Withe a Cicely Mary Barker Fairie and Miniature Golden Retriever
Classical Fairie Garden
What you need:
- 1 Treasure Island (Cham lawsoniana) -looks like a Cypress tree, partial shade
- 1 Silver Stone Cushion Bush (Calocephalus brownii) full sun to partial shade - round silver plant
- 1 Druett's Variegated (Silene uniflora) Its common name is Variegated Sea Companion. Full sun. Front left in planter.
- 2 Four inch Pink Chintz (Thymus serpyllum) Thyme - tiny ground cover on sides and back with pink flowers, full sun to part shade (right side and back of planter)
- White Isotoma (Pratia/ Isotoma fluviatilis) sun ground cover with green leaves - tiny white flowers (1/4 a flat)
- 2 miniature ferns in 2 inch planters that look like Boston Ferns. (One in front middle, one in back)
- Potting soil
- 2 inch x 3 inch piece of netting or screen to cover watering hole.
- part of a bag of small stones. (The ones shown are from the Dollar Stree store)
- Garden Gate from The Bloom Room Littles. (The one shown is from Jo-Ann's)
- 2 Miniature Mexican Pots with a variegated finish. (The ones shown are from Jo-Ann's)
- Flower Fairy inspired by the drawings of Cicley Mary Barker.
- 1 Miniature Golden Retriever male by Schleich
- 1 twelve inch Diam. light ivory colored planter 4.5 inch Deep
- 1 Miniature Cardinal, made by Safari. (The one shown is from Dollmakers, Monrovia, CA and they have a large selection of miniature animals.)
Steps: 6
Rated: Careful Work
Our Golden Retriever, Buddy is in Heaven. Shortly after we lost him this summer my best friend, Margie sent me this miniature Golden Retriever that looked just like Buddy. So this Miniature Classical Garden will remind us of him. And our Maine Coon cat, Dobie in the photo is watching over him in the garden. He also has the companionship of the May Fairy, a fairy inspired by the drawings of Cicely Mary Barker, and a tiny red Cardinal, perched on top of the column by the garden gate.
The garden gate is hand made by artists using recycled natural materials and with its columns have a very classical feel. In keeping with this feeling there is a tree planted in the garden that looks like a miniature Cypress tree. This 'Treasure Island' bonsai is a Dwarf Conifer and is an evergreen that was discovered in Holland. I found this bonsai at M&M Nursery in Orange CA. For more information about 'Treasure Island' see this Washington State University Extension article: http://pnwplants.wsu.edu/PlantDisplay.aspx?PlantID=771
The round Silver Stone Cushion Bush to the right of the Dwarf Conifer looks like a delicate piece of coral. It can withstand regular light pruning. You can read more about it here: http://www.smgrowers.com/products/plants/plantdisplay.asp?plant_id=300
The Golden Retriever figurine is made by Schleich. It is very accurate in its detailing. The Retriever is accompanied by the May Fairy. To read more about the Flower Fairies made from Cicely Mary Barker's drawings see my last post: http://www.floristinyou.com/fairie-garden
If you have gathered your plants and accessories you are ready. Shall we begin?
Your container should have about a half inch hole for drainage.
Cut a 2.5 x 2.5 inch piece of netting or screen and put over the hole so soil doesn't come out.
Put potting soil in but not all the way to the top.
Plan where you will plant.
Dig hole, loosen bottom of roots then plant.
If root bound cut off 1/2 inch of the roots before planting.
Plant next to each other. Push soil between them so they are not too close.
They should look like so.
Loosen roots of Variegated Sea Companion and flatten.
Fit Variegated into left front side.
Dig hole. Plant Pink Chintz on right front side.
Transfer ferns from plastic into ceramic pots.
Determine position of gate.
Make paper patterns where ground cover will go and cut.
Dig area out where ground cover will go and plant like so.
Make path of of small flat rocks.
Plant the other Pink Chintz in the back left.
Put the 2nd fern in the back and continue stone path out and around it.
Put the stone garden gate in.
Oh, I forgot to mention. You need one cat as gate keeper. Just keep some water and kibble nearby. He knows his job.