Summer fun: How to create a fairy garden - Charleston Post Courier

Summer fun: How to create a fairy garden - Charleston Post Courier

Summer fun: How to create a fairy garden - Charleston Post Courier

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 06:00 AM PDT

Fairy Garden Houses

Perhaps you've seen them on your neighborhood stroll. You may have thought they were tiny, whimsical doll houses in the garden – usually nestled among the roots of an old tree or sometimes burrowed between flowers and decorative stones. However, what you witnessed was no usual play item or yard art. What you witnessed, in fact, was a fairy garden or maybe a gnome home, which makes that garden quite special indeed.

You see, fairies are attracted to spaces filled with life. They love anything that attracts wildlife and insects in an area rich with soil, leaves and other plants, especially flowers. If you happen to have a mushroom growing nearby, no worries – fairies will love to use it for shelter from the rain.

You may wonder why you would want fairies in your garden. It is said that they help to maintain the health of a garden and can actually help tend to it in subtle ways. Attracting fairies is a good thing.

As for gnomes, you are going to want to welcome them to your garden as well. They bring good luck and are thought to provide protection over the plants in the yard. Since these little guys are so important, why not provide a home for them in your yard?

How to Build a Fairy Garden

Fairy Garden

Here are some tips on attracting fairies and gnomes to your garden. This may be one of the most important projects you do this summer, so read carefully…

  • Pick the perfect spot in your yard/garden. You might choose the base of a tree or a birdbath – just choose a spot teeming with natural life. If you don't have a yard, no problem. Fairies and gnomes happen to love potted plants and terrariums. Just try and place them outside the front door if you can, right next to a window that you sometimes open up or on a balcony since they love nature.
  • Find the materials. Craft stores and thrift shops make great places to find homes for these tiny creatures. Use old toys for accessories. Fairies and gnomes aren't picky really. Even the aquarium section at a pet store has some great items. There really is no end as to what could go in your fairy garden or gnome home – just make sure it is suitable for the outdoors.
  • Doorway to magic. Fairies will find a small doorway inviting. Save some old popsicle sticks or just regular old sticks and create one! You can paint them to make the door extra noticeable. Tip: Fairies happen to love glitter. A small pebble pathway will also help to lead the way for fairies. For gnomes, they tend to gravitate to toadstools and mushrooms for their living quarters.
  • Adorn the landscape around your fairy and gnome oasis with ornamental stones or plant some moss grass. Populate the space with figurines for imaginative play. Fairies and gnomes will gladly welcome other magical folk, like elves or even mermaids, who will want to hang out by a water source.
  • Add a water element. A shell is a great source since it can gather water when it rains. You can even add blue rocks (like the ones you can buy for a fish tank) to give the illusion of a small pond for the fairies to frolic in on a hot day and for the gnomes to drink when they take a break from protecting the yard.

You really don't need anything but your imagination to create a fairy garden or gnome home, but for figurine pieces check out Etsy, Amazon, Walmart or Michael's.

For inspiration, visit Magnolia Plantation's Children's Garden. Located on the Avenue of Oaks, just past The Plantation House and Horticultural Maze, children will be able to walk into a mystical land with fairies in their houses and villages, gnomes and elves.

The Children's Garden also features a small village that feels like a real town and a sensory garden where the kids can touch the plants and even taste the berries! There are sounds of pots and pans clanging, bright-colored flowers and fresh smells, especially from the lemon plant.

Do you already have a fairy garden or plan to build one with your kids this summer? Be sure to share your photos with us on Instagram @LowcountryParent. Use #LowcountryParent

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