Visitors in the Fairy Garden

As an animal lover, I cannot help but be attracted to miniature gardening scenes that have dogs, cats, and other furry friends as a part of them. When I am planning fairy gardens, I give each of these creatures a place to show their playful personalities. The animal-themed miniature gardens are an addition to my home that I especially appreciate because the topic captures one of my great loves. I have always been the type of person who rescues animals, donates to shelters, and volunteers my time to assist in the care of all furry creatures that my help can reach. When I started working towards my latest project, I wanted something that represented a magical narrative. The more wildlife that gardeners can add to a fairy garden, the more the mini scape becomes a symbol for the fairy tales we grew up hearing as our bedtime stories. 

I started with miniature plants that look like tiny trees surrounding the yard and giving the impression of a forest. My favorite would have to be the Cupressus macrocarpa, also known as ‘Lemon Cyprus,’ which looks very similar to the evergreen trees I grew up with around my childhood home. I then selected a type of fairy house that would play into this fairy tale theme – a cottage. My choice was the Large English Cottage, which features a thatched roof, window flower boxes, a chimney, and a bright red door. It is also one of the largest fairy houses, being over two-feet wide and a foot tall!

After setting the scene, I wanted to include an assortment of miniature accessories. My collection of animals would add variety to this enchanted miniature garden. I started with the Cat on Stool, which featured an orange tabby cat sitting upright on its favorite piece of furniture. After placing the colorful stool outside on the porch of the fairy house, the overall impression was that the cat had been sitting in the sun for hours and enjoying the beautiful weather. I also wanted to add some animals, which were not domestic, to show the house was placed in the middle of a green space. Then my next selection was a large, brown, mother bear with a baby bear hiding underneath her belly. By opening the front door to the cottage and having the bears peeking in, it showed the more curious side of their personalities. I also decided on a three-piece set of chipmunks and positioned these popular woodland animals throughout the miniature garden. Visitors to our house will never know where a furry friend is hiding in the fairy garden!