How to create a fairy garden

A fairy garden is a fun DIY project that involves making a tiny garden that looks like it could house fairies. To make a fairy garden, first choose a container and location for your garden. Then, add plants and shrubs native to your region. When you’re done, accessorize with items that look like something a fairy would use. 

Part 1: Choosing a Container and Location

Select a container 

Fairy gardens are usually housed in small containers. Think about how much space you have. If you’re keeping your garden indoors, you’ll need a smaller container. For an outdoor garden, you can use something larger.

Good items for an indoor container include something like a drawer from an old desk you no longer use, an old pot, or an old wash bin.

Outdoors, you can use larger containers for a bigger garden, such as large garden plots or big bins. A fun idea can be to use a wagon so you can move your fairy garden around.

Account for the types of plants you’re planning on growing. Some plants may need extra drainage, so you should find a container that allows for some drainage if that’s the case. Other plants can get by with less drainage.

Sketch out your fairy garden 

While you’ll probably end up wandering from your plan as you create your garden, it’s always a good idea to have a rough sketch. This way, you’ll know how to best monopolize your space when planting your flowers. Make a sketch of your container and draw roughs sketches of where you’ll keep things like the fairy house, decorations, and your various plants.

Remember, nothing is set in stone yet. Think of this sketch more as a rough guide than a blueprint of exactly how your fairy garden will turn out. Part of the fun of a fairy garden is experimenting and finding fun, spontaneous decorations as you build.

Find a good location for the garden 

As you’ll be adding plants to a fairy garden, find a location that gets a lot of sun. Strive for an area in your backyard that’s free of shade or space by a window in your home. 

Part 2: Adding Your Plants

Fill your container with potting soil

Invest in a quality potting soil that promotes the growth of a diverse amount of plants. Most local greenhouses and hardware stores will sell all-purpose potting soil. Pour your soil into your chosen container so the full surface is coated with a solid layer of soil.

Consider the plants you’re adding when adding your soil. If plants need to be buried a specific depth under the soil to grow, make sure your soil is at least that deep.

Plant some herbs 

Herbs are easy to care for and thrive both indoors and outdoors. In addition to giving off a magical feel, herbs can be harvested for use later. Pick up some seeds or herbs at a local greenhouse. Either plant your seeds or transfer the herbs themselves to the garden.

Thyme, in particular, makes a great plant for a fairy garden, as it has a very decorative feel.

Other herbs include things like rosemary, sage, basil, and oregano.

Add plants native to your area 

The easiest way to make sure your fairy garden grows without trouble is to select native plants. Stop by a local greenhouse and ask about which plants are native to your area. You can also look this information up online. It’s best to use local plants, as they will thrive more easily when planted in your fairy garden.

You can either buy seeds or purchase plants that have already bloomed and transfer them by the roots to your garden.

Go for small, delicate plants 

However, do not choose just any plants. Pick smaller, more delicate native options that give off a mystical feel. For example, if something like forget-me-nots are native to your area, these can make a great addition to your fairy garden due to their small size and decorative appearance.

Plant a small, tree-like plant

Every fairy garden needs a tree, so select a stronger, sturdier plant to plant at the center of your garden. In comparison to the smaller, more decorative plants lining the plot, this will look like a large tree overlooking your fairy garden.

Bush-like plants, like evergreen herbs and shrubs, can make great trees for your garden.

If you have a bigger garden, you can even try adding something like a small bonsai tree to the center of your garden.

Try adding some succulents 

Succulents are great if you want a more hands-off fairy garden, as they do not require as much care. They can go great in a tiny, indoor garden. Pick up succulents, like cacti, at a local greenhouse and plant them in your garden.

Plant ground-cover plants 

Moss is soft to the touch and will cover up any patches of dirt left in between flowers. Other choices include creeping phlox. The fern-like foliage will look like little flowers or bushes lining your garden. Stop by a local greenhouse to pick up some moss to plant in your fairy garden to create the illusion of rich grass growing in the garden.

Make sure your plants have the same light/water requirements

Plants in a fairy garden grow together in the same small space. Therefore, it’s important they have the same basic requirements regarding care, as you won’t be able to provide different amounts of water and light for each individual plant. Choose plants with a similar care regimen so it’s simple to keep your fairy garden alive and growing.

Part 3: Adding Accessories

Fill in bare ground with pebbles

Patches of pebbles can run through your plants, looking like a walkway. You can also add tiny piles of pebbles here and there to create mini rock gardens. You can gather tiny pebbles from outdoors or buy pebbles online or at a greenhouse.

To add some flare, think about adding colorful gemstones alongside the pebbles. This can add some color and give off a fairytale vibe.

Create a fairy house 

Every fairy garden needs a tiny house for your fairies to live. Local craft or art stories may sell tiny house figurines, like little log cabins. You can also look at items you have lying around the house and repurpose them for your fairy garden. For example, if you have a small birdhouse you’ve never used, place it in your garden.

If you want, you can decorate your fairy house before putting it in your garden. Something like an old birdhouse can be painted or stenciled to create fun designs.

Invest in miniature figurines 

Websites like Etsy, as well as local craft stores or craft fairs, often sell miniature items that can be added to your fairy garden. You can add woodland creatures like deer and rabbits to the grassier areas of the garden. You can also put tiny furniture like miniature lawn chairs near the house for your fairies to sit on. Miniature items are a must for a fairy house, as it creates the sense tiny people live in your garden.

Add small seashells as bird baths  

If you live near the ocean, you can gather seashells and wash them. You can also buy seashells at a craft store or online. Place seashells upside down throughout your garden and fill them with splashes of water. These will look like birdbaths for the little birds that visit your fairy garden.

If you have miniature bird figurines, try placing them in the bird baths for an added effect.

Make signposts out of popsicle sticks 

Take popsicle sticks and strips or squares of paper. Write things on the paper, like “Fairy House” and “Woods,” labeling the various parts of your garden. Then, stick your signs in the dirt throughout your fairy garden. Decorate your signs as much as you want. things like glitter and sequins can give off a magical feel for your garden.