Bertha’s Passion for Fairy Gardens

Say “Hello” to a gardener whose passion and skills have helped her travel to all sorts of new worlds within the magical gardens she creates. Bertha’s interest in planning miniature gardening actually began far outside of the miniature garden, up in the air…with the birds! For years, Bertha has attracted thousands of gorgeous, delicate hummingbirds to her home using a mixture of shrubs, vines, and flowers. They are a joy to watch as they dart back and forth, all day long. While on a quick trip to pick up two hummingbird decorations from a local nursery, Bertha’s husband noticed some miniature garden accessories. Though he was apprehensive about bringing his wife to the store, he just knew that she would fall in love with all the little fairies, planters, and miniature plants. They stopped by together after church one Sunday, and that was it. Bertha was hooked.

Soon after that initial visit, Bertha made her very first miniature garden. There was an emphasis on the “mini” part of this garden, as it was located inside a teacup! Bertha had decided to start extra-small in her quest to bring miniature gardens to life for herself and her family. After the teacup, her creative mind took over, allowing her to create all sorts of unique scenes and garden designs. An avid miniature gardener, Bertha likes to generate ideas through intentional quiet time. When her mind is at peace, then she can come up with the “twist” for each of her fairy garden innovations.

Over the years, Bertha has created countless miniature fairy gardens, each with its own story. Her biggest garden, “Wizard of Oz,” measures 24-inches by 36-inches. The yellow brick road in this garden was laid with tweezers, brick-by-brick, using more than seven hundred yellow bricks! Thank goodness, Bertha’s husband, Tino, was willing to act as a bricklayer for this project. A supportive partner makes a world of difference when it comes to successfully turning your dreams into garden projects.

Sometimes a mini garden can incorporate or mirror aspects of “real” life. One of Bertha’s favorites is “On No: Snails!” The story involves two fairy friends who are working in the vegetable patch. Unfortunately, snails have arrived and decided to eat up all of their hard work. An adventure ensues! Bertha also created a unique project, “Love Lives Here,” that is a replica of her very own backyard. It includes small versions of Bertha, her daughters, their Yorkshire terriers, and even a miniature garden. Have you ever considered putting a garden in your garden? Let Bertha be your inspiration!

According to this skilled gardener, one of the most important things to remember when creating fairy gardens is that the container or space be in the proper environment. Whether the miniature garden is located outdoors, indoors, in the sun, or in the shade, it needs to be in the best spot for those particular plants and materials. For Bertha, learning about the plants is a crucial step, even if that means asking for help from garden center employees or doing research online. Additionally, she suggests investing in a watering can with an extra-long neck. That will make watering the teeny-tiny gardens a much more manageable task.

When it comes to creating miniature gardens, the creations of other gardeners can bring ideas, inspiration, skills, and abundant joy to one’s life. Take a few notes from Bertha’s virtual book on Pinterest, and you can be on your way to building some of the most fun and delightful miniature gardens you have made so far!