Designing a Fairy Garden

Fairy Garden’s in Public Parks
I have just started working on a fairy garden concept for a public park project I am working on. I love the concept, but the details have been a little tough to wrap my head around. All the wonderful pictures I have gathered would work well in a yard or preschool. But the park will have dogs, teenagers and other kids that may destroy detailed pieces.

photo from: http://livelifecreateart.blogspot.com
Pea gravel is always a popular material

Let the Kids Build
The key component here is letting the kids build fairy houses. I wanted to make sure that is clear. 🙂 But, I need a strong structure for the ‘garden’.

photo from: http://regular-mom.com

photo from http://tomciriellophotos.blogspot.com/
photo from: http://kidoinfo.com/
Fairy House by Sally J. Smith ©. www.greenspiritarts.com

Solid and Maintainable Details
I need a few rock solid details that can hold together a fairy garden and hope the kids will do the rest. There is a dedicated maintenance staff on  site that will collect and drop off materials for building. I want to keep their dedication to the idea by creating a space that is easy for them to maintain.

stone is always a nice solid material, but expensive
I like the idea of a fort and community chalk board

This is neither solid or easily maintainable, but I love the feeling it adds. photo from: arbor day

My Site
My site is fabulous. It is a magical existing grove of giant sequoia trees. We call it the ‘grove of giant’s. I think the giant and fairies will get along well! The fairy area will be a part of a larger nature discovery area.

Could I really make it a grove of the giant!

You Ideas
So, I need your help. Do you know of any great public fairy gardens that have stood the test of time? Do you know if any materials and photos that may be good additions to my collection? Any ideas are welcomed at this point. Please leave a comment.
Thanks!

9 replies
  1. Jaime
    Jaime says:

    Love where this blog is going Michelle! I think a sense of surprise and exploration is key to attracting creative children to the area. A Mossy monster just might do the trick!

    I also love the idea of some stone work that creates a little structure and “foundation” for the fairy forts. A jumping off point for a child’s fairy fort design process.

    Which makes me wonder: What is the fairy fort design process?

  2. KEEN Recess Team
    KEEN Recess Team says:

    Great collection of photos! Excited to see the development of this public park idea. I’m writing on behalf of the KEEN Recess Team. Recess is a rallying cry for kids and adults to get outside and make their own playground. Creating inspiring outdoor spaces is a great way to motivate families to be active outside. Thank you for sharing your ideas.

    Best,
    KEEN Recess Team

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