Deciding which plants to use to create a beautiful, enchanting fairy garden? Don’t worry, it’s not nearly as challenging as you might think! We’ve pulled together tips on everything you should consider before heading out to your local garden center. With a little bit of planning and consideration, you’ll create a fairy garden to enjoy for many seasons to come.

Questions to ask before plant shopping

The plants that you select are going to be based on many different factors. Ask yourself these questions before shopping for your fairy garden:

• Where am I going to create this fairy garden?
• Is there enough light/shade for my fairy garden?
• Will natural weather affect my fairy garden?
• Do I have time to maintain my fairy garden?

Once you have answered these questions, you’ll have a better idea of the type of plants that are best suited for your garden.

If you’re creating an outdoor fairy garden, will you be planting or using containers? Planting annuals is a great solution if you’ve got extra yard space and would like to enjoy and expand your garden every spring and summer. Be mindful of your region’s seasonal weather and choose plants that will thrive from season to season (or will be happily dormant until the next warm season returns!) Alternatively, you can combine planted flowers and shrubs with plants in containers - so you’ll be able to bring more delicate plants inside when the winter season arrives.

If you’re an apartment dweller without a yard, you can still enjoy a fairy garden in a small space. Choose a small corner or windowsill to create your fairy tale tableau, or create a balcony garden to enjoy during the warm summer months. (Save for space, there aren’t any limits for your creativity - so if you’d like to multi-task your garden by including edible plants and herbs, go right ahead!) The only important thing to be mindful of is choosing non-toxic plants if you share your home with children or pets. They’ll be as attracted to these green spaces as the fairies are! Read up on the plants you’re choosing to make sure that your chosen space has adequate sunlight - though you can use artificial lighting if you need to.

Flowers, fruits and vegetables

Some people add decorative fruits and vegetables to their fairy garden. Doing this will turn your garden into a haven of delicious snacks. Growing fruits and vegetables in your fairy garden can also provide a gardening education for your children or anyone else enjoying your garden.

For example, if you are a teacher or a parent, you can combine searching for fairies to decorate your garden with a horticultural lesson for your child or children. Some popular foods and vegetables that people like to include in their fairy garden are berries, herbs, beans. Be mindful because edible plants attract insects and little critters who may nibble on your crops!

Keep your plants to scale with the decorations you may include in your fairy garden. If you’re building a treehouse fairy garden, for example, you may want to consider planting a taller plant because it creates an illusion of a treehouse among shorter plants and flowers that lie closer to the ground.

Ground covering plants & other beautiful options

Ground cover plants are plants that cover up large areas of land. These types of plants are trendy in fairy gardens because they serve many purposes. Not only do they provide greenery in places that would typically be bare, but ground cover plants also help prevent erosion and keep weeds at bay.

Ground cover plants are an excellent option in your fairy garden because they are low-maintenance and bring color and vibrancy to any garden. They’ll retain moisture in more arid climates, and can attract butterflies and even hummingbirds to your fairy garden.

If you find that your fairy garden looks a little bare, use ground cover plants to fill in any empty spaces. These plants will bloom flowers, adding color in places that you usually would not find such vibrancy. Lastly, even though most ground flowering plants add moisture to the soil, they still need to be watered and maintained as any other plant within your fairy garden. Five plants that are popular in fairy gardens are:

• Weeping Figs: Weeping figs are beautiful, small plants. They are a top choice among bonsai and miniature gardeners. Weeping Figs could be a practical option for your fairy garden. They do not take much space in containers.

• Lavender: If you're looking to add a sense of tranquility and peace to your fairy garden, lavender is a beautiful choice to add to your fairy garden. The purple and blue flowers of lavender will add contrast to the dark green stems of the plant. Keep in mind that if you are going to grow lavender, it’s best to do so in a container. Otherwise, the soil that you are planting in will be too wet. Lavender is a plant that needs to remain well drained and they love full sun.

• Mondo Grass: Mondo grass is popular in the southern region of the United States, and is a lovely option for anyone wanting to create a hiding place for their fairies or other characters or to add a tropical feel to their yard. There are many different variants of Mondo grass. However, Dwarf Mondo grass is the best option for a fairy garden. You can find Mondo grass in any garden shop or online.

• Oregano: Oregano is not necessarily a plant that pops into your mind when you think about ground cover plants. However, it is excellent foliage that you may want to include in your fairy garden. Oregano prefers full sun and will bloom beautifully scented flowers in late summer. One benefit of using oregano as a ground cover in your fairy garden is that you also have something tasty to use in many different dishes in your kitchen when it comes time to trim back your leaves.

• Dianthus: Another ground cover that flowers beautifully is Dianthus. Dianthus will bloom pink and white flowers. It will provide shade in your fairy garden and can grow to become 2 feet tall. You will need to fertilize Dianthus every six to eight weeks. If you're looking for an annual version of Dianthus, consider Chinese Pinks as something to add to your fairy garden. If you like the smell of vanilla, then Dianthus is the ground cover plant for you.

Finding the right place for your fairy garden is a fun and rewarding process. Surprisingly, many trees and plants come in miniature sizes that you can use in your garden. If you go to any nursery or home improvement center, you will see sections dedicated to miniature gardening.

Succulents

If you’re a new (and nervous!) fairy gardener, succulents are an easy starter option because they are hardy and don’t require quite as much attention as other plants. One popular succulent for fairy gardening is Delosperma Hotcakes. This orange and yellow flowered plant will need to be put in a container. Use stones at the bottom of the container to help keep the soil dry. If you are in a hot or dry environment, they only need to be watered every two to three weeks.

An interesting-looking plant that you may want to include in your fairy garden is Haworthia Fastigiate, or a zebra cactus. These affordable plants are green and white and very easy to grow.

Should You Use Fake Plants in a Fairy Garden?

When people are starting their fairy garden, one question that has been asked is whether or not fake plants can be used to substitute real ones. Do what appeals to your own aesthetics and sense of taste. What goes into your fairy garden is your preference.

If you don’t have a green thumb or the time for watering or maintaining a live plant, an artificial plant may be the best option for you. You can still enjoy the feel of a fairy garden, without the pressure of tending to a live garden.

You can find artificial plants and flowers that look very realistic. In addition to passable plastic options, there are also silk and satin versions of artificial plants that are available in the home decor section of your local craft store. Just keep in mind that these types of plants, whether plastic, silk or satin, need to be sprayed or wiped down once a week to keep dust and dirt at bay.

Fairy Homes and Gardens provides both real and artificial plants for your perfect fairy garden. Browse our fairy garden plants today, and make your dream fairy garden a reality!