Bring some enchantment your family by helping your child create a fairy garden! BONUS: Your child
will learn basic gardening skills! Let your imagination and creativity go wild. WARNING: Creating Fairy Gardens can be addicting. We
have created a step-by-step list of what to do in order to make this a fun
activity that your kids will love. Have fun making your own fairy gardens!
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Materials Needed:
- Container
- Potting soil
- Small plants (succulents, cacti)
- Moss/grass/vines
- Pebbles/rocks/shells
- House and furniture figurines
- Fairy and friends figurines
- Water Can
- Gardening Gloves
- Pen and paper
Step 1: Choose your
container
Fairy gardens can be made in any kind of container, as long
as it has drainage holes. Keep in mind that the bigger the container's surface area, the larger the landscape for your fairy garden. You can use a
gardening pot, wash bin, hanging basket, wheel barrow, plastic sandpit
container, old sink, bath tub, bucket, tree stump, or a glass container.
Step 2: Choose the
location
Think about where you will place your fairy
garden. Will the fairy garden be placed indoors or outdoors? It is best to
place it indoors where it will get plenty of sunlight.
Step 3: Choose the
fairy house and furniture
Let your imagination go wild by picking out the house and
furniture for your fairies. Set yourself your own beach or forest theme and get
creative with fun areas for your fairies such as a swimming pool or tea party
section. There are tons of mini accessories and furniture at craft stores,
thrift stores, and garden centers. If it is difficult finding items in
gardening sections, make sure you make a trip down the doll aisle where you
will be surprised at what you might find. Make sure you check to see if there
are any accessories in your own home. Bottle caps, Popsicle sticks, buttons,
and other common items can be made creatively into furniture and accessories.
Step 4: Choose your
fairy plants
Choose suitable plants that grow well in your area. It is
important to choose plants that have the same growing requirements in order to
not overwhelm the accessories in your garden. Make sure you get your own
miniature tree, small shrubs, moss, grass, vines, succulents, cacti and flowers. Remember don't overcrowd your space.
READ MORE: Garden with your kids!
Step 5: Map it out
Plan out what your fairy garden will look like before you
begin the process. Use a pen and paper to mark where you want the house,
furniture, and plants to go in the container. Position the items and plants
loosely in the container to get an idea of what it would look like. You can
always change your mind later but it is good to have an idea of what you will
do beforehand.
Step 6: Plant
Fill your container with potting soil using your gardening
gloves. Start by planting a miniature tree which usually works best when planted
in the back of the container. Plant the succulents, cacti and flowers along the sides or
in sections around the container. Play around with the plants to see where they
fit best in the container. Remember to keep in mind that you will be placing
your furniture and accessories in certain places based on your plan.
Step 7: Add in the
fairy house and furniture
Place the fairy house and main furniture in the container
when you have finished planting. Cover certain areas of the container with
pebbles, natural or colorful (or both!), to fill in spaces and even create
pathways. You can also use rocks and shells.
Step 8: Add in the
fairies and accessories
Add in the other accessories and place them in the sections
where you want them to be. Follow your plan that you mapped out before or make
changes that you think would be better. When all the accessories and plants are
in place, add your fairy friends so they can check out their new home!
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Step 9: Water your
plants
Start caring for your garden by watering your plants. Be
sure to water your garden regularly for healthy plants. If there are any
plants that are not doing well, you can always replace them. The plants in this
garden will always be growing and changing.
Step 10: Make a
fairy wish for your garden
Let your child make a wish for the fairy garden then sprinkle with good luck magic dust (glitter).
Jacqueline
Kavana is an editorial assistant intern at Hudson Valley Parent and a senior at
Mount Saint Mary College.