Fairy gardens have grown in popularity in recent years because they're fun, whimsical, easy to maintain, and are limited only by your imagination! Typically small in size and featuring small-scale plants, fairy gardens can be as simple or elaborate as you want. They have two main components: plants and accessories, that both come together to create an idyllic scene. (If the accessories don't interest you, you can leave them out and just have a cute miniature garden instead.)
You can create your fairy garden in the ground or in a container. If you make it on the ground, be sure it won't be obscured by larger surrounding plants or in danger of being trampled by people or pets. If you choose a container, pick one large enough for several small plants and accessories such as a tiny house or rocks.
Don't feel limited to standard flowerpots, however – consider items like baskets or wide buckets as well. If you're feeling ambitious, you can also use more than one container together to create multiple levels.
Once you have your container or in-ground garden area picked out, you can move on to designing your garden with plants and accessories. There are many small fairy garden plants to consider; here are five to get you started!
Veronica Georgia Blue is a low-growing ground cover, featuring evergreen foliage thats start off light green and turns coppery in the fall. In the early spring, it blooms with small blue flowers. It works well in containers, making it perfect for fairy gardens.
2. Apple Blossom Creeping Phlox
Another evergreen ground cover, Apple Blossom Creeping Phlox has bright, two-toned pink flowers that grow in spreading mounds. When not blooming, the evergreen foliage is attractive on its own. In containers, this creeping phlox will spill over the edges, providing a nice visual effect.
Plants with "elf" in the name make natural choices for a fairy garden! Blue Elf Sedum Stonecrop features silver-blue succulent foliage that, in full sun, will deepen to a steel blue. In late summer it blooms with clusters of small red flowers. This plant does best in dry, sandy soil, so it pairs well in containers alongside other plants with similar needs.
4. Chocolate Ball Sedum Ground Cover
Chocolate Ball Sedum Ground Cover has a fun name to accompany its interesting foliage: soft, reddish branches with light green, needle-like leaves. This succulent is evergreen and is drought-tolerant once established. In the summer, it blooms with yellow flowers.
5. Elfin Thyme
Another "elf" plant, Elfin Thyme, also known as Creeping Fragrant Thyme, is a semi-evergreen ground cover with dense foliage. In the summer, Elfin Thyme has tiny, light purple flowers. This plant only grows to two inches tall and is very hardy; an excellent choice for fairy gardens.
For fairy garden accessories, you can either buy them or make your own. They can be found at many garden supply stores and online, where you can choose from things like tiny houses, chair and table settings, ponds, and of course fairy figurines. You can also repurpose small items you already have in your home or garden, such as rocks or toys.
Once your plants are in the garden, use your accessories, along with soil toppers like moss and fine gravel, to create your scene!
Click here for more of our miniature plant ideas: Fairy Garden Plants
