Have you ever heard of the concept of fairy gardens? They are the perfect way to add a touch of whimsy to your outdoor space. Basically, a fairy garden is a miniature magical world that is made using small furniture and figurines. It usually sits within the outdoor area or garden of a house, and it often incorporates live plants and mosses into its design. Many people who get into decorating fairy gardens as a hobby enjoy the prospect of having a miniature world that inspires a sense of peace and imagination.
In order to create a dream fairy garden, it will be handy to have the following supplies on hand:
Moss (fake or real)
- Miniature furniture items (handcrafted or bought at a hobby store)
- A container for the fairy garden (such as a pot or a basket)
- Miniature figurines
- Flowers (fake or real)
- A glue gun
- Scissors
- Paint
Fairy gardens can take on a wide variety of appearances — that’s one of the best things about them! If you are unsure where to begin, here is a list of fun fairy garden ideas that you can try out.
Herb Fairy Garden
While many fairy gardens do contain small plants and flowers, it is less common for them to include herbs. However, that is exactly what is happening in this fairy garden example from Living Locurto. This fairy garden, which is intended for use in the kitchen, not only looks cute, but is completely edible!
Garden House
Every once in a while when you are looking at fairy garden inspiration, you will find selections that are clearly not for beginners. Sometimes, they just seem to go all out — like this example from Lake Travis Lifestyle. Its elaborate look was inspired by the Zilker Botanical Garden in Austin.
Wheelbarrow Fairy Garden
A fairy garden does not need to be contained within a basket or a pot! You can find many unique places to put your fairy gardens, including in reciprocals that you already have hanging around the house. Case in point: this wheelbarrow fairy garden from the Seasonal Home! The deep and wide structure of a wheelbarrow leaves a lot of room for your fairy friends.
Park Bench
Sometimes, the inspiration for your fairy garden will come from one little detail that you will want to work with. This mossy bench made of sticks may just be the thing to pull at your creativity —it looks like something straight out of an enchanted forest!
Bird bath Fairy Garden
If you have an old bird bath hanging around that is no longer being used, it makes a great container for a fairy garden. We love the way that this example from Curly Crafty Mom actually shows a miniature bird bath within the bird bath —how meta!
Base of the Tree
If your back or front yard is home to healthy trees, this makes for the perfect place to design a little fairy garden! We love the way that this example from the Knitted Garden shows a miniature door attached to the tree trunk, as well as little tiny rocks forming a path up to the tree. We can just imagine a fairy coming home after a long day of work!
Fairy Garden Wreath
Who says that a fairy garden has to be at ground level? We love the way that this creative tutorial from Create Craft Love shows you how to make your very own fairy garden within a wreath —in this case, it is within a recycled tire.
Bonsai Fairy Garden
If you are fortunate enough to be the owner of a bonsai tree, then you know how much maintenance goes into keeping up these beautiful plants. Why not add an extra touch to your bonsai by decorating a small fairy garden at its base? You could also use imitation bonsai trees. Get the look at the Bonsai Empire.
Broken Flower Pot
This broken flower pot has gone somewhat viral on social media, and we can see why. There is something about the cracked terracotta that gives you an extra view into the secret world of garden fairies. As you can see over at My Modern Met, this kind of fairy garden is easy to make and is the perfect use for a terracotta pot that has already been broken.
Bucket Fairy Garden
As crafting enthusiasts, we are all about making the best out of the supplies that you already have on hand! If you have an old bucket that you are looking to recycle, why not fill it with a toadstool or two, as well as miniature succulents and plants? This is the perfect project to undertake with a child, who is sure to love the fantasy element of it. Get inspiration over at Aidie’s Hideaway.
Vintage Lantern Fairy Garden
Another thing that we love about crafting is how it opens up opportunities to use vintage pieces! If you are able to get your hands on a vintage lantern, you can make a (very) miniature fairy garden by including tiny little plants and toadstools. We love the way that this example from Creative Juice Fresh Squeezed glued imitation leaves to the rooftop to add an extra touch of whimsy!
Dinosaur Garden
Just because your fairy garden is named as such, doesn’t mean that you can’t add other characters to the mix. Case in point: this tiny garden full of dinosaurs from My Coupon Expert. Dinosaurs like to live among the succulents, too!
Fairy Garden in Hanging Planter
Hanging planters are a great way for those with limited amounts of space to show off flowers or other greenery. They also happen to be a place beloved by fairies. You can see an example of this over at Pinterest.
Mason Jar Fairy House
If you have followed the pieces on this website for a while, you know that we love using mason jars in many of our craft ideas. Not only are they relatively inexpensive, but they are also durable and provide a venue for a number of different crafts. For example: this mason jar fairy house from the Decorated Cookie is a magical little world all contained in a tiny place.
Springtime
The best time to put your fairy garden making skills to the test is springtime. But, if it’s springtime for you, you will want to also make sure that you are giving your garden fairies the same exposure to beautiful flowers and lush green spaces! See a beautiful spring-themed fairy garden over at Crafts by Amanda.
Nighttime Fairy Garden
Fairy gardens are mostly designed to be admired during the day, but what if you want to make sure that your fairy garden is just as impressive when the sun sets? You can create a magical fairy garden that (literally) shines at night using a few miniature twinkly lights, as seen here.
Ceramic Fairy Garden
If you want to create the perfect fairy garden for your backyard, you don’t necessarily need to go all out and make a gigantic display! Instead, there is a lot that you can do in a tiny ceramic bowl. Case in point: look at what happens if you fill a ceramic bowl with tiny outdoor patio furniture and greenery.
Vegetable Fairy Garden
Your fairies have been busy collecting the harvest of the spring! Or, at least, that is what it looks like with this adorable fairy garden that features a garden full of carrots and cabbage in its front year.
Wooden Box
This fairy garden in a wooden box from Happiness is Homemade is a great option for beginners, and a wonderful project to undertake with children! All you will need is a decent-sized wooden crate that can be filled with soil and various plants that are native to your area.
Beach Fairy Garden
Sometimes garden fairies just want to be beach fairies! If sand is more plentiful in your area than soil, you can use this sand to make an adorable fairy beach complete with lawn chairs and sea shells. If you would like, you can use miniature mermaids instead of fairies! See more over at Rhythms of Play.
Fairy gardens are fun for children and adults of all ages, and give us all an opportunity to use our often-neglected imaginations. Feel free to draw inspiration from one of the fairy gardens on this list, or make one of your very own creations! The most important thing is that you’re having fun.
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