Fairy Garden Class - Fern Fit For Fairies

This month's Fairy Garden Class is taking a step away from the winter theme and utilizing a variety of Fern, including the adventurous asparagus fern.

For this project I've used a 12" diameter Terra-cotta pot with drainage holes, lined with coffee filters. Coffee filters are a cheaper alternative and still biodegradable which keeps the potting soil from escaping the drainage holes while still allowing the water to drain. You can use any type of container you wish but make sure it's not shallow because ferns like to stretch their roots. I know that in a few months I will need to transplant these ferns elsewhere to give them more growth. The purpose of this particular container garden is to be entered into a garden show. And here's an extra safety note: don't fill your pot with soil until it's in the location it will remain for the next few months or you have a muscular helper (these pots can get very heavy)! 

For this particular project, I needed the smallest ferns I could find so that I could fit a variety in one pot. I found what I was looking for at Lowe's Home Improvement for under $20. It can sometimes be difficult to find small enough plants for a miniature garden at large stores, but I was lucky enough to find what I needed in this trip. 

I decided a layout and planted each one around the outside, allowing space for a central focus piece.

I was able to take some thin branches from a nearby tree to create an eye-catching arch to frame the focus of this garden. I was so excited to find asparagus fern during my trip and knew I needed to use it on the arch. Asparagus fern is unique because unlike most other fern that are bushy, it likes to travel, growing up and out to anything it can reach! I gently wrapped the tendrils around my makeshift arch and used zip ties to secure it. In a few weeks the fern will gain some girth and be stable enough to hold the arch without the ties.

After adding finishing touches that include colorful rocks, gravel and driftwood, I made Bridget the focal point. It looks like she has been traveling for some time and found a nice place to rest and take in the lovely scenery.

I hope this tutorial has been helpful. If you have any questions or would like to share your container garden photos with us, please leave a comment or email me - I love reading from My Fairy Folks.

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Not-So-Silent Night

Last night while Mr. Peanut went out to potty before bed, he took off around the corner again. This time I didn't question it and followed him, wondering if the snowmen were still here. This time, I heard music and saw colorful lights.

Two ice reindeer were glowing near the area we found the snowmen just a few nights before. Their colors and bodies shifted gently to the music. What a lovely display. Apparently fairy magic can even make ice come to life!

Mr. Peanut and I went back inside. It's wonderful to have so many lovely surprises right in my back yard.

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Light and Laughter

Recently, a new development took place here at Grandma's Enchanted Fairy Garden. I took Mr. Peanut out to go potty before we went to bed as we usually do, but just before we were ready to go back inside, Mr. Peanut stopped and looked at me. "What?" I asked. He looked in the direction of my garden, his ears perked and his nose sniffing the air. He quickly left the front porch and head toward the back.

"Mr. Peanut, where are you going!?" I followed his wagging tail around the corner and looked in the direction he was heading. I saw a faint light that I hadn't noticed before. Could this be what Mr. Peanut sensed? I moved closer and realized there was a sound coming from the direction as well. Maybe this is what Mr. Peanut heard that caught his attention. I got closer to investigate.

Mr. Peanut was very interested but very quiet and sat calmly until I reached the light. I realized the sounds I heard were laughter! Two snowmen were swinging all alone but seemed very joyful. "Wheee!" said the young one on the swing. "Not too high," said the other in a careful tone. They seemed to be a father and son. I listened as they sang a Christmas song together and applauded lightly when they finished before introducing myself.

"Oh how wonderful that we have this chance to meet," said the father. "It's been quite warm during the day when I've been told you visit often so I was hoping we would happen upon you one night."
I smiled. "You can thank Mr. Peanut here for that. I was ready to go back inside but he heard your laughter and I followed him over here. I'm happy to meet you."
"My son and I would like to thank you for making such a wonderful place for us to swing by on our travels." We all laughed at his pun and sang some songs together before Mr. Peanut and I called it a night.

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My Fairy Folks: New Year Tradition

Our friends from Los Angeles, California are back with a fairy offering. This time Willow and little Mina have shared with us their New Year tradition.

Top, clockwise: Steak and gravy, Black eyed peas pot licker, oatmeal cookie, cornbread and butter, corn, honey glazed carrots, and steamed broccoli and cauliflower.

Willow writes, "in the South, we eat black-eyed peas on New Years day to bring good luck for the year. Being from southern roots, I made my black-eyed peas 'pot licker' style."

I'd never heard of pot licker before, so I looked it up and found that it is a term not often used outside of Southern America and means that something is made with pork fat and is so yummy that you want to lick the pot clean! I'm so jealous of the fairies that got to dig in to this feast!

Mina placed the plate of food in the area of their yard they have dedicated for fairies. They leave the food out overnight so that any hungry fairy can come as they wish for a lovely snack.

Thank you to all of My Fairy Folks that contributed throughout the holidays! I hope you all have a wonderful year and continue to check in here, especially in the next few months when we'll have a special announcement you'll want to know about.

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Fall Has Arrived

Hazel the witch has made an appearance in the garden right on time and has brought some friends. Last year she helped pass out candy to the young fairies that celebrated Halloween.

This decorative witch heel is an example of how to change any container garden into a themed garden to add a little festive flair to your space.

This is Grover the Hedgehog, one of Hazel's friends. He's dressed as a Wizard.

Hazel is happy that her friends can join her in celebrating Fall this year in Grandma's Enchanted Fairy Garden. It won't be long now until the preparations begin.

This is another visiting friend, Hootie the owl. He's most excited for the Fall Festival food that Hazel has told him about.

These two scarecrows can't help but smile.

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Fairy Garden Class - Teacups in the Garden

By this time, all of my family knows about my dedication to this blog and to my fairy garden so when it comes to buying me gifts, there's no doubt on what to get me. This year I received some wonderful gifts for my birthday and I decided to use them for a class opportunity. From my daughter and daughter-in-law I was gifted these large, beautiful teacups that were made specifically for gardening (they came with drainage holes). It's amazing to learn of all the creative things that are out there in the world!

I went ahead and cleared out this area right next to Teapot Glen to expand on my porcelain theme gardens. This new area has been named Teacup Nook.

After clearing it out, I filled it back up - this time with silk flowers that will stand up to the Summer heat here in California and add a unique background.

I went to my local Home Depot and purchased a few small plants to fill my teacups with. The teacups have drainage holes in them under a layer of pebbles, topped with potting soil. I sought out new fairy dwellings that would be tall enough and narrow enough for this space.

Adding the fairy treehouse and some decorative rocks, the teacup container combined with the background I previously set up shows off bold pops of color!

This colorful mushroom house blends in with the surrounding foliage, looking natural - as a good fairy house does. A small table is set up for tea time.

Have you ever used teacups or teapots in your fairy garden? If you would like to share pictures of your tea-themed garden, or any fairy garden you created, please contact me. I love to see what My Fairy Folks create!

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My Fairy Folks: Riverside

I want to say thank you to one of My Fairy Folks who sent in photos of this fairy garden from Riverside, California. I enjoy the different levels here and the patriotism is very timely with Independence Day just around the corner!

She added a touch of personality with this time piece on a chain.

She used a few different types of succulents and decorated with a miniature "iron" work birdcage, gate and fenced in perimeter.

There's even this little chair. What a cute fairy garden!

If you have a fairy garden you'd like to share with me and the rest of My Fairy Folks, please email me with photos and some details for me to share!

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Farewell to Spring

Here's a collection of photos from my gardens that I didn't have time to share during this Spring. Farewell, Spring - we'll miss you.

The painted lady has become surrounded by foliage, accompanied by garden gnomes.

Yellow Day Lillies.

Red Day Lillies.

"Sunrise" Day Lilly.

Peach Day Lilly.

Speckled Petunias.

California Poppies and some purple stuff.

The infamous Pigweed.

So, we never found out what this plant in the middle is (tall, white flower), so if you have suggestions, please share with me. These tall, purple flowers are Lilly of the Nile.

A collection of pansies, Lily of the Nile, spider plant and artificial flowers covering my garden hose (I'll have to remember to discuss that at a later date).

Another area of the yard.

Yellow Day Lilly.

Princess Colette surrounded by vibrant flowers.

Yellow and white Iris.

Cheerful gardener gnomes admire pansies and daisies.

The painted lady is no longer the tallest thing in this area of the garden.

And that wraps up the parade of Spring pictures! I hope you enjoyed them. Below are the videos associated with the above pictures, so look at them all twice!

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The Traveling Life

This morning I was greeted with a pleasant surprise - two faeries I'd never seen before were relaxing by the pond, seemingly pretty tired. I introduced myself and learned that Nadya and Luca had traveled all night and settled here just before dawn. Luca looks very exhausted here - he was trying very hard not to be rude and fall asleep while Nadya and I had most of the conversation.

Here is their unique home! It is a hollowed out log that they've made into a very comfortable house. According to Nadya (and approved by Luca's nod), they are travelers, never staying in one place too long but always bringing with them their house.

Their supplies are stored on the back of their home securely which makes it easy to access and cook outdoors. Nadya is hoping to makes some friends here and have them over for a meal to share the stories of their travels.

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