the fun part. Before planting the garden, place all of the features, furniture, and plants to be included in the design in their respective places on top of the soil. This gives you the chance to experiment with different arrangements without overhandling the plants and basically making a mess."



5

Plant.

"Once the overall design is established, it's time to plant the plants. Plant with the largest root mass first as they cause the most disruption to the soil level … When finished planting, smooth the soil a final time and gently water the entire surface with a sprinkling can."



6

Place and create patios and paths.

"Hardscapes are best laid on soil that has been watered (to settle it) and gently pressed down with a fingertip."



7

Protect your pieces.

"Sun, water, and weather are hard on us all, especially little miniature garden pieces ... To protect any and all miniature garden pieces, I recommend applying a clear UV protectant coating/spray each year. Every spring I use the same can of Rust-Oleum Crystal Clear Enamel spray from the hardware store to protect my little landscape furniture."



8

Water.

"Miniature gardens are best watered by hand, using a watering can or a watering wand and hose set at a trickle. Too much water too fast will scatter stones, pavers, and soil and upset the whole garden."



9

Overwintering.

"This is tricky, as each part of the country has its own set of winter weather conditions with which to contend. For beginning gardeners and those who don't want to deal with overwintering at all, I recommend treating the containerscape as a seasonal arrangement … Simply remove the plants at the end of the growing season and store the furniture and accessories in a dry place out of direct sunlight … For those who want to keep their garden indoors year-round, be sure to select only houseplants and plants that can handle the low light levels found indoors."



10

Pinch and prune.

"Happy plants like to grow, so a little pinching and pruning is necessary to maintain the integrity of your miniature garden … If the leaves and stems are just growing over their section of the garden, simply cut those long pieces back until the plant is a little smaller than the size you want it."


See more at: Country Living