Okay, I've had quite a few emails based on people wanting to know more about Fairies. First off, Fairies are nature spirits and they are always present where there are plants, trees-well basically where all green things that grow are. They are naturally attracted to gardens - however, creating a sacred space designated just for a fairy garden can be a beautiful place to meditate, study, and learn more about these magical creatures.
What to consider when it comes to a Fairy garden:
When designing a fairy garden, there are several factors to consider. First, consider the location.....Fairies are attracted to nature, not noise, so the space you choose should be in a fairly private spot. I would opt to say its not a good place to be at the front of the driveway where it has constant noise and activity, nor in an area where children and pets might travel frequently, such as next to a swimming pool, play ground, sand box or swing set. Choose an area in the back corner of your yard, in a quiet secluded area or underneath a large tree away from the house. If you happen to have property bordering woods or fields, plant your fairy garden close to that so that the border of your fairy garden can run wild.
Keep in mind when designing your fairy garden that you should try to leave the area as natural as possible, and use as much organic material as you can. Avoid heavy machinery, chemicals, or any sort of decoration or container containing iron, as these are extremely unattractive to nature spirits. In addition to plants, make sure to include things that will attract wildlife such as ladybug houses, bird baths, bird feeders, a water feature such as a fountain or small pond. Rocks, crystals and small statues should be included and will provide little nooks and crannies for the fairies to inhabit.
Choose plants that compliment or grow naturally in the area for where you live. For example, spring consists of tulips, daffodils and pansies. For summer, I have roses snapdragons, impatiens, marigolds, hydrangea, hostas, (and that's just to name a few), for autumn, there are chrysanthemums, marigolds and pansies. Bell shaped flowers (snapdragons, bluebells, foxglove, tulips) are traditionally associated with fairies, as are fragrant plants such as lavender, jasmine and gardenia. I tend to include bird feeders, hummingbird feeders, statues and garden art as well as a bowl of water for frolicking.
Helpful hints to create a Fairy Garden in a designated spot:
•1. Choose a specific spot for your fairy garden. You can measure the area for the square footage so that you know how many plants you will need (if you should wish to or need to in order to get an idea). If you are new to gardening, test the soil to see what will grow well in your garden, or what you might need to add to the soil to make it viable. Soil tests kits are inexpensive and are available at most nurseries and in the garden center at Wal-Mart, Lowe's and Home Depot. Determine how much sun the area gets. If it has 6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day, it's called 'full sun.' An area that gets 3-6 hours of sun a day is called part sun or part shade. Full shade means less than 3 hours of sun a day, such as under a tree, a patio or against a wall the blocks most of the sun. Determine how the plants will be watered. Example, rainfall or will you manually water the plants.
•2. Using a ruler on a piece of paper, try drawing the design of your garden or just jot down what you see in your head. If you are not sure how many plants you need, take the garden design with you to a nursery and ask for help. Most people who own or work at nurseries are more than happy to help you determine how many plants you need and what will grow best based on the amount of sun and water they will get. They can also help you determine what sort of fertilizer or compost material you might need to add based on the results of your soil test. As you are choosing your plants, mark down on your paper design where they should go, and how much room they will need to grow properly. This will keep you from buying more plants than can thrive in your designated space.
•3. Till or hoe the soil in the area to loosen it for planting if you are directly planting the plants in the designated spot. If your soil test determined that fertilizer or compost needed to be added, mix it in with the tiller or hoe as you are loosening the soil.
•4. Using your paper guide, set the plants where they will go while they are still in their nursery pots. This lets you see how the finished garden will look before you plant, and give you the opportunity to move or change anything before planting them permanently.
•5. Now you can permanently insert the plants into the ground. In general, the correct depth will be about the same depth as the nursery pot they came in. (You can also use the black weed blocking material or newspaper to put down to keep weeds from growing and overtaking your garden. Unless you plan on weeding everyday, then it may be a good idea to use some preventative measure to block weeds. I strongly recommend that you stay away from pesticides and keep the garden organic and healthy).
•6. After you are done with your planting, water the plants thoroughly. If you have additional items for your garden, such as bird baths, stones, statues or fairy houses, put those in before you water.
The following is a spell to bless your fairy garden. It is best done under the full moon, but can also be done at dusk during the waxing moon.
With flower, plant, soil and stone, I merrily welcome you to your new home!
Fairy folk affect your thrall, Help nurture these plants to grow strong and tall.
Bless this place made especially for thee, Let fairy joy flow about and around - fast and free.
Fair faced magickal folk with dancing wings, We honor what your presence brings.
I set this spell with love three times three, As I will it, so mote it be.
How will I know if the Fairies are there or if they are happy and content in this space?
You can be sure that the fairies and nature spirits/sprites are happy with their new home if you see rings of mushrooms appear (called fairy rings) or if you see an increase in small animals and insects (often associated with fairies) such as frogs, birds, butterflies and ladybugs. You may also hear music that has no discernible source, or even smell strong sweet scents that are not associated with the flowers in your garden. The garden will have a very peaceful energy and sense of calm, and you may even see or notice flashes of light within the shadows in the nooks and crannies of the garden.
Enjoy and brightest blessings to all.
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