Batten down the Hatches in the Fairy Garden

I think we all grew up hearing stories of notorious pirates terrorizing the ocean and burying their treasures on islands, which can only be found using a treasure map. Rumors about curses, battles at sea, and fights with merchant ships have been told throughout the years. Then there are child-friendly views of pirates. These stories are part of all of our histories and because of that; we have classic tales like Peter Pan and Treasure Island.  In recent years, miniature gardeners tell pirate stories through their creations.

When I began planning my "Batten down the Hatches" fairy garden, I decided to make significant changes to my current garden. I started with the idea of creating an ocean within my container using blue-colored Beach Glass Pebbles to mimic water. I had to make sure that I had a shoreline to simulate an island, so I could add additional miniature accessories that represent the pirate world. Therefore, after building the base of glass rocks, I added some Beach Sand and natural Mini River Rock to create the island shoreline. When I started working on this fairy garden, I realized how it would be the perfect craft to do with an older child.They could assist in filling the container with hardscape and adding miniature plants common to beaches.

My absolute favorite new miniature accessory has to be the Shipwreck piece because it looks like a wooden ship with a large white sail. This vessel seems damaged beyond repair, and it would be perfect for placing on the sand to simulate a pirate battle gone wrong. Remember to add a gray anchor along the shoreline as a unique way to show the destruction of a ship when the skirmish ended. There is also a Crow’s Nest would be another great addition to the sand by showing that the pirate ship broke into a bunch of smaller pieces during this epic fight.

There are a couple of other miniatures to use within this fairy garden, such as a Treasure Chest, which is a brown trunk with coins and jewels overflowing their container. Hide the chest within the greenery of your garden or place it partially buried on the beach. To signify the battle, you could also add a Cannon or multiple cannons as part of the mini scape. Select barrels that are bulky with a dark hammered grey finish that shows the age of the weaponry. As you piece together these items to create the perfect pirate motif, you will have a great time reliving the childhood memories, movies, and stories that made you fall in love with the scallywag theme.