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How to Start a Fairy Garden

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Learn how to start a fairy garden of your own! Our fairy garden is made from a simple inexpensive wooden birdhouse and natural materials.

fairy garden in a flower bed

Starting a Fairy Garden

In April of 2015 I moved into a studio space. In May I planted a ton of flowers in the planter boxes under my windows. However, the planter on the left side has an awning above it which keeps it from getting any rain. Sun there’s absolutely no shortage of however, so what do you get with dry and hot? That’s right, basically sand. Starting a fairy garden was the answer.

I tried planting some flowers. They died. I watered them everyday, but it’s as if the water never made it to the roots. So I tried again. They died again. That’s when I decided it would be easier (and kinder) to put in a fairy garden where nothing else would thrive.

NOTE: if you prefer to buy a fairy house or fairy garden, be sure to check out all the adorable options on Etsy!

how to start a fairy garden

I also wanted to share an amazing story with you. It’s a real life story that took place in Kansas in a little place dubbed Firefly Forest. This is an amazing video and it will melt your heart and remind you that there’s a little magic in all of us. In memory of little three year old Allie. Please watch:

Now on with the fairy garden tutorial…

Things You’ll Need To Make This Fairy Garden


If you’ve never made a fairy house, they are very easy. Start with a wooden birdhouse and use whatever elements make you happy. Fairies want you to be happy.

supplies for a fairy garden

(This post contains affiliate links.) I’ll admit, I spent about $35.00 at Hobby Lobby shopping for this garden. I bought two bags of moss, a couple sprigs of colorful small flowers, some sort of dried pods, some twigs and of course the birdhouse.

You don’t have to spend that much, or you can spend more if that makes you smile! I didn’t use all the flowers, pods and twigs, so I’ll be able to save them for another project. You can use things you already have on hand as well.

How to Start a Fairy Garden. pebble walk way and terra cotta bird bath

Fairies love flowers, birds, and all things from nature. Some houses, like this one, have a mossy roof while others may use flower petals or tree leaves. I’ve seen pinecone tine shingles as well as sticks and twigs atop their little homes. You can use what you like, just have fun and dust off your imagination.

dead flowers around live flowers

This is what I started with. Dead flowers and some that are doing fine. So I kept the flowers that are growing and removed the dead plants.

glue pods to birdhouse

I started by hot gluing the pods to the birdhouse. I chose the back of the birdhouse as the front of my fairy house. This way I didn’t have to try and hide the little bird hole in the front. I glued pods to the front and both sides of the house.

To make the door I snipped the ends of my twigs and glued them over the pods.

pods glued to birdhouse and making a door from twigs

The doorknob is made from the center of one of the colorful silk flowers.

adding moss to the roof of the birdhouse

Next I glued moss to the roof eaves, all the way around the house.

Once the eaves were covered I continued the moss onto the roof and back of the house. Note that you can purchase sheets of moss made just for putting on roofs, but I like the chunky look of the patches of moss I bought.

moss covered birdhouse

I finished the bottom of the house with moss as well, covering any exposed wood.

Did you notice the little ladder on the side of the house in the finished photo above?

making a ladder from twigs

I used more of the twigs, simply cutting two at equal lengths and cutting shorter pieces for the rungs then hot glued everything together.

For finishing touches I glued some flowers and a little bird to the house.

See, aren’t they pretty?

faux blue bird on top of birdhouse

I loved the little birds, found those at Hobby Lobby as well!

terra cotta pot bird bath

I also put together a little bird bath. I had these supplies on hand. Simply glue a terra cotta tray to the bottom of a tiny terra cotta pot. Instant bird bath!

How to Start a Fairy Garden

When I first laid it all out it looked really cute… but felt like it was still missing something. I stuck twigs in the ground to look like trees, leaned the ladder against the house, added the bird bath, found some wood slices I had left over from this project and made a path using some tiny pebbles I had in my studio. Still, it felt like something was missing.

How to start a fairy garden in your flower bed

I still had a full bag of moss left over so I filled in all the empty spaces and it felt complete!

whimsical fairy garden house

I think I want to live here. That door!

I really do love the way my little fairy garden turned out. Who knows, I may add things from time to time or it may stay just as it is. For now, I love it.

How to Start a Fairy Garden - Amanda Formaro, Crafts by Amanda

I hope you enjoyed this project and it inspires you to create a tiny world of your own!

More garden crafts you might like:

  • Looking for a kid friendly fairy house project? Check out my Fairy House Night Lights made from plastic water bottles! They are pictured below. And recently I added this adorable Fairy Garden Mason Jar Terrarium too!
  • This was the first Fairy House I ever made. You simply use a wooden birdhouse as your base and start decorating from there. I did some painting on this one. You can see it by clicking the photo.
  • These Painted Rock Garden Markers are one of my most popular projects. I used a special outdoor paint and they’ve lasted for several years. They were really fun to make and you can create them for any plant, herb or flower in your garden.
  • My friend Debra always had a beautiful garden full of trinkets and beautiful rusty pieces. When she showed me her Watering Can That Pours Crystals I couldn’t wait to share it with all of you. It has proved to be one of the most popular projects on the blog.
  • I also found these Fairy Flower Pots over at Make and Takes that I thought were really cute! Have fun!
How to Start a Fairy Garden - Amanda Formaro, Crafts by Amanda
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4.82 from 22 votes

How to Start a Fairy Garden

Learn how to start a fairy garden of your own! Our fairy garden is made from a simple inexpensive wooden birdhouse and natural materials.
Author: Amanda Formaro

Supplies

  • Wooden birdhouse
  • Dried pods
  • Twigs
  • Colorful silk flowers
  • Moss
  • Small artificial birds
  • Small terra cotta tray
  • Tiny terra cotta pot
  • Hot glue gun
  • Wire snips

Instructions

  • Hot glue the pods to the front and sides of the birdhouse.
  • To make the door snip the ends of several twigs and glue them next to each other over the pods.
  • Remove the center from one of the colorful silk flowers and glue it on as a doorknob.
  • Glue moss to the roof eaves, all the way around the house.
  • Glue moss onto the roof and back of the house.
  • Finished the bottom ledge of the house with moss as well, covering any exposed wood.
  • Make a ladder by cutting two twigs at equal lengths and cutting shorter pieces for the rungs then hot glue everything together.
  • Glue some flowers and a little bird to the house.
  • To make a bird bath, glue a terra cotta tray to the bottom of a tiny terra cotta pot. Glue one bird to the rim and one inside the bath.
  • Outside place your house where you want it then push twigs into the ground to look like trees, lean the ladder against the house, position the bird bath, and make a path using pebbles. Fill in any empty spaces with moss.

This post originally appeared here on Jul 24, 2015.

 

Amanda Formaro

Amanda Formaro is the crafty, entrepreneurial mother of four children. She loves to bake, cook, make kid's crafts and create decorative items for her home. She is a crafting expert and guru in the kitchen and has appeared online and in print publications many times over the years. She is also the editor for the Home & Garden channel at Craft Gossip and owner of FunFamilyCrafts.com.

Latest posts by Amanda Formaro (see all)

Comments

  1. Marilyn says

    I think I would probably love some of your crafts, but there are way too many ads to read your site. Wish it were not so. I thought about joining the ‘get your own blog deal’ but when I saw your blog with all these ads I decided it is not for me. Thanks anyway.

    Reply

  2. Karen says

    Was wondering what people would suggest to use for ground coverage for my large outdoor fairy garden. I am in the process of getting all
    the old mulch out and need to put someyhing down to conain weeds but be able to support all the figures. Any ideas? Would moss hold up? What kind do u suggest?

    Reply

  3. Jean says

    Hi Amanda,

    Just love your bird fairy garden! So cute! Question: Did you have any problems with the preserved moss getting mildew? I’m designing my first miniature garden (indoor) and I’ve read that the preserved moss will mildew if combined with live plants (since the live plants need to be watered and the preserved moss is not alive). Thanks!

    Reply

    • Amanda Formaro says

      Hi Rachel. I actually found mine near the vase filler at a home improvement store. You can check craft stores and look near the vase filler and the beach craft supplies (near the stones and pebbles). You can also use aquarium rocks! :)

      Reply

  5. Debra Bailey says

    thank you for the Allie (little owl) story video it brought me to tears. Our first grandson died when he was 5 days old, his name was Zachary. My daughter was his mother and had a daughter 18 months old when he was born, which was good because after his death she was told not to have any more babies, her girls would carry the problem & pass it their children & her boys would all die like Zachary. Zachary would have been 25 this year on July 29, had he lived.

    Reply

  6. Nancy says

    I have started a fairy garden outside, in a small area that gets mid-morning and early afternoon sun. And no protection from the rain. I needed my fairy house to be weather resistant, I loved your photo but was afraid hot glue would melt and pods/moss would not last the season. So I plan to make my fairy house from a large terracotta flowerpot, covered in a variety of small stones, and a purchased resin door. Needed a weather resistant glue, a new product from Elmers was recommended over Gorilla glue- It doesn’t dry nearly as fast as the hot glue, so attaching the stones to the pot will be a slow process. Can’t wait to finish this and add it to my garden. Also painted some mini clay pots, to resemble toadstools. (Loved your wooden bird house/ pod/ twig/ moss creation, so saving that for an indoor project with my grand- daughters. Thank you for sharing that!)

    Reply

  8. Shari says

    My littlest one has been wanting to build a fairy house in our yard. I’ve seen many people use those moss sheets. Since you seem to have set up yours outside, I was hoping you could tell me how it held up to the elements.

    Reply

  10. GAIL FRANCOIS says

    I really enjoyed watching the video, thanks for sharing.
    It’s amazing how many lives were touched by this little Firefly Forest and all its wonderful inhabitants.

    Reply

  11. Linda says

    Hi, I wanted to thank you for providing the link to that amazing video. I cried as it touched my heart. I am saddened that the family that put the fairy houses in the forest had to take them down. It seemed like it gave them purpose through a tough time. Thanks Linda

    Reply

  12. pascal pirate says

    I think your garden looks awesome. Did you think about a succulent? Some of them are very pretty and would like nice in a fairy garden.

    Reply

    • Amanda Formaro says

      Yes actually! This post is from last year, but I just planted my flowers for this year and cleared out the fairy garden planter. I bought some succulents and plan to go back and get more :)

      Reply

  14. Doris Calvert says

    How cute is that, totally love it!! I am not a crafty person because I have no imagination but wish I did, if I coud buy it already made I would Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  15. Sandra says

    I want to thank you so much Amanda for this page. It has given such great ideas on how to create a fairy house and garden for my granddaughter.

    Thank you again so much.
    Sandra

    Reply

  16. MARY says

    i ALSO DO THIS IN MY GARDEN. BUT YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT IF YOU USE A HOT GLUE GUN DO NOT LEAVE IT IN THE HOT SUN BECAUSE THE GLUE WILL MELT AND ALL YOUR STONES OR WHAT YOU HAVE USED WILL FALL OFF…. I LEARND THIS THE HARD WAY.

    Reply

  18. Marie says

    I love, love, love your fairy garden, it is so adorable. This will definitely be a project to do with my granddaughter this summer. We have an old sandbox that we just may convert into a fairy garden. Thanks for the great idea and instructions.

    Reply

  19. Robin P says

    Where do you find these tie dried natural botanicals? I’ve looked at the dollar tree and Walmart and hobby lobby and cannot find them and I like the way they luck on this house? I love your Facebook page…… Thank you in advance…

    Reply

  21. fenny says

    hi where do you put this garden at ur home?
    how long will it Last?
    I mean if it got dusty how to clean it?
    do you have samples on making it a really garden with really flowers?

    Reply

    • Amanda Formaro says

      Hi Fenny. Mine was in a window box that had an awning, so when it rained it actually didn’t get wet. If you put yours outsie, I recommend that it be in a spot that is sheltered from the rain.

      Reply

  23. June says

    This year, a fairy house for me! I live in Louisiana, hot and wet and humid. Has anyone made a house that stays outside? What material should be used? I’m thinking of trying to get real moss to grow on the wood, just an idea.

    Reply

    • Amanda Formaro says

      Mine was protected by an awning, so I can’t guarantee what would happen in the rain. It should be placed in an area that is fairly protected. Use plastic figurines and silk flowers, those won’t be damaged in the rain.

      Reply

  25. Bev N. says

    This is really cute. I think it’s a project I can do with my granddaughter. I may put it in a container so she can enjoy it all year long.
    Thank you for the how to.

    Reply

  26. Angela says

    How do you keep this from weathering?? You just re-do it every year????? I have the bird house and interested in this… I also have a wine barell that is sitting empty…. this would be awesome…

    Reply

    • Amanda Formaro says

      Hi Angela. I plan to take mine inside at the end of the season. i have an unusual problem actually, I have “digger wasps” also known as “cicada killers” digging up everything in my fairy garden! But to answer your question, I am assuming this will fade by end of season and I will have to redo it, reglue things, etc.

      Reply

  27. Looie Jackson says

    Love your fairy garden, I don’t have a green thumb, so would be perfect for me. I’m from Wisconsin, in the upper peninsula there is a cabin type house with grass on the roof and goats. May put a goat on my fairy garden cabin roof too.

    Reply

    • Amanda Formaro says

      Hi Linda. For my garden the rain doesn’t hit it because of the awning over the top. It’s actually the reason I put the fairy garden there to begin with, because I had trouble growing the flowers in such a dry area! For something you plan to make, you will probably want to find a dryer area, I can’t guarantee how this would fair in the rain.

      Reply

  29. Amna Majeed says

    Ur fairy garden is awesome…….so beautiful ……I m mother of three cute kids……..but after watching ur fairy garden, I m felling just like kid….when I was kid I liked fairies……tiny houses….tiny tree…..u reached me back that time….ur work is fantastic .

    Reply

  30. Fatima says

    That door that ladder that bird this all is so dreamy i wish to be a dwarf and start living my own life their its just so beautiful , thank u for sharing such lovely thing , this mad my day i am feeling happy from inside i dnt know why.

    Reply

  32. Donna Holmen says

    Love your fairy house! My teen and I have recently purchased a couple of items as we are going to build a couple in our yard. Thank you for the ideas! Since we are just starting out, I didn’t know about the moss but I love the look it gives and it makes sense. Also, at Hobby Lobby there are little fairy charm items in the jewelry section that can add some charm if they have the right look. Our fairy houses will be a little more hidden. Thank you for the ideas!!

    Reply

  33. Lee-Anne says

    I live in Australia, and with the winter trees died off, I’ve found a lovely little nook, just right for a fairy garden like this. My kids are all teenagers now, but 1 is still very into fairies.. I’m thinking a special Mother/daughter weekend could be coming up? We may even include a tinkerbell movie marathon.
    Thanks for the inspiration and to whoever shared this on FaceBook! FaIrY kIsSeS tO yOu… XxXxXxXx

    Reply

  34. Suzie P. says

    LOVE the house – it’s super cute! I am inspired by this – the picture of the weeds really did it for me as I have a little spot just like that and never knew how to fix it. That said, I can’t find any dried botanical pods or seed pods anywhere locally or online. Clearly I’m searching for the wrong thing. I like the texture of those, as well as the color. Can you tell me what to look for (what they are called), or even better, where you got them? Closest thing I can find are dried flowers, and those aren’t durable enough to live outside.

    Reply

    • Amanda Formaro says

      Thanks Suzie! The ones that I used came from Hobby Lobby. You are not the first person to ask about these so now I wish I had paid better attention to where exactly in the store I found them. I know they were in the floral department, and they are pictured above in the photo of the supplies. There’s no bar code or anything, and I wasn’t able to google anything either, but the clear plastic container says “exotic dried natural botanicals” and they were marked at $5.99, but all florals were on sale for 50%. Not that that matters in your search LOL Hope that helps!

      Reply

  35. Lynn says

    I live in mid NY. Do you bring this in during the winter? I’m thinking yes as the snow would ruin everything. I LOVE this! Think I will start crafting it this winter for the spring!

    Reply

    • Amanda Formaro says

      Yes, I do plan to bring them in for the winter. I’m guessing I may need to replace the moss after this summer, but I will definitely publish an update on this post at the end of the season.

      Reply

      • Jennifer M says

        I fell in love with your Fairy Garden and was so happy I could print the instructions (very easy to follow btw) but no picture of your garden printed, so I copied and pasted a photo of your completed garden. I surely hope that I haven’t infringed on your rights as it clearly shows your title in the picture. I find it easier to follow the directions when I can also refer to a finished product. Of course mine will have my own colors and touches so it won’t look exactly alike. I’m so excited to start but also thought about being able to bring it in to preserve it from our serious Iowa winters. I decided a small piece of plywood would suit perfectly as I’ll be using moss and other things to cover the wood. So my other question is: does your garden cover the entire window box and roughly how long is it? Just want to say how much I enjoy your posts!

        Reply

        • Amanda Formaro says

          Hi Jennifer Totally fine on the picture. I’ve actually just changed my printable versions so that a small photo now prints with the instructions as well. :) Wht a great idea with the plywood, very smart! That wouldn’t have worked for me since I had to work around some live flowers, but it’s brilliant! And my fairy garden does not cover the entire window box, I just put it in the area where nothing would grow. But that means the fairy garden is surrounded by real flowers :) <3

          Reply

  36. Suzie P. says

    This house is super cute! Can you tell me what those seed pods are called, or better yet where to find them? I’ve looked locally and online and can’t seem to put my hands on anything that even resembles seed pods or anything that might work. I’m trying to create my very own fairy garden – the “before” pictures of the weeds inspired me to fill in an empty space in my garden!

    Reply

  37. Susan says

    Hello,
    Love the fairy garden . Did you use livíng moss? How did it cope with the glùe?
    Thank you.
    Susan

    Reply

      • Arshiya says

        Hi. Lovely beautifully made. I’ll make it for sure. Amanda can u help me with some things. Need to know if all this used is artificial?? Or real too.. As moss if grows wld b my question.

        Reply

        • Amanda Formaro says

          Hi Arshiya :) The bag of moss says “preserved moss”, I bought it at Hobby Lobby. It looks real, but I’m afraid that’s all I know. I did find this:

          “Preserved moss is dead, no amount of moisture or tender care is going to bring it back. It is often treated with chemicals and dyed for decorative use.”

          Hope that helps!

          Reply

  38. Linda says

    I have one in my flower bed right beside the door. I call it gnomeville dince l have little gnomes all around. I too couldnt grow anything there. But now weeds are growing. First year Tried round up. Second year Tried newspaper covered with weed control screen. Dont know what to try next. I just know l love my gnomeville !

    Reply

      • Gale says

        Try a very thick layer of newspaper and cover with the landscape plastic. I put pine bark on top of that, anchored it down and waited. I actually kept it down two seasons because I was trying to kill a 12 x 12 foot square of “bear grass” with bulbs as big as a baking potato! When I pulled off the plastic there was nothing there but the richest dirt I’ve ever seen. Roots, newspaper and those huge potatoes totally gone!

        Reply

    • Gayle Borovian says

      Hi
      I know you posted “a long time ago” ….but just wanted to let you know that I use artificial grass which is inexpensive indoor/outdoor carpeting under my fairy & gnome garden displays and it works beautifully!!! I had the same problems you did. You can purchase this artificial grass in lots of places and I sell it on my FairyDelights ETSY Shop. You can cut it to the exact size you like with regular scissors, the water goes right through the artificial grass and it just looks fantastic. Since you can cut the grass, you can place real plants where ever you like & with the water going right through the artificial grass – the plants get rain ‘watered’. PLUS it blocks weed growth :-)
      Best of luck!
      Gayle

      Reply

        • Amanda Formaro says

          I would be concerned about it getting wet. I would only put this in a location that is sheltered or doesn’t receive much rain. Mine is in a window box, but that box is covered by an awning. Actually as I stated in the post, the main reason I did this was because that window box doesn’t get the rain so the flowers always die. :(

          Reply

    • JoAnn says

      Thanks for all your ideals just love them I’m making my own fairy gardens I have enjoyed your Craft’s and ect. Thanks Amanda

      Reply

  42. Kim Daves says

    Love this iam trying to do one myself with the mini outdoor furniture with a grill cooler table chair and a lamp lol. Trying to grow my own stuff plants grass. So its better to hot glue than supper glue I using skewers trying to .make a gazebo for mine it keep falling apart. Thanks I’ll try hot glue. Love the stuff you post hugs God bless you

    Reply

  43. Jan Boerema says

    I love fairy gardens and have one inside. Made from a new oil pan people catch oil in when changing oil. I put dirt in it and a couple of small fairies, used small miniatures I have around the house, one earring that’s a flower, tiny mouse and stones for a pathway. Also used slices of wood – make a table from wood too. It’s fun and one can be as creative as their minds allow them. I put a baby tears plant in and it has taken off! Need to trim if often, Some small plants work well but water once a week or as needed….have a jade plant in there too……love it, and thanks for your ideas – may add a house to mine too.

    Reply

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