DIY Miniature Fairy Garden

Posted by Bridgman on May 16, 2013

When we realized how hard it was to find a DIY tutorial for a miniature garden we decided to create one for our readers. We also decided to have fun with this project, turning it into a miniature commemoration garden in honour of the birth of the royal baby. We started by looking at miniature gardens online for inspiration. We bought all the plants, the pot, the compost, and the gravel from a local garden centre. The miniatures came from eBay miniature stores. We started by sketching out the garden on paper. Then we created our miniature garden, step-by-step, just as you see in the photos. We enjoyed creating the commemoration garden so much and are so pleased with the results that we plan to make more to mark special occasions. We'd also like to hear about your experiences making miniature gardens. Here's what we used and what we did: Plants & Materials

Here's a photo of the plants and materials we used, which includes:

• Large pot
• Multi-purpose compost
• Bonsai Tree
• Plants (Baby Tears, Alyssum, Nertera, Ivy)
• Artificial Moss
• Cactus gravel
• Miniature bench, tablemarbour, baby carriage with baby, watering can, fence, pots and rabbits.
• Miniature easel with image of Royal couple
• Plastic pot covered with blue duct tape (for pond)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Fill the container to the top with compost.
2. Plant the bonsai tree along the back rim of the container.
3. Plant the baby tears around the bonsai tree.
4. Plant alyssum and nertera.
5. Plant ivy toward the front rim of the pot, leaving a space between it and the baby tears.
6. With the planting finished, your miniature garden looks like a tree surrounded by grass, flowering plants, and groundcover.
7. Place the pond along the front edge of the container, to the right of the ivy.
8. Add the arbour between the baby tears and the pond and wrap the ivy around the arbour. Now, take a look at the garden through the back of the arbour; you'll see how the arbour creates a graceful entrance into the garden.
9. Place moss along the front edge in the area between the pond and the nertera. The moss adds texture and a natural fullness to the garden.
10. Place the picket fence along the back edge of the container, extending from the arbour, behind the tree, to the alyssum.
11. Add gravel on top of the exposed soil, creating a path from the arbour to the tree.
12. Add water to the pond.
13. String the bunting between the tree and the arbour.
14. Add the bench between the tree and the arbour.
15. Place the birdbath to the let of the pond.
16. Place the watering can on the gravel near where the moss and the nertera meet.
17. Here's what the garden looks like so far, looking from behind the fence.
18. Add the small pots under the tree.
19. View the garden from the side, close up, and from the distance.
20. Now place the rabbits behind the tree.
21. Take a close-up look at your flowers and the view through the arbour.
22. Place the baby in the baby carriage on the moss to the right of the pond.
23. Add the easel with the royal couple between the baby carriage and the tree.
24. Here's what the completed commemorative garden looks like.

Let Us Know Have you created a miniature garden? We would like to hear from you if you use these DIY instructions—or if you have other ideas to share on making miniature gardens.