When I was very young, maybe 4 or 5, someone told me that fairies lived in the center of pansies. I can remember believing this. The idea that tiny magical beings lived in the flowers fascinated me and I would study (but never touch) every pansy trying to see the mysterious little creatures. This unlocked a sense of enchantment around flowers that I still feel as an adult.The fairies I saw in my mind as a little girl always looked like children with wings. The first time I saw the drawings of Mary Cicely Barker, I knew that she saw the fairies as I did and it was a strong validation of my imagination.
I'm not really a "fairy" person per se. I don't collect them or have any desire to sit them on the piano or line them up along the window sill. I have my turtles for that. But I do love the idea of having them in my garden.
So for Mother's Day last year, my husband and son created a fairy garden for me. It is situated at the bottom of the steps that lead up to my massage studio so as my clients arrive, they can pause and enjoy the garden before coming upstairs.
May, 2008
One year later.....
Sometimes I make silly vignettes with the figurines.
I still have a box full of fairies waiting to be
set free for the summer.
The fairies are made are made of waterproof resin.
I spray them with a UV protection so they don't fade.
The impatiens will be full by summers end.
Sometimes clients will give me things for the garden.One lovely lady gave me rocks with words etched on them.
It's never too late to honor your inner child, and mine likes fairies in her garden.
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22 comments:
oh. my. GOODNESS! i am totally blown away! i've never done anything on such a large scale before. mine have always been in a big terra cotta planter or dish garden. once i did one with some chicken wire and moss in the seat of an old wooden chair (that a friend had purchased at a yard sale then gave to me when she got tired of it). i am totally in love! you are indeed HRH! i'm inspired too. i think i might even have a spot i could do something like that. of course now i have to wait till about october, but that will give me time to gather my "treasures." thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!
Janet: I meant to mention you in this post, honey, and I got so involved that I forgot. I knew you were waiting to see this. I'd love to see what you've done with the planters! Isn't it fun to see pictures and get ideas? Why do you have to wait until October?
You are welcome, welcome, welcome!
too hot, hot, hot here!
i could try a container garden on the patio i guess. i do keep a lot of other plants through the summer on the patio, but with temps up at and above 110 for a good portion of july and august, i sometimes feel it's just cruel and unusual punishment for the dear things.
are there places there that have fairy festivals? i do believe we must honor our inner child. i think it's a great part of what gives us our vibrancy and joy.
Absolutely beautiful. You have a wonderful family. I look forward to my boys digging in the yard for me. The oldest does mow!!
I love little garden villages. And, I would like to make a little town in the back of my house sometime. I just can not bring myself to pay for the village. I want to make it myself.
oh WOW, it looks like a page from a fairy tale book, i love it, way to go hubby and son, that is such a great gift to you mom.
It looks fantastic! And it's so great to see the process, what a great family you have!
Janet: I forgot you live in the desert. Maybe in indoor container garden?
Hit40: I do have a wonderful family, but then they have a wonderful mother/wife ;-) Thank you for saying so! Yes, get the boy to mow! Builds character!
Marinik: You hit the nail on the head with the word "fairytale". That was the image I wanted to create in this garden.
B: Thank you! I still want to add a water feature but may have to wait for next Mother's Day to get them to agree to that!
When I was reading this all I could think of was a book I got for my girls when they were little. It's called Fairy Poems by Laura Ingalls Wlder (http://www.amazon.com/Laura-Ingalls-Wilders-Fairy-Poems/dp/0385325339) THe poems are all about the fairies that take care of the flowers and stuff. It's a great book and I'm sure you'd enjoy it (even tho your not a fairy person).
It is breath taking and so unique. I have never seen anything like it. I am in total envy right now! Beautiful...
Bambi: I would love to see the inside of the book but Amazon doesn't have it set up for this one. I'm going to inquire at my local library. Thanks! And I love anything about fairies in the garden. I just meant I'm not a fairies-all-over-the-house, pillows, saltshakers, wall hangings person. I think sprites are much happier outside :-).
Delena: Thank you!
What amazing men you have! And what a great idea - it looks beautiful!
OP: A new name? I need to know what that's about! Thanks...I am indeed lucky!
yes..a shiny new name! My blog was supposed to be about running, but turns out I hardly ever write about running, so I changed the name of my blog to better match my blogging.
How lovely. I wouldn't want fairies hanging in the house either (unless they were real ones and could sprinkle magic dust around (ie to clean, cook, etc)), but I did enjoy the movie, Photographing Fairies from 1998. If you haven't seen it, if it's even avail on DVD, you should. Maybe you will get some more ideas for your garden.
P&P: I googled the movie and the poster is kinda scary. My son works in a video store & I'll seeif he can get it for me. Thanks for sharing tht - I'd never heard of it. I went to see Bridge to Tarabithia with my hubby last summer thinking there were garden fairies. It sucked beyond belief. No fairies and both hubby and I left the theatre with wet eyes and feeling sad.
My mother is a big believer in fairies and she gave some to my m-i-l which makes me jealous. I believe you should receive them as a gift and unfortunatly no one has ever given me one! boo hoo. My littlest believes they live in the Big Oak here in T-ville. She looks for them there. Your garden is precious.
McGillicutty: What kind did you m-i-l receive? Maybe you need to drop a few hints...nudge nudge wink wink. If your little one believes fairies live in the Big Oak, then they probably do! Help her look for them and if she never sees them, tell her that they are just shy!
The fairies she has are the kind that patina after a while.. they are just the cutest!! believe me I am good at hints!!! Thanks.
I loved this idea so much I had to share this with my kids ~ to see pictures of the Wood Elf Garden you inspired them to create you can check it out on my blog http://cnssbu.blogspot.com/2009/06/wood-elf-garden.html
Thank you for the inspiration!
Lola England: I am so glad that you found some inspiration in my story! I wish I had started this when my kids were small. I'm going to your blog right now!!
There's just something about fairies that i love. I have a couple of fairy things, a pendant that I wear all the time, matching earrings that I wear once in a while, and a garden fairy in my butterfly garden. I also attempted to make a couple o fairy doors last year, but they didn't hold up through the winter and i foolishly left them out. I just added a bunch of fairy garden seeds to my butterfly garden and I can't wait to see how they come up. I am going to take inspiration from your garden and add to mine. I just have to find time to do it! Thanks for the inspiration.
Happy Spring Liz! So glad it's time for the fairies to come out of the box!
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