Using Stonework to Create an Enchanted Fairy Garden
The idea of fairies at the bottom of the garden is an old one, fascinating children and adults alike for many generations. While you're not likely to find real fairies outside your home, you can still create an outdoor area that looks like an enchanted fairy garden. If you have children, it will fascinate them and capture their imaginations, and if not, it simply adds an interesting, attractive feature to the garden.
There are numerous ways you can create this effect, but the key element is the way you use stonework. Here are some of the ways to bring a bit of magic to your garden by using stone.
Create a magical path
Choosing the right spot for your path immediately begins to create a magical effect. Having a path leading to a quiet, hidden, shaded part of the garden looks strange and mysterious, making people interested as soon as they see it.
When you're designing and building the path itself, you don't want it to look too neat and ordered. Use unevenly-shaped paving stones and make a random, crazed-effect path.
Add a wishing well
A wishing well is a simple stonework project that can be really effective for creating a magical look. You can use a simple design with just a circular wall, or add a roof if you prefer. It doesn't need to be able to contain water—it's just about getting the appearance of a well.
Build a water feature
Using a small water pump, you can create a miniature waterfall that tumbles over some set stonework. The great thing about this feature is that it can be scaled up or down as you need, so it fits whatever space you have available.
Make some flower beds
What's a fairy garden without flowers? Choose some native wildflowers and plant them inside small, irregular stonework circles. You can also plant seeds to grow in the gaps between stones for a more wild look.
Final touches
Using spare stones, you can build small huts or caves that look like fairy houses. And simply building small piles of stones looks strange and magical.
If your stonework looks clean and new, you can encourage it to age faster by painting it with a mixture of vinegar and bio yoghurt. The acid in the vinegar will lightly begin to erode the surface, while the bacteria in the yoghurt encourage moss and lichen to grow.
Finally, adding a few items of miniature furniture really gets imaginations going, suggesting fairies really are living nearby.