Ceramic Fairies: How to Make Fairy Gardens

Creating a fairy garden with handcrafted fairies can be great fun for kid of all ages…

What is a Fairy Garden?

According to University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Nancy Pollardm “A fairy garden is a small scene that uses at least one living plant along with a few [handcrafted items] to create a whimsical home for pixie creatures.”

We have read that creating these miniature landscapes are a wonderful way to introduce children to gardening and entice them to fall in love with nature.

Plus they are fantastic way for them to learn how to use their hands for something other than playing video games!

Since most fairy gardens are usually placed in flower pots, terrariums or some other type of indoor container, they can make great tabletop gifts for:

• teachers,
• office workers,
• shut-ins
• or just something unique and different for Mother’s Day

….

Discover the magic of miniature gardening: make your own fairy garden

While you can use just about any type of low and slow growing plant for a container garden, it has been found that succulent plants work the best for fairy gardens because they need so little water.

Hint: succulents  are hard to kill since their thick fleshy leaves store water.

These hardy little plants can go for weeks without needing water so if they are forgotten, they will still do well, even in the dry interior office conditions.

Since succulents come in a range of colors: blue, orange, red, and green, they can be used as mini-shrubs or trees.

Once your container garden is set up, the fairy scene can be created.

Here at Mountain Made, one of our most popular artist is Sondra Hastings. She has created a wonderful collection of handcrafted ceramic fairies and pixies – perfect for almost every type of miniature garden.

Sondra’s whimsical fairies who can be found with their own toad stools or leaf-beds. They can be tucked away under towering Jade plant ‘trees’, or rest charmingly on a ‘lawns’ of green moss.

These wonderful hand-molded fairies add delight to any indoor container garden that otherwise would be a simple succulent or jade plant poked in with some scattered sheet moss.

The addition of these unique fairy land figurines, a plain flower pot can become a magical scene for children and (enchanted) adults when an imaginary touch of wonder is added.

“Whether you collect what is available in your yard or buy from a dried-flower vendor, creativity is sparked by imagination,” Pollard said.

“When the weather cooperates, take children [out] to gather debris in your garden. Sticks, twigs, and acorns can all become something for your fairies.”

Are you ready to create your own fairy garden?

If so, then we invite you to come by the gallery and check out Sandra’s whimsical collection of fairies > How to get to Mountain Made.