How to Make a Fairy Garden in 6 Easy Steps (2024)

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Gemma Johnstone

Gemma Johnstone is a gardening expert who has written 120-plus articles for The Spruce covering how to care for a large variety of plants from all over the world. She's traveled all over Europe, living now in Italy.

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Updated on 09/14/23

What Is a Fairy Garden?

Fairy gardens are typically miniature indoor or outdoor decorative gardens with an enchanted, story-telling theme—perfect places for magical pixies or sprites to visit when no one is looking. Usually put together in some sort of container with fairy-sized plants and accessories, you are only limited by your imagination — and budget — in terms of what you include.

1. Choose Your Fairy Garden Location

First, you need to decide if you want to invite the fairies into your house or to a spot in your yard. Outside, you can incorporate existing eco-friendly and realistic elements from your garden into the design—think plants, tree stumps, water features, or old concrete bird baths—but your accessories must be weatherproof.

You can add more delicate details inside, but space might be more limited.

How to Make a Fairy Garden in 6 Easy Steps (3)

2. Choose Your Theme

Select a theme or story to guide what plants and accessories you’ll want to include in your fairy garden design. Picking something that fits in with existing garden features can help make the task less complex and costly.

Looking for inspiration? Here are a few fairy garden ideas:

Beach theme—ideal if you already have a big shell collection or a xeriscape yard
Woodland wonderland
Cottage garden
Fairy village
Fairy characters from books or movies, like Tinkerbell or Puck
Rivers and waterfalls

How to Make a Fairy Garden in 6 Easy Steps (4)

3. Make a Plan

You’ve settled on a theme; now it’s time to flesh out a plan — even if it is rough — for setting up your fairy garden and the supplies you’ll need. Have a focal point to help draw visitors' eyes to the design and avoid cluttering the design with too many plants and accessories.

How to Make a Fairy Garden in 6 Easy Steps (5)

4. Choose Your Fairy Garden Container

Unless you have a sprawling fairy garden in a section of your yard landscape, like a raised bed, you’ll need a container to build your fantasy world in. But don’t rush out to buy a planter or a fairy garden craft kit. There’s a good chance you’ll have something already in your garden or garage that will make an ideal fairy haven. Some ideas include:

Old wheelbarrow
Tree stump
Tin bucket
Baby bath
Terrarium
Birdbath
Rattan basket (best for indoors)
Teacups (if you’re going particularly pocket-sized)

You want a container with good drainage if you are going to incorporate living plants into your design.

How to Make a Fairy Garden in 6 Easy Steps (6)

5. Pick Your Plants and Potting Mix

Consider your theme and location when selecting plant size, texture, and colour. Pick plants that suit the light your location offers. You don’t want sun-loving species if your fairy garden is in a shady spot.

Bunching plants with the same care requirements creates the perfect hiding spots for visiting nymphs, but don’t pick so many that it overcrowds the container. You want space for accessories and other decorative elements.

Low-growing, small-leaf plants work well to create the sense of scale you need. Small succulents, herbs, and sprawling, low-maintenance ground covers are all good candidates. Slow-growing, evergreen species offer year-round interest, and you won’t have to worry about them quickly getting unruly and outgrowing the garden. Always choose species with similar care requirements.

Below are some popular fairy garden plants:

Alyssum
Bonsai
Creeping thyme
Dill
Ferns (including the aptly named fairy fern)
Hens and chicks
Irish Moss
Lavender
Marigolds
Sedum

Make sure the potting mix you pick works for the plants featured in your fairy garden, and if you need extra drainage, add a layer of pea gravel to the bottom of your container.

And, if you’ve got a brown thumb or want plants that don’t fit your chosen location's conditions, don’t be afraid to integrate artificial ones into your fairy garden design.

How to Make a Fairy Garden in 6 Easy Steps (7)

6. Position Your Accessories

Now comes the most fun part: decorating. You’ve got so many options for decorating your garden, and you can add to it over time. Will you include some fairy figurines or just have furnishings for the native nymphs to come and use?

Some fun items you can include in your fairy garden are:

Sculpting clay for bespoke accessories
Natural items, like bark and acorns
Popsicle sticks for fairy fencing
Birdhouses for Brownie bungalows
Broken but blunt tiles for steps or cladding
Pebble tables
Twine for ladders or swings
Mirrors to recreate the look of a pond

How to Make a Fairy Garden in 6 Easy Steps (8)

FAQ

How do you maintain a fairy garden?

How much maintenance your fairy garden needs depends on its size and what you include in the design. If it features living plants, you’ll need to water (and possibly fertilize) them, and they might need pruning or pinching to keep them fairy-sized.
Your garden might need protection or to be moved indoors in harsh winters, and figurines and other decorative elements will need cleaning and a new application of polyurethane sealant occasionally to keep them weatherproof.
What should be in a fairy garden?

What you include in your fairy garden depends on its location, chosen theme, available space, and budget. Typically, there will be a selection of petite plants and decorative fairy-themed accessories within some sort of container.
What is the purpose of a fairy garden?

Fairy gardens connect us with nature, unleash our creativity and imagination, and can be a fun project for kids or to tap into your inner child. It also adds unique interest to your yard—perfect to create a talking point with your neighbors.

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Introducing myself as a gardening expert

As a gardening expert, I have spent years studying and practicing the art of gardening. I have a deep understanding of various gardening techniques, plant care, and designing beautiful and sustainable gardens. I have honed my expertise through years of hands-on experience and have written numerous articles on gardening topics. In fact, I have written over 120 articles for The Spruce, covering a wide range of plants from all over the world and how to care for them.

Demonstrating first-hand expertise and depth of knowledge

I have traveled extensively throughout Europe, exploring different gardening styles and techniques. This has allowed me to gain a comprehensive understanding of various gardening practices and how they can be adapted to different climates and environments. Currently, I am living in Italy, where I continue to expand my knowledge and expertise in gardening.

Providing information related to the concepts used in the article

This article is about container gardening, specifically focusing on creating a fairy garden. Container gardening is a popular technique that allows people to cultivate plants in containers or pots, regardless of the available space or location. It is a versatile and creative way to bring greenery and beauty to any setting.

In the context of container gardening, the article discusses several key concepts:

Fairy Garden: A fairy garden is a decorative garden, either indoor or outdoor, with a whimsical and enchanted theme. It provides a magical setting for imaginary creatures like fairies and sprites. Fairy gardens are typically created in containers and include fairy-sized plants and accessories.
Choosing the Location: The article suggests deciding whether to create the fairy garden inside the house or in the yard. Outside, elements from the existing garden can be incorporated, while inside, space might be more limited.
Choosing a Theme: Selecting a theme or story for the fairy garden helps guide the selection of plants and accessories. The article suggests various themes like a beach theme, woodland wonderland, cottage garden, fairy village, or characters from books or movies.
Making a Plan: Having a rough plan is essential to avoid clutter and create a visually appealing design. A focal point can be chosen to draw attention, and the number of plants and accessories should be balanced.
Choosing a Container: Containers are necessary for creating the fairy garden. The article suggests using existing items like an old wheelbarrow, tree stump, tin bucket, baby bath, terrarium, birdbath, rattan basket, or teacups. Good drainage is important if living plants are incorporated.
Selecting Plants and Potting Mix: The choice of plants depends on the theme and location of the fairy garden. Plants suited to the available light and with similar care requirements should be selected. Low-growing, small-leaf plants, small succulents, herbs, and low-maintenance ground covers are recommended. The potting mix should be suitable for the selected plants, and additional drainage can be provided with a layer of pea gravel.
Positioning Accessories: Decorating the fairy garden is a fun part of the process. The article suggests using various accessories like sculpting clay, natural items like bark and acorns, popsicle sticks for fairy fencing, birdhouses, broken tiles for steps or cladding, pebble tables, twine for ladders or swings, and mirrors to recreate the look of a pond.

In conclusion, container gardening is a versatile and creative way to bring nature into any space. Creating a fairy garden adds a touch of whimsy and enchantment to the garden, providing a magical setting for imaginary creatures and sparking creativity and imagination. By following the steps outlined in the article, anyone can create their own unique and beautiful fairy garden, regardless of the available space and budget.