Couldn't Resist- Started Playing With the Fairy Garden

With all the nice weather we've had I just had to go outside to do something.

 Hubby used the leaf blower (you can see him in the left corner of the picture) to clear off all the debris that has fallen from the trees during the winter.  The burlap around the shrubs were removed but we haven't opened up the fountain yet. 

 I brought out the cement fairy cottage.  I decided I wanted it higher up so I built up a couple more rows of brick pavers and added a step in front.   I'm just playing at this point with my ideas but this is a good start. 

I picked through all my stones that were spread all over to cluster together to create a little hill next to the steps.  My goal is to help it look like it's been there a while.  The more I fussed the more of the little accents came out.  It's so incredibly early for me to be out there doing stuff like this that I keep waiting for buckets of snow to fall on us again.  

I stored the stump in the garage too because the little table set is stapled down to it and I worry what the weight of the snow would do to it.  I just fluff some soil around it and it looks like it's really in the ground.

I don't have outside water access right now so I couldn't clean things up but the rains we're getting may help with that.   

Elsewhere in the yard this is what mice and voles do under the snow.  What a mess they made this year.

 A little bleak looking but a start!  Once the plant life grows the magic begins!  Let's keep hoping that this early spring weather continues on!

Cottage Fairy Garden 2015

Nestled in my garden this year's Cottage Fairy Garden has taken on the whimsical feeling that I wanted.

The white alyssum has filled in like a hedge and given the character I wanted.

The copper garden cart under the arbor holds clay pots ready for planting.  All my fairies are gardeners!

Just beyond the arbor is a spot to rest in the shade and enjoy a some petite sandwiches and a drink prepared by the fairies!

This one must be a teenager- she's content to sleep a lot!

Always something to plant or tend to!

This fairy with her rake made me think of Cinderella so she has to be near the magical pumpkin carriage!

The footbridge provides a quick hop over the pond. The fairies are always busy tending the plants!

The whimsical dining set on the tree stump.  I had to lift the hydrangeas a bit so it's visible.

Another teenage fairy sleeping- haha!  

That's pretty much it here at the Cottage Fairy Garden!

Everything is at peak around here in the gardens.  I wish I could make it last twice as long!

The last of my lilies blooming.  

This is (dwarf) Oriental Lily Angelique- I like that it doesn't get very tall and it has the sweetest face on it!

Thank you for visiting and your kind comments!

    

Stony Fairy Garden 2015

I finally brought out my fairy garden pieces and began the layout for this year's fairy garden.

I mentioned before that I relocated where the fairy garden is now so I can easily access it without a lot bending down since I have some knee issues.  It's just about 5 ft. away from where it was but I have a short retaining wall I can stand next to over here instead of bending a lot.  I used the aged copper fencing that usually surrounded my first fairy garden out by the big maple tree as seen "here".  There is some alyssum coming up next to the red brick pavers that will fill in the little gap.  It should take on some cute character once the alyssum is filled and the violas I've planted around the area.  Earlier this spring I moved a few dianthus plants over here that are just starting to bloom their pink flowers.

Last year was the first year I owned this cute little stone cottage and "here" is a link if you'd like to see last year's Fairy Garden.  It was cute but after a while the plants took over in such abundance some of the things disappeared.  

Each year I put all this away since our snowfall is so deep.  It gives me an opportunity to come up with a new look each year.

  Behind the house I placed my rusty wire arbor and set some sweet potato vine next to it.  I am hoping to have it grow up on the arbor and then I'll help it to grow over the roof of the cottage.

I added a silver tray to the dining table on the stump.  I just realized that these are truly "wing back" chairs! LOL… little butterfly wings to be exact!

Next to the stump I placed this little fairy and the carriage.  It makes me think of the Cinderella story.  Perhaps she's a "Cinderfairy" !

These pieces don't show up much against the stones or the wood mulch.  I think some painting is in order- need some contrast!

Collecting water for the flowers!

  My daughter always loved turtles as a child so I had to include this new fairy riding on the turtle this year.  My daughter is all grown up but I still think about her when I see turtles!

Just to the side in the back area I put this chippy white bistro set. Notice the old wagon with the tools in it.  I try to keep my gardening fairies busy each year!

These fairies are all gardeners and they find a lot of rocks here!  This one is taking a break.

Sleeping seems to be a favorite pastime for some!

Some of these are from the Cicely Mary Barker Flower Fairy collection.  They've lost a lot of color but they're still sweet.  Love their faces.

Their flower cart is overflowing with clay pots in a copper bowl.
Always ready to pot up something!

We've finally warmed up enough to be happy!  The nights are better too so I'm hoping there will be no more talk of frosts!

 

Spring

I am so grateful to see the snow all gone and signs of spring popping up.

Tulips and daffodils are on their way up too and it's going to be raining on and off this week so I expect them to grow quickly!

The last two weekends have been fabulous and I got some raking done on the garden beds.  

It all looks so naked!  Before long this will be flooded with hostas, coral bells, and astilbe.

We dug out the pee-gee hydrangea tree that was here and moved it out front last fall.  Hoping it comes back with vigor and blooms better than ever.  It definitely wasn't happy in the spot I first chose for it.

Dan decided to burn the old burlap that some of the shrubs were covered in.  He's blown off all the debris since I took the picture.  It always amazes me how much crud appears after the winter since we left it all cleaned up and tidy last fall.  This fire pit is a propane gas cylinder cut down into rings and then the design cut-outs are created.  It's nearly 4 foot across!  We always have some branches and sticks to burn that fall from the trees.  

I've relocated the little cottage for my fairy garden.  I can walk up to it here and play around with it more easily.  I've got a bad knee and find getting down at ground level to be much more difficult these days.  These are thoughts I've dreamt about doing through the winter.  

We've brought out the lawn furniture and I've set up my black planters on the deck this year.  They were new last year and I had them out on the patio but I decided to try them here this time. The squirrels keep eating away at our deck- they've literally taken chunks of it and have ruined the stairs.  We don't know what they're attracted to but it's really becoming annoying!  The only thought we have is that during the winter we use a salt mix to melt the ice and make it safer to get in and out of our home.  Perhaps it's the salt their going for?

Here is a link to a post from last year showing how different this all looks!

"Early July in the Garden"

It's been an easy going spring around here and I'm looking forward to the summer months as I'm sure all of you are!

 

Pathway Fairy Garden

I've been working on a new fairy garden.

 This is the area I've taken over for my new fairy garden.  Last year i had placed this large granite stone at the corner of the pathway to the patio and added a few sedum plants.  This past winter was so harsh that my boxwoods you see on the left were bascially ruined so I removed them.

As you can see the little sedum lants have grown a lot.

I still have my other fairy garden, but it's a little ways out back and this one I can view from the deck and my kitchen window. 

The inspiration for this garden came from this cottage styled house I found at a garden center.  I've layered in some stones, more plants, mushrooms and accents.

I wanted a little more color so a few pieces I already owned were updated.  That little tiny bird bath actually got visited by a robin the other day.  Too funny to see her sipping water from it!

  

To the left is this partial tree stump I  brought in.  I noticed it on our wood pile out back and liked the texture and movement in the piece.  I got this idea to put the little dining set up on top but knew it was going to fall off easily, especially with wind or when the chipmunks and squirrels visit, so staples were added to keep it from being knocked off.  Of course this will all look so much more interesting later this summer when the plants have expanded.

The stump even has dried mushrooms on it, which I thought was quite perfect for my fairy garden.

  

In the forefront is this cute little foot bridge.
I'm still forming ideas for it...

Behind the cottage house are some Irish Moss I added.  It likes shade so I gave it a home in the back to protect it.  I hope it really takes off and fills in.

 I added a couple of mushrooms and flowers.  I also took come cuttings from the sedum and look forward to seeing it spread. (You can see one of them on the lower left)

To the right of the cottage is this arbor where Julia my little garden fairy works to keep things growing!  We had a good rain last night and I jumped out early to take some pictures before it all dried.

 You may have noticed the "rock" wall I added.  I decided to create a border around the fairy garden.  Judia's sister's are here to greet you and guide you on a tour through the garden.

This is one of my favorite things...I half buried this clay pot and planted some Virginia Creeper next to it.  I hope the Virginia Creeper will be hardy enough to come back.  In warmer climates I guess it can be quite prolific!

I'm having fun with it and I hope you enjoyed it too!  

I'm joining 

Fishtail Garden for 2014 Garden Party #7