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Fairy Garden Yurt: Blue Fescue to the Rescue

As the temperatures drop, my thoughts turned to winterizing the fairy garden. Garden fairies need shelter from the biting wind and cold. Enter Blue Fescue to the rescue in the form of a living yurt.

Winter Fairy Garden materials

Winter Fairy Garden Materials

Blue Fescue Yurt

Blue Fescue Yurt

According to Wikipedia, “a yurt is a portable, bent wood-framed dwelling structure traditionally used by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia.” This adaption of the thirteenth century dwelling continues to live in the earth

I planted five small ‘plugs’ of Blue Fescue tufted ornamental grass, then gathered the tops of them together in one bunch. I wrapped and knotted the Fescue with a long strand of tall grass.  A welcoming bunch of clover hangs just above the entrance.

Bunch of clover

A welcoming bunch of clover

The yurt stays cozy with a downy-soft and fragrant lavender carpet, well suited to a fairy’s needs. Just outside the yurt are a pair of chairs and a lantern to light the way.

Birthday Chairs and a lantern

Birthday chairs and a lantern to light the way

A tall, orange umbrella offers shelter on rainy days. A petal-soft “lamb’s ear” is the perfect place for a pair of cats to curl up for a nap just below.

Orange Shelter

Orange Shelter
It looks *and* smells good

Come and sit a spell

Come and sit a spell and enjoy the subtle fragrance of Allium, lavender and orange

Please be sure to spread the word. Garden fairies welcome!

Resources:

  • Blue Fescue, available at most garden centers
  • Wood Mini Spools by Maya Road
  • Mini Lantern by Tim Holtz idea-ology
  • From the garden: baby tears, lavender, clover, lamb’s ear, orange (hollowed out by a rat) and Allium

24 thoughts on “Fairy Garden Yurt: Blue Fescue to the Rescue”

  1. I can only say, I’m blown away by the beauty of a simple fairy garden! What a great way to start my day. To CREATE one intentionally never crossed my mind. A whole new way of thinking for me. Thanks for sharing.

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    • Thank you so much for saying so. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’ve had a great time creating fairy gardens this year. I had a few versions in the back yard, then migrated the idea to our front porch so passer’s by, tall and small, could enjoy it too.

      You could turn one of your inherited pots into a fairy garden indoors as well. The key is finding smaller scale plants.

      Let me know if you give it a whirl.

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  3. That’s just soooo fun Alys! Your yurt is so creative. I actually have those Maya Road spools in my craft room, I love how you’ve used them. What a heavenly garden for the kitties. It would be great if there was a orange scented umbrella on my patio, that’s just the bomb. Love, loved it all, I would never leave home. (mmmmm lavender carpet, perfection).

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    • Thank you, Boomdee! Wouldn’t it be fun to build one in our size?

      I love all the three-dimensional items popping up at the craft stores. I was so excited to spot the lantern and those spools! Do you have plans for your mini-spools?

      I’m amazed at fragrant the orange is, even this morning. When I cut notches in the canopy, it must have released the oils.

      Thank you so much!

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      • Oh ya! That’s one thing that would be so awesome ‘Super-sized’. Did you see that idea on Pinterest, to make a votive out of a hollowed orange? I’ve had the spools for a bit and used them on a few scrap pages. You can also write (or stamp) a message on a long strip of paper, glue the beginning to the spool then wrap your message around the spool and finish with a ribbon. Like Merry Christmas, Happy birthday anything really. I saw them in the Stampington Magezine. You can then decorate the tops with a scrap paper or button. I made a few last Christmas.

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          • Oh no, traveling takes it’s tole, I hope Mike feels better soon. I know you’ve been looking forward to the moisture, so I hope so too. It’ll smell all fresh. I watched Ellen today and she was wearing a jacket outside, so I guess it’s cooler in LA too. Sleep well dear Alys.

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            • Thank you. We went to bed super early but it was still tough getting up for fitness camp. Mike stayed home, but worked in emails and phone calls. He was in no shape for the office.

              It warmed up a bit today (due to the rain). It’s 63 F right now with lows of 52. Last week the low was 39, quite a bit colder than is typical for this time of year. Are you warming up a bit, too?

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              • Oh boy, you made it to fitness camp, bravo! My program is so far off the rails, I almost need to start over again. Mikes smart to stay home besides the florescent lights in an office are a killer when you’re feeling lousy. We have warmed up some too, bit slushy out there. We walked to Whyte Ave tonight to celebrate Jim’s birthday..45 minute walk. Dinner at one of our favourite places, it was pretty mild. It’s still icy in some places, I actually wiped out…nothing injured except my brand new tights. 😛

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                • Oh no! Sorry to hear about the wipe out. I’m glad you are okay. Bummer about the new tights, though.

                  Happy birthday to Jim!

                  It was hard getting back to camp but worth it. It is just so hard to get up from a warm bed in the dark. That is the hardest part. Getting out the door. I stage everything the night before so I can get dressed in the dark and head out with minimal disruption.

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