Creating a fairy garden, complete with miniature furnishings, fairy-scale plants, and plenty of mystique, is not only a fun project, it is enthralling gardeners of all ages.

Here are a few tips to make sure your miniature fairy garden is a success.

Choosing the Proper Container

There are many interesting and fun things that make great fairy gardens. From teacups to toolboxes, old birdbaths to antique wheelbarrows, the choices are endless. Just be sure to choose a container that is not too deep.

The Right Soil

Try to always use a good, weed-free potting soil. Never use topsoil or black earth, as plants cannot breathe in these heavy soils that lack nutrients. It is important to wet your soil prior to pressing it into your container. This makes it easier to design your garden and mold it with hills and valleys, and it is better for the plants.

Good Light is Key

It is often hard to have a good bright light source indoors without grow lights. The sunniest window with the longest amount of daylight is your best choice, although this can be a challenge during the winter months. If your seedlings start to lean toward the window, turn them every few days. Grow lights are optimal.

Fairy Garden Plants

Once you have your base, you can begin to plant your fairy garden by choosing low growing varieties for fillers and spillers, along with at least one accent plant to act as a thriller. Your fairy garden will not be completely covered in plants at first, and that is perfectly fine. They need room to grow. You can cover exposed soil with pea gravel or coloured stones.

Most garden centres now carry an extensive line of fairy garden plants. Polished stones also make excellent paths and accents in fairy gardens.

Decorating Your Miniature Garden

Once your garden is designed and planted, the fun begins as you decorate with the many cute fairy garden accessories available. From fairy houses to potting benches, fairy signs and sunflowers, fairy benches, bridges, and buckets, there are so many interesting and adorable miniature fairy items to choose from.

Caring for your Fairy Garden

Now, how are you going to keep this wonderful little garden thriving? Always water gently but thoroughly using a small container with a spout. If your garden is indoors, a good watering once a week is enough. If it is outside, it may need water every day.

Fertilize at least once a month with an all-purpose fertilizer such as 17-5-17 at half strength. How much light does it need? Inside the house, choose a bright location but avoid all-day direct sunshine. It is important to rotate your garden weekly so the plants do not stretch. If placing the garden outside, light requirements depend on the plants, but filtered bright sunlight is usually best.

To maintain the plants, clip low growing plants once a month. Taller plants can be pinched or trimmed back as necessary.

Garden fairies come at dawn, bless the flowers, then they're gone.

• Unknown

Fun Fairy Facts

Fairies are mischievous and love fresh flowers. They live in hollowed out tree trunks, under toadstools, and often near streams. Sometimes you will hear bells and jingles in the garden, and this is where fairies are likely to be, as they love to dance. They can live to be over 100 years old, and their favourite drinks are honey, milk, and nectar.

Often tangles in the hair of little girls are said to be the work of fairies, and the disappearance of small objects can also be a clue that fairies have been visiting.

The most important fact of all is that you have to believe in fairies before you will ever see them. If you are interested in learning more about fairy gardening, join us for one of our Fairy Garden Workshops or stop by and see all of the new fairy accessories and houses that have just arrived. We are only a short drive from Ottawa and worth the visit.

Have fun!

Kelly