Fairy Gardens are Perfect for Small Garden Landscaping overgrown plants

Small Garden Landscaping Design Ideas

Searching for even more gardening ideas? Landscaping patio garden - small garden landscape designThese small garden landscaping ideas bring a sense of wonder and discovery to an otherwise ordinary patch of yard! (By the way, Fairy gardens are the ideal way to perk up your small garden landscaping design!)

Several things must be considered to make sure your garden is varied, thriving and beautiful when using small spaces.

Some of the basics of landscaping are not only able to be implemented but are actually showcased with miniaturized garden spaces.

With all the things to consider, creating an engaging and healthy landscape is another way to describe the perfect location for a fairy garden! Whether you live in the city or the country, fairy gardens are perfect for small garden landscaping!

There Are More Opportunities

Small Garden Landscaping decorated windowsillThese days, the choice of many to do without the added cost of a full yard is more and more commonplace, balconies, sunny window sills, and open floor designs featuring large windows are becoming more commonplace worldwide.

There has been an increase in natural sunlight options in recent designs as well, creating the need to fill those open spaces with a design that brings the beauty of nature indoors.

large potted plantsLately, I’ve been seeing an increase in the use of larger-scale plants in the larger scale areas I visit.

These perfectly bring in that sense of the outdoors while keeping the number of plants (and maintenance) to a minimum!

There are also multi-plant boxes or planters that give a corner of the room or entrance to the home the feel of a garden inside. One great thing about fairy gardens is that you don’t have to start them from scratch!

Simply adding accessories, and a low maintenanceTeapot accessory plant that’s symbiotic with the existing houseplant is effortless and maybe what breaks the ice at the next get together you host.

There are many opportunities in the suburbs with larger developments putting in multiple houses at once, or even multi-unit buildings. A fairy garden can bring that bit of difference to a monotonous curbside and can increase the appeal as well.

Planting In-ground is Not Required

Small Garden Landscaping fairy houseSometimes all you have is a small planter or patio to work with. These are nothing to fear for those with the vision and the desire to bring a bit of wonder into the entrance to their home.

Planters are often a “go-to” for fairy gardens because not only are they self-contained, but they are also able to be moved about at need and even brought in during the colder months!

There is a season for everything, but your fairy garden placed in a portable planter can bypass the total dormancy of many gardens. This is due to its ability to be moved into a climate-controlled environment.

Climate control indoor plant roomWhile the work of preparing the ground for in-ground planting is avoided by doing a planter or box fairy garden, make sure the potting soil you use is good!

Using a local nursery or your local home improvement store to get a good potting soil that includes compost or some other type of plant food is recommended.

Adding plant food to your soil or to your water after a few months is beneficial, just look up which plants work in which soil, their feeding requirements, and growth rate so you get the right size pot and prune/thin out at the right time and the right amount.

Change is Not Necessarily a Bad Thing

overgrown potted plantA fairy garden that does not change is a fairy garden that is empty. You want your fairy friends to come to visit often! So the changing up of a fairy garden is not uncommon.

Some gardens are made for static fixtures. Often times your smaller scale garden can end up having growth that outstrips its available space. So make sure to keep them pruned back.

This provides an opportunity to mix things up and give your fairy a new setup to spark the imagination! Make sure if you are setting up a new fairy garden, that you consider future growth.

window sill plantsThere are some smaller plants that can grow exceptionally fast and end up overrunning their containers, so make sure that you know what kind of plants you are putting into your fairy paradise!

For more information on which plants are right for you, check out our article that covers that very subject here. There’s an incredible amount of variety in the plant world. A bit of research can make a big difference and save a lot of time and money.

Small Spaces are Perfect for Kids

Young boy watering potted plants on porchChildren who grow up with a connection to the natural world around them are more well-adjusted and often more able to handle what life throws at them. (Source: Here and here. This, this, and this. )

Fairy gardens are wonderful for introducing children to the wonders of nature. They can foster a life long connection to creation in all its forms. There isn’t much of a leap from playing in the back yard to setting sights among the stars.

Children love fairy gardens and fostering imagination cannot be overstated. Many children these days know about operating smartphones than planting seeds or pulling weeds.

Introduce your little one to the magic of nature! Your decision to put in a fairy garden for your small space landscaping area could benefit them for life.

Small Budget? Small Space? Using Fairy Gardens for Small Garden Landscaping Design Ideas you CAN make it Happen!

Small Garden Landscaping planter setupOften times small spaces and small budgets can end up feeling disheartening, but you’ll be amazed by the amount of design and detail you can achieve!

There are so many ways to go about making your fairy garden that knowing where to start can be difficult!

Want some help to get your fairy garden going? We have more helpful tips here! 

I am happy to help wherever I can. Feel free to share your questions, ideas and comments below so we can grow together!

With gratitude,

Randi

Please Share!

14 thoughts on “Small Garden Landscaping Design Ideas

  1. Hey Randi! What a great set-up. Honestly, I never really though of gardening so much till now. I think you may have persuaded me into having a ‘green thumb’.

    Awesome job!

    Sean

    1. I’m so glad!! Gardening is one of those things that I truly believe is for everyone, but not everyone knows it. Sometimes it just takes getting your hands in the dirt to really understand how magical it really is! I would love to see any gardening projects you decide to start. Have a great one!

  2. Hey Randi.
    Thank you so much for an informative and inspiring article. I live in an apartment, and have two kids, and I have often thought about what the possibilities were for giving them a natural relationship with nature. You have just provided some much appreciated inspiration! 🙂

    Do you perhaps have some suggestions for child friendly plants?

    Thanks again.
    All the best,
    Michael

    1. I’m glad to be of assistance! I think some of the hardiest plants would have to be Devil’s Ivy (aka Pothos) and the snake plant (aka Vipers Bowstring Hemp). They grow rapidly when tended well, can survive dry bouts fairly well, and can even keep on chugging along with some roughed up foliage. They are both in the “Plants” section of my article on “What’s in Fairy Gardens Anyway?”
      As always, keeping an eye on children at all times around plants and while gardening is recommended. lol
      Don’t let an apartment keep you from getting your own garden started!
      Happy Gardening!

  3. I love fairy gardens. What a sweet way to introduce kids to the joys of gardening, and foster their imaginations!

    Lovely article. Thanks for the inspiration.

    1. I agree! Kids see the magic of things growing and fairies play right into that! If they grow up loving to see things grow and notice them change, it will stay with you always. (At least, that’s what I believe. ?)
      Thank you!

  4. I love this article, coz I’m a novice gardener. I recently moved to a small space and started a little garden in my backyard and I like the tips you’ve shared. I can’t wait to try them out

    1. I am so glad you’ve already started on your own little paradise! Please feel free to share pictures and your experience so we can grow as a community! Let me know how it goes!

  5. Hello Randi,
    What a nice post! Your article is very inspiring, and I already have new ideas on how to do a fairy garden in my sunroom. Also, I’m planning to use the plant boxes for my garden on my deck.
    Thanks for the new ideas and tips you shared ( i believe, it will be a lot of fun for my grandkids).

    1. I am so glad I was able to help provide inspiration! I would love to see what you come up with. That way we can grow as a community!

  6. I have a large yard, I still make several different small gardens in my yard and decks. Each one will be a little different. I never considered them to be a Fairy Gardens, they do meet your facts from this article.
    I do like to bring in some of my plants during the cooler months, this does create some tight spaces in my house at times. Having a bathtub full of plants that need a drink is a problem sometimes.
    I do have a feed trough on a deck that I plant veggies and some flowing plants during the summer months, do you think metal or plastic (I have plastic at this time) is better for this kind of planter? The plastic allows me to drill holes for water drainage during extra wet times.
    John

    1. I know well the struggle to make space for planters during the cold months. I love it when there are plants everywhere, but in moderation- as with all things. ?
      I personally would recommend plastic for the reason you already mentioned. There are wonderful metal planters with pre-made drainage holes, but if you are trying to work with what you already have, the plastic is easier and will serve just as well.
      I would love to see your garden’s progress this spring, and would love to know any tips or tricks you like to use yourself! That way we can grow as a community! Please feel free to share and happy gardening!

  7. This article definitely gave me some good ideas for decorating my smaller pots. I love the little details that make you want to take a closer look. Once i have the space, I will have a nice time creating my own fairy gardens.

    1. If you already have some plants in pots, you can just get a couple figurines and get started right away! (I recently went to my local Dollar General, and they had some adorable fairy garden figurines in their seasonal section!) Don’t be afraid to get started right now! I’d love to see what you put together. Happy Gardening!

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