Fairy Gardening: Creating Your Own Magical Miniature Garden
By Julie Bawden-Davis and Lyrikal Linez
3.5/5
()
About this ebook
Learn how to design, plant, accessorize, and care for your very own small corner of the world by following seven simple steps, including choosing the perfect container, planting luxurious pint-sized plants, decorating with properly scaled accessories, and telling a story through the delicate fairies you choose to inhabit your magical wonderland. Included are full-color photographs showcasing various types of fairy gardens and accessories, which are sure to inspire the designer in you! And best of all, these perennial gardens are perfect for the busy gardener, as they require less than ten minutes per week to maintain—this could be your new favorite hobby! For the inner child in us all, Fairy Gardening is sure to enchant both the novice and the experienced gardener who wishes to stir up Lilliputian flights of fancy.
Related to Fairy Gardening
Related ebooks
Fairy Gardening 101: How to Design, Plant, Grow, and Create Over 25 Miniature Gardens Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMiniature Fairy Gardening 2.0: A Quick Step by Step Guide on How to Make Your Own Fun Miniature Fairy Gardens Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIntroduction to Dish & Bottle Gardens for Beginners Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRustic Garden Projects: Step-by-Step Backyard Décor from Trellises to Tree Swings, Stone Steps to Stained Glass Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDo-It-Yourself Garden Projects and Crafts: 60 Planters, Bird Houses, Lotion Bars, Garlands, and More Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Creative Terrariums: 33 Modern Mini-Gardens for Your Home Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Every Garden Is a Story: Stories, Crafts, and Comforts Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Beauty Eternal: Easy Ways to Preserve Flowers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSucculent Style: A Gardener's Guide to Growing and Crafting with Succulents Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beautiful Wreaths: 40 Handmade Creations throughout the Year Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGlass Gardens: Easy Terrariums, Aeriums, and Aquariums for Your Home or Office Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIn Bloom: Growing, Harvesting and Arranging Homegrown Flowers All Year Round Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Curious Gardener Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Water Me Next Week, A Succulent's Plea Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Living Wreaths: 20 Beautiful Projects for Gift and Decor Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beginners Book of Gourd Craft: Simple Guide to Growing and Decorating Gourds Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWeekend Handmade: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Crafting Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Air Plant Care and Design: Tips and Creative Ideas for the World's Easiest Plants Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Beginner’s Guide to Indoor and Miniature Gardens Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJoy in Your Garden: A Seasonal Guide to Gardening Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsField Book of Western Wild Flowers: The Ultimate Guide to Flowers Growing West of the Rocky Mountains Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Miniature Terrariums: Tiny Glass Container Gardens Using Easy-to-Grow Plants and Inexpensive Glassware Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pocket Guide To Wild Flowers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTeeny Tiny Gardening: 35 step-by-step projects and inspirational ideas for gardening in tiny spaces Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Container Succulents: Creative Ideas for Beginners Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDIY Succulents: From Placecards to Wreaths, 35+ Ideas for Creative Projects with Succulents Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Crafts & Hobbies For You
Morpho: Anatomy for Artists Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Kawaii Crochet: 40 Super Cute Crochet Patterns for Adorable Amigurumi Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crochet Home: 20 Vintage Modern Crochet Projects for the Home Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rockhounding for Beginners: Your Comprehensive Guide to Finding and Collecting Precious Minerals, Gems, Geodes, & More Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Big Book of Maker Skills: Tools & Techniques for Building Great Tech Projects Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5DIY Braids: From Crowns to Fishtails, Easy, Step-by-Step Hair-Braiding Instructions Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crocheting in Plain English: The Only Book any Crocheter Will Ever Need Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sharpie Art Workshop: Techniques & Ideas for Transforming Your World Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Crochet in a Day: 42 Fast & Fun Projects Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/540+ Stash-Busting Projects to Crochet! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Modern Amigurumi for the Home Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Crochet: Fun & Easy Patterns For Beginners Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Modern Crochet Bible: Over 100 Contemporary Crochet Techniques and Stitches Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bullet Journaling: Get Your Life in Order and Enjoy Completing Your Tasks Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Summary of Dr. Julie Holland's Moody Bitches Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFloret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Complete Language of Flowers: A Definitive and Illustrated History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Make Your Own Body Butter: 32 Easy, Inexpensive, Luxurious Body Butter Recipes Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The CIA Lockpicking Manual Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Crochet Every Way Stitch Dictionary: 125 Essential Stitches to Crochet in Three Ways Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Corner to Corner Crochet: 15 Contemporary C2C Projects Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beginner's Guide to Crochet: 20 Crochet Projects for Beginners Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Learn How to Play Piano Keyboard for Absolute Beginners: A Self Tuition Book for Adults and Teenagers! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Your Favorite Denim & More Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Fairy Gardening
7 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Every example of the craft is so well done. There is thoughtfullness, method and art evident in each project and descriptor. This is an excellent book on the subject, possibly the best of the genre.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5It's a cute little how-to, sufficient instruction to get started and pretty photos for inspiration.
Book preview
Fairy Gardening - Julie Bawden-Davis
Fairy Gardening
Creating Your Own Magical Miniature Garden
Julie Bawden-Davis and Beverly Turner
Photography by Xuong Do, Happy Photos
Copyright © 2013 by Julie Bawden-Davis and Beverly Turner
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.
Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or info@skyhorsepublishing.com.
Skyhorse® and Skyhorse Publishing® are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.®, a Delaware corporation.
Visit our website at www.skyhorsepublishing.com.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.
ISBN: 978-1-61608-833-0
Bawden-Davis, Julie.
Fairy gardening : creating your own magical miniature garden / Julie Bawden-Davis and Beverly Turner;
photography by Xuong Do.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-61608-833-0 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Gardens, Miniature. 2. Miniature plants. 3. Gardens, Miniature—Pictorial works. 4. Miniature plants—
Pictorial works. I. Turner, Beverly. II. Title.
SB433.5.B375 2013
635—dc23
2012038234
For Allan, whose love and support are everything. For sister Sue, brother Bruce, and Mom, who taught us how to be happy.
—B. T.
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
CHAPTER 1 DEVELOPING A THEME
CHAPTER 2 DESIGNING WITH A CAPTIVATING FOCAL POINT
CHAPTER 3 ACCESSORIZING YOUR MINIATURE LANDSCAPES
CHAPTER 4 CREATING ACTION
CHAPTER 5 TELLING A STORY
CHAPTER 6 PLANTING AND CARE PRACTICALITIES
CHAPTER 7 THE PERFECT HOME: CONTAINER CHOICES
CHAPTER 8 MINIATURE PLANTS FOR FAIRYLAND
CHAPTER 9 DECORATE FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
RESOURCES
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Foreword
Maybe I never outgrew my Barbies. Or maybe, as my mom laughingly once said, You’ve always just loved miniatures! Remember the fort you made out of sugar cubes for extra credit in third grade?
I do. The project was inspired by a yellow plastic cannon I found in a box of Cracker Jacks.
I still love miniatures. So much so that some years ago I decided that even though I was an adult, I wanted to build the dollhouse of my dreams. At the hobby store, I found a basic model and proceeded to do a little kit-bashing. In other words, I took that classic Edwardian-style dollhouse included in the kit and added on to it. And added. And added. And added. By the time I finished, my diminutive home had a garden rivaling Central Park! It was huge! The dollhouse and its sprawling garden became the center of attention when company came to visit.
After several years of friends asking, Don’t you wish you could have a real garden that’s as tiny as this?
I thought, why not? As head designer at M & M Nursery in Orange, California, I started experimenting with different plants to see how easily they adapted to a small-scale look. In the beginning, herbs and a few bonsai-type trees
were the only plants available. Fast forward twelve years and there are several hundred dwarf plant varieties suitable to different climates and zones. Some major garden suppliers now manufacture accessories specifically for fairy landscaping, and the staggering number of people discovering this delightful hobby climbs daily!
Watching people’s faces when they first encounter fairy gardens is a little like seeing kids finding everything they want under the tree on Christmas morning. Astonishment gives way to pure pleasure as people inspect every inch of these enchanting mini landscapes. Somehow, fairy gardens transport us to a place far from the mundane tasks of everyday life and into a realm of wonder and imagination. Fairy gardens remind us that we are never too old to play Let’s pretend.
One of the best aspects of fairy gardening for me is watching people share their enthusiasm with each other. Mothers and daughters come to the nursery to work on their creations, as do couples, siblings, and even entire families, who plan a fairy project with everyone having a hand in it. Obviously, I’m not the only one with a fondness for miniatures!
Since that first fairy garden, my designs have become more sophisticated over the years. At fairy gardening how-to seminars, I answered questions and mentally tucked them away to share at the next lecture. I thought I had just about every detail covered until I had an aha
moment at the Southern California Spring Garden Show in 2009. Every year at this popular event, local nurseries and landscapers showcase their best plants, garden supplies, and horticultural ideas. For many seasons, we brought examples of my fairy gardens, but this time another nursery had them as well. Curious, I enlisted my sister’s help to indulge in a little friendly fairy espionage.
Sue is the best big sister anyone could ask for and a great first grade teacher. In fact, from what I can see, her only flaw is that she didn’t inherit the family love of gardening! But this comes in handy when I drag her to events like the garden show, because I get to see
things through her fresh eyes. So I pulled a hat low on my brow and wore my biggest Jackie O sunglasses to snoop my way over to the display. After a quick peek, I scuttled off in the opposite direction. A few minutes later, Sue joined me.
So?
I asked.
Of course I’m prejudiced because you’re my sister,
she said. But those other fairy gardens just didn’t work for me. They looked like a pot full of plants with a fairy stuck in it. Yours look like real, live, mini gardens. Why is that?
I replied that I simply take the time to choose just the right plants and accessories.
But the main thing is, with every fairy garden I make, I try to tell a little story,
I said. That’s what makes the difference. I want it to seem as if a teeny somebody actually lives there.
This book is the culmination of more than a decade of designing fairy gardens with those tiny inhabitants in mind. In here you’ll find my tips, tricks, and secrets, and, most importantly, you’ll encounter the very best ways to create a garden filled with heart. Your heart. As you take the fairy gardening journey, let your imagination soar and have fun!
Beverly Turner
Head Designer
M & M Nursery, Orange, California
www.fairygardenexpert.net