Plant a Fairy GardenChair

Author: Karen Creel

Article: ""just living is not enough"" said the butterfly fairy, ""one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."" Hans Christian Anderson What better way to invite the wee folk into your garden than by creating a special garden just for them. To make them feel welcome, plant a few of their favorite flowers or herbs, and add some natural building materials such as small rocks, twigs or shells for them to make their home. All you to do after that is simple...just sit back and believe.

Materials you will need for your Fairygarden chair: Scour thrift stores, flea markets, or neighborhood curbsides for an old chair. Remove the bottom.

Chicken wire. Cut two pieces about 12"" larger than the opening of the bottom to allow you to form a basket to place the soil and flowers/herbs.

Wire cutters

Staple gun and heavy duty staples

Sphagnum moss

Green sheet moss

potting soil amended with compost or rotted manure

Fairy flowers and or herbs-choice of plants will depend on where you intend to place your chair. Sunny spots will require sun loving plants and a shady or woodland area will require shade loving plants.

Directions:

Place the two pieces of chicken wire over the opening of the seat and gently push down to form a fairly deep ""basket"" Shape the wire over the seat sides and staple underneath being careful to push down any wires.

Line the basket with wet sphagnum moss, placing the green mossy side face down and showing through the chicken wire. Cover the wire completely, staple the chicken wire to the frame, bending it around to the bottom of the chair frame. Be sure to carefully bend down the edges to prevent any sharp wire from sticking your fairy friends. Fill the basket completely with your amended soil and plant some of your favorite fairy plants.

Plant suggestions include:

Herbs: Thyme: This is a must to invite fairies into your garden. It is said that fairies hide their babies under the thyme for safe keeping.

Lavender: Lavender is good for all those midnight fairy parties. They can create wonderful lavender infused wine. The scent of lavender is very soothing to lull the fairy babies to sleep.

Sweet Woodruff: The delicate white flowers will reflect the moonlight for their fairy dances.

Lambs ear: What a soft place to make a fairy bed! Rosemary: Called the elf plant. Fairy lore maintains they are captivated by it. Plant the trailing variety to cascade down the side of the chair.

Flowers for your fairychair include:

Primrose: Attracts the company of fairies. Called the fairy flower. Lilly of the valley: Dainty, bell shaped flowers, perfect for making fairy caps.

Care of your fairychair. Like all container gardens, the fairy chair will need to be watered more often. Check daily. If herbs and perennial flowers are planted, they will need to be pruned to keep them compact. Also, your soil will need to be refurbished periodically with new plants to replace the annuals.

About the author: Urban gardener Karen Creel enjoys using the garden's harvest to create herbal seasonings, aromatherapeutic bath and body products,and herbal pet treats. Add a little whimsy to the garden with a chair to invite the Wee Folk in. Visit Karen at www.GardenChick.com