Greenbook: A Local Guide to Chesapeake Living -Issue 11 | Page 37

THESE FIVE TIPS WILL HELP YOU GET
STARTED ON YOUR FAERIE GARDEN:
1  
2
Pick your container. When selecting a container, your options
might be dictated by how much space you have or the desire to
reuse something you already have at home like an old pot, colan-
der or hanging basket. You might also try a glass bowl or even the
basin of a fountain. I’ve seen Faerie gardens in wheelbarrows and
old discarded tires. Really, the options are limitless, so consider
what size works best for your space.
  Consider longevity and seasonality. If you want the Faerie gar-
3
PLANTS THAT THRIVE
IN MINIATURE GARDENS:
•
• A
 juga,
‘Chocolate, Chip’
Ajuga, ‘Black Scallop’,
‘Burgundy Glow’
• A
 lchemilla
Erythropoda,
Dwarf Lady’s Mantle
•
•
•
Armeria – Thrift
Campanula ‘Blue Waterfall’
Dianthus ‘Tiny Rubies’
Dwarf Boxwoods
den to have longevity, there are three things you have to consider,
says Emily Coyle, Garden Supply Associate at Homestead Gardens:
make sure a rock drainage bed is built into the bottom of the con-
tainer, use the proper potting soil for the plants you choose, and rely
on partial shade to full shade plant varieties. •
  Map it out. Before setting up the garden, either sketch out where • L
 amium
things will go on a piece of paper or position items loosely around
the container. You’ll quickly see whether you have too few or too
many items as well as any other issues that might crop up.
4  
Location, location, location. Like any garden, what you plant
•
•
Armeria Maritima
Dwarf Conifers and Ivies
• H
 ypericum
‘Brigadoon’,
St. Johns Wort
‘White Nancy’,
Lamium ‘Purple Dragon’
•
Eptinella ‘Platt’s Black’
• L
 ysimachia
‘Minutissima’,
Creeping Jenny
• O
 phiopogon
‘Nana’,
Dwarf Mondo grass
should be based on what thrives in your area. Will your container
have full sun all day, or will it be damp and shaded? Choose plants
and accessories to accommodate your space and location. •
  Accessorize. What really makes a Faerie garden special is your per- •
5
Acorus, Sweet Flag
•
Sagina, Irish Moss
Thyme
Violas
sonalized flair. Online and local stores sell a plethora of miniature
items but you really don’t need to spend a lot of money. Instead,
consider sea glass or seashells, small stones, leftover tile chips, but-
tons, marbles, bottle caps, twigs from the yard, dried flowers and
souvenirs from your own collection.
GREENBOOK | SUMMER 2017
37