I have always had a fascination with fairies and pixies. I remember reading about them as a child and wondering if fairies exist. The lore, myth and legends of fairies have also captured the heart of millions of people. To celebrate International Fairy Day, June 24th, I decided to play around with a variety of objects to create a fairy garden. Working on a fairy garden will stir the imagination and allow you to access your inner child. If you have children, working on a fairy garden can be a fun way to spend time outdoors. If you don’t have a backyard, you can still create one.
Create a Fairy Lantern
You can create a fairy lantern inside a jar, perhaps a mason jar or empty pasta jar. Use a foam brush to cover the inside of your jar with glitter glue. Next, place a fairy silhouette cutout inside and decorate your lantern.
Decorate Your Houseplants
If you want to keep it simple, you can decorate your plant with items from your home such as stickers, string of lights, and candles. You can also let your child pick their favorite toys to circle the plant (like an offering to the fairies.)
Diversify Your Fairy Garden
If you love fairies, you can always buy figurines online. Try looking for fairy images that celebrate diversity. If you want to really decorate your fairy garden, you can use birdbaths, benches, gems, butterflies, and snails. For less expensive options, you can paint rocks, use clothespins to make fairies, and use clipart to decorate your favorite houseplant.
Create a Fairy Garden by Planting Beans
One fun activity you can try at home is planting beans. You can buy a bag of mixed beans and plant them in recycled cookie dishes. Make sure to label each dish with the specific bean that you are planting (such as chickpeas or white beans.) Next, fill it with soil and a few beans. Watch them for a few days. Make sure to water your beans with a half cup of water every other day.
Create a Fairy Altar with a Message
You can also create a fairy altar. This is also a wonderful way to help your child practice their writing skills. You can use a page from your journal or decorate a piece of paper with flowers. Place your message in the middle of a collection of wild flowers, tea, butterflies, or other objects from the natural world to invite the fairies for a visit!
Dear Fairy folk,
Thank you for visiting my garden today and bringing me some wonderful messages. For our altar, we used some butterflies, flowers and leaves to make you feel at home. Please visit us again.
Sincerely,
Caroline Reddy
Resources on OverDrive
The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste
“It’s refreshing to see a fantasy with its roots outside Europe . . . This is a book worth reading simply for its originality.” —Kirkus Reviews
Flower Garden by Eve Bunting
A wonderful book about a little girl who creates a garden box for her mother’s birthday.
In the Garden with Dr. Carver by Susan Grigsby
“Listen to the plants and they will tell you what they need…” An exploration of the scientific teachings of Dr. Carver, the inventor of peanut butter.
Green Green: A Community Garden Story by Marie and Baldev Lamba
A beautifully illustrated book about creating a community garden.
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Ella tries to break an awful curse that has forced her to obey any command.
The Fairy Ring by Mary Losure
An enchanting book about an encounter between a young girl and fairies.
Ruby and the Magic Garden by Cari Meister
Read as Ruby and her friends try to fix a garden and earn their wings!
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