Fairy Garden Class - Jade Forest

This drawer was gifted to me recently by one of My Fairy Folks (click here to read the post). I decided to begin working on a jade forest with this container garden.

A large garbage bag lines and protects the wooden drawer that acts as a container garden. I punctured the bag at two corners where it will allow drainage. A layer of small rocks will help the soil drain excess water.

With the potting mix laid in, I carved a divot down the middle to create a path and planned out the jade placement.

After I planted the jade, I decided it was too bare as is and found some extra plants laying around to fill in the empty space.

Besides Jade, I also planted dwarf cup flower up front and Gomphrena is the plant in the rear with the purple blooms that look like berries. I purchased these additions from Home Depot for less than a dollar each.

I decided on a good spot for this container garden and was able to prop it at an angle that will help navigate excess water to my planned drainage points. After cutting off the excess garbage bag and tucked it in, I added a layer of moss and larger rocks (this will help keep moisture in the soil).

Finally I added some small pebbles in the middle to create a path that will act as a beautiful scene for some fairies to enjoy.

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A New Yellow Path

These decorative pavers were purchased around 15 to 20 years ago. Back then, they were blueish-grey stepping stones. As you can see, the grey has worn off, revealing the naked color of the stone. Time for a repaint.

To start, I lay on two coats of white spray paint. I want to make sure the base color is even so that when I cover it with the final color, it will be solid and not patchy.

I finalize these pavers with two coats of bright, yellow paint.

This new path will lead guests past a flower garden (pictured to the right) and end between Fairy Shores and an unnamed area of my garden. Years ago I had looked at these discolored pavers and decided to hand paint them. However, recently I decided I'd waited too long already and went ahead with spray paint. I might still hand paint with accent colors in the future.

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In The Garden - My Fairy Crate - July 2018

This container garden may look familiar to My Fairy Folks with a few additions. The majority of it came straight from my visit to Myrtle Creek last month with the addition of the elf in the rear, the tiny glass ladybug and wooden fence up front. These last three items arrived in My Fairy Crate subscription box from July. I created a few other gardens using the rest of the items in that package.

This lovely bird fountain arrived in July's My Fairy Crate. The succulents in this double container garden are clippings from my yard. The purple succulent in the middle rear and surrounding baby clippings are the only plants actually inside the shallow terra cotta garden (previously featured in my Garden A Day series). The flower on the left is a beautiful petunia and on the right is salvia. I decided to boost the foliage feel of this container garden by placing it inside a larger container with existing plants to create the illusion.

Finally, this postbox is the final piece from July's My Fairy Crate. All other decor in this scene was purchased from Hobby Lobby within the last year. I'm excited to show you the lovely things I received from the August subscription box! Are you a subscriber of any subscription boxes related to gardening? I'd love to know about them!

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Local Happenings: Armstrong Class, Succulents and Cacti

Earlier this month Armstrong Garden Centers hosted a class on the topic of growing succulents and cacti. This class took place at multiple locations but we attended the one in Claremont.

Just moments before taking this picture, staff opened these gates. We were not the only car parked in the lot, awaiting for the clock to reach 8:30 am. 

I was so in love with this arrangement. I would love to have a similar display in my yard. At a certain angle, the middle of these flowers have a lilac hue.

Above is a video I had my grandson put together showing many of the plants, supplies and decor I saw during my very first visit.

Our instructor John Burke introduce himself promptly at 9 am as he passed around some literature to those in attendance, space out under shade umbrellas. John explained that he went to school for Horticulture and would be happy to answer any questions throughout the lecture and after, even if it was off topic. Our literature included a breakdown of talking points on succulents and cacti including reasons to grow, requirements, prep and care.

I was happy to learn a few new things about one of the largest plant groups (succulents). Due to a terrible slew of fires in our area in the past week, John made it known that succulents and cacti are a very resilient plant and can often be fire resistant, making them a smart option to border your property line and possibly save your house! He stressed the importance of visual watering, being sure to saturate the soil (for potted succulents, water will need to leak from the drainage holes) so that the roots can have access to the water.

Overall, I was very pleased with the class and the nursery selection. I look forward to attending more classes in the future. My granddaughter and I filled out the survey for the class and spent another hour exploring the plants and supplies. We each made a purchase and used our 10% off coupon received during the class and I learned that Wednesday is senior discount day! That was great news since I only brought enough cash with me to purchase necessary items for my garden but a few decorative things caught my eye that I'll need to return for.

My granddaughter purchased these two succulents to put in her garden. I have quite a bit of the succulent on the left, but this particular cutting shows variegation in the leaves whereas my plants are a solid, darker green. I've never seen the succulent on the right before, but it sure has a unique look and shape to it.

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Fairy Garden Haul - August 2018

The following decorations were purchased at Sunshine Growers Nursery in Yucaipa. I have not visited this nursery for a while and in the interim, the stock of fairy garden items has greatly expanded. 

I was happy to find this beautiful fairy seated on a stump, chatting with a squirrel. In my time doing this blog I've discovered that the most common fairy styles are little girls who are white. I always have a hard time finding little boys, men, different nationalities and even unnatural hair color so it was great to see that one of my favorite nurseries is stocking unique products.

Little boy fairies! I have discovered that these often are missing details in the face. I wonder if that is because the artist is encouraging me to add my own personal touch to them?

I thought this was a fun piece that would add joy to my garden. There are plenty of young fairies that would love to play on this four-way teeter totter.

This boy fairy and his raccoon friend enjoy a ride on a unique looking log car which I felt was a steal for under $10

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Gifts for the Garden - August 2018

I received some gifts early this month so I have time to work on some DIY projects! These white drawers are leftover from a kitchen remodel of one of My Fairy Folks. The pull out drawer in front will be turned into a jade garden first. The drawer with 4 compartments to the right will be used for my fairy garden farm. Any suggestions for the final piece (tall drawer in the rear)? I haven't decided what to do with it yet. Have you done any DIY projects lately? I'd love to share them on the blog.

This lovely wicker basket was found in the trash at work. I inspected it, found nothing wrong with it and couldn't believe someone would just throw it out! Instead of turning it into a fairy garden and risk damaging it, I decided to use it as my harvest basket! I've been using plastic bags or plastic bowls from my kitchen, but this thing is the perfect size (already tested) to gather more than a handful of garden yield.

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My Fairy Folks - Seaside Breeze

Lighthouse day was August 7 (according to DaysOfTheYear.com). One of My Fairy Folks sent me this picture in honor of the holiday. This container garden features a weathered lighthouse, driftwood and smooth rocks, and a succulent that almost looks like it's being swept up by a strong seaside wind.

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Food Garden - Cucumbers

This month's food garden spotlight is on cucumbers. I planted 4 varieties this year, one of which was just a basic cucumber from Home Depot.

The lemon cucumber does not share the flavor of it's name-sake's fruit, but it does share the visual resemblance. This cucumber is round, the yellow skin is thin and the flavor is more mild than most cucumbers. If you find yourself eating only half a cucumber at a time, putting the remainder in the fridge (and possibly forgetting about it), this smaller fruit is a good alternative for you. Bonnie suggests on their website to hollow out this fruit for a cold soup as a Summer appetizer!

The Boston pickling cucumber is also a good option for small cucumber portions and are a great size for home pickling! My granddaughter loves pickles so this will allow her the opportunity to try her hand at it.

The Parisian cucumber is also great for pickling due to it's size and thick flesh and has fewer seeds than regular cucumbers.

Cucumbers like to grow up so providing them a cage or fence to cling on to is a good idea. These red and blue supports are aiding the growth of my cucumbers. Look at those sweet yellow flowers.

One of the first cucumbers yielded.

Long and strong, did you know some cucumbers grow with little thorns on the skin? The things you learn when growing in your own garden. The lemon cucumber also had little spikes, so always investigate your harvest to see how best to prepare it.

Here is my first harvest! Be sure to wash and skin cucumbers that have rough skin. Have you grown any cucumbers in your garden? I'd love to see your harvest!

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