Whether or not you believe in fairies, a fairy garden is a charming addition to your landscaping. Even if fairies don’t make an appearance, this themed garden will attract other welcome visitors such as hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.
Begin by selecting the proper location for your garden. The ideal location is a spot some distance from the house that gets dappled shade and not a great deal of foot traffic.
Select plants with delicate, nodding flowers or leaves and pleasing fragrances. It is always best to use native varieties when you can get them.
columbine, snapdragons, foxglove, lady’s slipper, nasturtiums, ferns, heather, pansies, peony, violets, poppy, irises, mints, thyme and roses are excellent choices.
Miniature versions of these are also suitable. Wooly thyme and corsican mint make lovely resting places and miniature roses look charming among fairy statuary.
Shrubberies provide protection and a lovely backdrop. Try rosebushes, blackberry, barberry and holly.
Trees can also provide shade and welcome protection to fairies and wildlife. Try elder, hawthorn, oak, ash and birch.
A fairy garden should never be a manicured space with everything in its place. You should give your plants the opportunity to do what comes naturally… to get a natural affect. It may take a few seasons for this to happen, but the wait is worth it.
If you can, incorporate water into your garden plan. A bird bath, a small pond or a fountain or waterfall will fit the bill. If you use a bird bath, use the sort that rests on the ground rather than putting one on a pedestal.
Decorate your garden with fairy themed statuary. Select elegant or whimsical pieces. Little faces peering out of the ground or out of your trees, stepping stones with fairy images, or other pieces portraying fairies, gnomes or other mythical creatures are all appropriate. Shiny wind chimes, wind dancers and gazing balls will add to the effect. Include hiding places, such as tree stumps, piles of stones or mounds of soil or broken or tipped flowerpots.
You may also wish to include a spot where you will place offerings and gifts for the fairy folk.
When your garden is complete, be sure to invite the local fairies to come enjoy your garden. You may wish to do a formal welcoming or dedication ceremony or simply focus your conscious intent as you work.
Learn how to make a fairy garden and what kinds of flowers fairies like.
Making a fairy garden that will attract fairies and their winged friends is easy and does not have to take a lot of space. Youcan plan a traditional garden in the yard, a row of flowers along a garden wall or have a patio fairy garden. Fairies and butterflies love flowers with nectar and brightly colored blooms. They seem to prefer the “cottage style” fairy garden with lots of different kinds of flowers to choose from. It is not important to have a “neat and tidy” fairy garden. Fairies and butterflies will find shelter in a hollow stump or in a clay pot turned on its side under on cold and rainy days. Fairies love to sun their little wings, so it is good to place flat sunning stones among the blooms. A sunny spot, protected from the wind will make a nice sanctuary for fairies and butterflies.
Native flowers are always a good choice for a fairy garden. A combination of wildflowers, native grasses and green house flowers will help to keep your garden or patio pots lovely throughout the year. When designing your fairy garden, use large splashes of color with the smaller flowers tucked in among the edges. If you are planning a patio garden, use several different sizes and heights of pots grouped together. When watering your fairy garden, it is best to soak from the bottom rather than with a sprayer. Sprinklers will wash off the nectar that fairies, butterflies and hummingbirds love! A shallow saucer with a sunning rock in the middle can serve as a bird bath for visiting birdie friends in your fairy garden. You can use a traditional bird bath or the bottom saucer from a large flower pot. It is also important not to use insecticides! The natural approach is always better.
Planting flowers that fairies like is not hard and there are many to choose from!
Some good choices for a beautiful Fairy Garden are: Foxglove, Ferns, Rose, Queen Ann’s Lace, Pansies, Peonies, Lily of the Valley, Coralbells, Violet, Lilac, Four-o’clock, Nasturtium, Snapdragons, Shasta Daisy, Poppy, Hollyhock, Pinks, Baby’s Breath, Butterfly Bush, Purple Coneflower, Columbine, Four O’Clock, Bachelors Button, Forget-me-not, Purple Coneflower, Thyme, Heather, Buttercup, Primrose, Periwinkle, Bluebell, Anemone, Snowdrops, Sweet Woodruff Your fairy garden will become the meeting place for fairies, butterflies and hummingbirds!
Now is the time to plan your garden!
Faerie Herbs
Faeries are connected to everything that lives, and every plant has its own Faerie Guardian. However, there are certain herbs and flowers that are said to have especial affinity with the Fair Folk.
Peony Roots or Seeds~
These can be made into a necklace and hung around the neck of a child as protection against faeries. It is well known that the faeries may be jealous of the beautiful and the wise. They may also fall in love with them…
Primroses~
Faeries love a primrose-studded bank, in spring, when the midday sunshine falls gently or fragrant dusk steals in. Growing blue and red primroses in the garden is said to attract faeries.
Roses~
These gorgeous flowers attract faeries. The dog-rose, Rosa canina, although not so beautiful, is especially vibrant with faerie essence.
Thyme~
This herb will help the wearer to see faeries, so tie a sprig to your button-hole if going to meet them (best not use a pin).
Gorse~
This is said to keep out faeries, because they cannot penetrate the prickles. I find this hard to believe (and so does the Gorse Faerie!).
Four-Leafed Clover~
These are very lucky, so if you find such a leaf, treasure it. Seven grains of wheat laid on a clover are said to enable one to see faeries. It can also act as a protection against faeries.
Bluebells~
Said to attract faeries to dance in your garden. On Beltane eve, make an ankle braclet of “Bluebells” and “jingle” bells to attract helpful fae folk to you.
In a bluebell wood the entire ground seems to shimmer, as if the sky has come to earth. Such is a place to be possibly ‘pixie-led’ or led astray by the faeries ~ something that has happened to not a few folk, who have become hopelessly lost in a locality familiar to them, where well-known landmarks were mysteriously absent. It is not considered advisable to go into a wood to pick these blooms.
Cowslips and Forget-Me-Nots~
These can help you find buried treasure, kept by the faeries.
Foxgloves~
Definently the property of the faeries, it is not a good idea to pick these and take them indoors.
Wild Thyme, Herb Robert & Red Campion~
These plants also belong to the faeries, so do not touch them. Robin Goodfellow loves herb Robert and will get upset if you pluck his flower or harm it in any way.
St. John’s Wort~
This herb is said to relieve illnesses sent by the faeries. It can also help in overcoming depression.
Daisies~
These pretty little white flowers offer protection against the faeries and a child wearing a daisy chain cannot be kidnapped by them.
Marsh Marigold~
If this is placed around the neck of a cow, it will stop the faeries from stealing the milk. Faeries are said to love milk and so it is a good gift to leave for them.
Clover
A sacred faery plant, clovers of all kinds will attract them. Lay seven grains of wheat on a four-leafed clover to see the Faery.
* Elderberry *
Used to make Faery wine, these berries can be burned on a fire to invite the Good Folk to a gathering. Make a homemade brew of Elderberry Wine and you are sure to have some thirsty visitors. It is said that if a human drinks the wine, she will be able to see the Faery. If a human should drink Elderberry wine from the same goblet as a Faery being, he will be able to see them forever after.
* Elecampagne *
Also known as Elfswort. This root can be scattered around the home to attract the Sidhe. It can be added to any magick or spell to invoke Faery blessing.
* Foxglove *
The source of the modern heart drug Digitalis, Foxglove can have seriously dangerous results if taken internally. DO NOT INGEST!! Instead, plant Foxglove near your front door to invite the Faery in. Put a dried sprig of Foxglove in a talisman to keepyou
surrounded in Faery light.
* Heather *
Heather is said to ignite faery passions and open portals between their world and our own. Make an offering of Heather on “Beltane” eve to attract good fae to your garden
* Lilac *
The sweet scent is said to draw Fae spirits to your garden. Lilac and primroses for midsummers eve, will please the Fae.
* Mistletoe *
The most sacred herb of the Druids. Mistletoe is a magickal activator. In Faery spells, use a dash of Mistletoe taken on Summer Solstice to empower your workings with Faery magick.
* Milkweed *
Both Monarch butterflies and fairies like milkweed. If Milkweed is planted in a Witches garden, the fey will always be in the area. The silky tassels of the Milkweed pods can be added to a dream pillow to not only make it softer but also to make you dream of fairies. In the Autumn when the pods are bursting and the fluffy seeds are flying across the fields, a wish is granted for each seed that can be caught and then released again.
* Peony *
Peony seeds were once used to protect children from faeries. A garland of the seeds were placed around the child’s neck to keep them safe from kidnapping. In this day and age, with faery contact so drastically diminished, I doubt that anyone would want to don this faery banishing herb unless they were living smack dab in the middle of a circle of crazed Fae!!
* Poppies *
Said to invoke the faery into your dreams Make a dream pillow of fresh poppies to entice the fae to your dreams.
* Primrose *
When planted in a garden or hung dried on the front door, primroses will attract the company of Faeries. If you have them growing under your care, do not let them die! The Faery will be deeply offended by your carelessness. Primroses are great in container gardens. Tie a pink ribbon around your container of Primroses while chanting;
“Sacred roses, hear my cry
for your protection, this I tie”
* Roses *
Roses attract the Faery to a garden. Their sweet scent will lure elemental spirits to take up residence close by. Roses can be used in Faery love spells. When performing the spell, sprinkle rose petals under your feet and dance softly upon them while asking the Faery for their blessing on your magick.
Roses are loved by the fey so you can plant Roses in your garden to attract fairies. Wild Roses are best for this purpose and you need to say the following spell as you plant your baby Rose bush:
“I ask a fairy from the wild,
To come and tend this wee rose-child.
A babe of air she thrives today,
Root her soul in the Goddesses’ good clay.
Fairies make this twig your bower,
By your magic shall time see her flower!”
* Thyme *
Wearing thyme will increase your ability to see the Sidhe. Sprinkle it at the base of your door, and on window sills to invite the Faery to enter your home.
Faeries and Their Favourite Plants
Foxglove – Name is derived from “Little Folks’ Glove”. Florets are worn by Faeries as hats and gloves.
Primroses – Make the invisible visible. Eating them lets you see Faeries. If one touches a Faerie rock with the correct number of primroses in a posy, the way to faerie land and Faerie gifts is made clear. The wrong number means certain doom.
Ragwort – Used as makeshift horses by the Faerie.
Wild Thyme – Part of a recipe for a brew to make one see the Faeries. The tops of the Wild Thyme must be gathered near the side of a Faerie hill.
Cowslips – These are loved and protected by the Faeries. They help one to find hidden Faerie gold.
Pansies – The flower that was used as a love potion by Oberon, a Faerie king thought to have been invented by Shakespeare.
Bluebell – One who hears a bluebell ring will soon die. A field of bluebells is especially dangerous, as it is intricately interwoven with Faerie enchantments.
Clover – A four-leafed one may be used to break a Faerie spell.
St. John’s Wort – Has a calming effect, used when stress is overwhelming. Helps break spells as well.
Hazel – Celtic legend says it is the receptacle of knowledge; the hazelnut is a symbol of fertility in England.
White Oak – Bark Cleanses and tones entire alimentary canal (tract that food passes through from ingestion to elimination), excellent astringent. Good for external and internal hemorrhage – bleeding in stomach, lungs, rectum.
Rowan – Protects against bad spirits. Used in butter churns so that the butter would not be overlooked by Faeries. Bewitched horses may be controlled by a rowan whip. Druids used rowan wood for fires with which they called up spirits who could be forced to answer questions when rowanberries were spread over the flayed hides of bulls.
Buckthorn – Made from bark, aids liver congestion, helps to carry blood and liver toxins out of the body. Good for gallstones, lead poisoning.
Oak – Oakmen are created when a felled oak stump sends up shoots. One should never take food offered by them since it is poisonous.
Willow – At night they uproot themselves and stalk travellers, muttering at them.
Elder – Sometimes is a witch disguised as a tree. Never lay a baby in an elderwood cradle or the Faeries will pinch them so they bruise.
Birch – If the spirit of the birch tree (The One With the White Hand) touches a head it leaves a white mark and the person turns insane. If it touches a heart, the person will die.
Alder – Protected by water spirits.
Apple – To ensure good harvests, leave the last apple of your crop for the Apple-Tree-Man.
Ash – Druids wands were made of ash twigs. It also has healing properties. Weak-limbed children were passed through split ash trees which were then bound up. If the tree grew straight, the child would as well. Also may be used as a substitute for Rowan.
Toadstools – Some have poisonous hallucinogenic properties. The Vikings ate it and gained their reputations as berserkers. In Celtic lore, they are among the food of the gods, as with many red plants. Some toadstools associated with the Faerie are Fly Agaric, Yellow Fairy Club, Slender Elf Cap, Dune Pixie-Hood, and Dryad’s Saddle. Fairy Ring Mushroom Marks the boundaries of Faerie rings.
All information came from: “Faeries and Nature Spirits” by Theresa Moorey
