Featuring the World of Fairy Gardeners - Donna Cirinelli

When you step inside Donna Cirinelli’s fairy gardens, you are entering a unique world of beauty, curiosity, and fun. Her miniature gardens are intricate displays of both her skills as a 'green thumb' and her attention to detail. Accessories abound, making this garden the type that causes you to stop, look…and look some more!

Donna has been interested in gardening for about thirty years. She started out with landscaping around the house, but physical ailments made the work painful and difficult. On one fateful day, about six years ago, Donna wandered into a gardening shop and was drawn to a cottage with fairies on it. She just had to have it! Presenting the fairy house to her daughter at home, Donna wondered what she was going to do with the beautiful piece of miniature décor. Her daughter offhandedly mentioned that she could attempt to build a fairy garden, and that was the end—Donna was hooked!

For Donna, nothing is off limits when planning a miniature garden. She has created countless themed gardens, for example, a whimsical, miniature, Halloween garden is displayed during the fall seasons. She draws inspiration from miniature garden accessories, fairytales, investigating other cultures, and just generally being open to the world around her. Over the years, her miniature gardens have expanded from the front yard to the backyard, and her whole family has taken interest and joy in seeing just what Donna will plant next. Her gardens, with their fairy houses, garden fairies, and all manner of miniature accessories, are a delight for children, grandchildren, and even the neighbors.

When it comes to garden advice, Donna suggests keeping your mind and heart open to creativity. This talented gardener is not afraid to use colorful plants, and the results shine in these bright, cheerful miniature gardens. Lately, she has been experimenting with succulents. Her fairy gardens have featured animals, fairies, stones, fairy houses, furniture, waterfalls, and even cacti! If you look closely, you might notice some beloved characters at play in some of the gardens.

Donna credits the success and beauty of her miniature gardens to her husband, who supports her hobby “100%!” As a supporter, he builds elements for the gardens, keeps his eye out for new miniature accessories in the store, sets up the garden pots, and lets his wife know what looks good…as well as what doesn’t. Even when Donna asks him to slow her down, he is always ready to push her to pursue gardening to her heart’s content. Miniature gardening can be the type of hobby that brings families together around beauty, whimsy, and storytelling. Donna’s gardening life is a testament to that!