December 24, 2014 by Born To Organize

Welcoming Christmas in the Fairy Garden

I thought I spotted Santa in the fairy garden! On closer inspection I realized it was a pair of reindeer and a bag of toys. Santa must be down at the local coffee shop, getting his fill before the big night. The reindeer lingered to see if they could spot any carrots growing in the curb garden. Sorry fellows. I’ve been a lazy winter gardener this year.

A couple of reindeer in search of a carrot

Boomdee sent this charming little Christmas sign all the way from Alberta, Canada. Isn’t it adorable? It will be welcoming the wee visitors for years to come.

All decked out for the holiday

The miniature cyclamen is back in business, preferring the colder weather to our summer heat. The baby tears revived as well and are filling in nicely. I added a pair of hypoestes also known as polka dot plants for a bit of white contrast. I’ve never seen this white variety. They’re usually pink.

Baby tears and cyclamen

White ‘polka dot’ plant

In case they’re looking for some exercise, I’ve added a small ice-skating rink. San Jose doesn’t get that cold, so like our local hockey team, the San Jose Sharks, we made our own ice.

Fairy garden ice rink (we have to bring in fake ice and snow)

If I’ve timed this right, it’s still Christmas in the southern hemisphere and almost Christmas in the north. Merry Christmas!

March 13, 2013 by Born To Organize

Marauding Leprachauns: A Race Through the Fairy Garden

Mischievous Leprechauns passed through the fairy garden yesterday. Guess what they’ve been up to?

For starters, they turned the garden path a glossy emerald. No stone was left un-greened.

Follow the emerald-green path

As they skipped along the path they tossed Mardi Gras beads hither and yon. I missed the parade! Our precious little deer caught a few baubles. She looks surprised at the turn of events and wonders if she should have stayed in Canada.

Festive Deer

Nah…she’s having fun! Really.

Those crafty Leprechauns turned the garden furniture upside down, then dotted the path with sparkling shamrocks. I sure hope the fairies have a sense of humour. I think I spotted a pot of gold but no rainbow. Months with barely a drop of rain means the pot of gold is at the end of a dry, brittle twig.

St. Patrick’s Day Fairy Garden

I wonder if Leprechauns negotiate? I’m willing to return the pot of gold for a week of spring rains. Sounds like a fair exchange to me. Let me know if you see a friendly Leprechaun dashing through your garden. I’m ready to make a deal.

A glimmer of gold

Pot of Gold at the end of a very dry stick (no rain, no rainbows)

Sea glass, Alyssum, pot of gold, tiny cyclamen, fescue, and a fashionably dressed deer. Lantern by Tim Holtz

Many thanks to Boomdee for the charming ceramic deer. You can see her cousins Grace, Alyster and a couple of charming gnomes at Boomdeeadda.

November 27, 2012 by Born To Organize

Christmas in the Fairy Garden, Storm on the Way

We’ve got a storm headed our way. A gully washer. Serious wet stuff falling to the ground.

My UK friends are yawning about now, but “big rain” is unheard of in Silicon Valley. I’m pretty excited. Everything in the garden perks up when it rains and we are well past due. I hope folks behind the wheel remember to take their time. The roads will be slicker than usual.

Knowing we’re in for the wet and windy, I temporarily moved the fairy garden indoors. Christmas is less than a month away, so I got busy decorating for the wee ones.

Planting

I bought a pair of miniature cyclamen with my nursery haul over the weekend. They look so cute next to the tiny Blue Fescue fairy house. The ground cover is holding up nicely, but the Fescue needed a trim. That done, I “planted” sprigs of holiday greens and added lights.

Miniature Cyclamen

Sprucing Up the Fairy Garden

Sprucing

In light of the weather, I moved the chairs under cover and set up a table to go with them. The “slip covers” are re-purposed wrappers from the Hydrangea. Some festive ribbon adds color to the base of the table. I think I spotted a few tiny deer drinking nearby. A few broken ornaments add a bit of cheer. I pulled some dried flowers and berries from last week’s Thanksgiving arrangement. They worked well over the entrance to the house and to add color to the table.

Fairy Christmas Table

A Lovely View

Entry Way

All set for the holidays!

If you haven’t tried fairy gardening, give it a whirl. It’s a fun, creative and relaxing way to garden on a small-scale. I like to challenge myself by reusing items from around the house.