12 Fabulous Fairy Gardens That Don’t Need Figurines

Need a little magic in your life but not a fan of tiny gardens full of fairy statues? Try these whimsical garden designs without a fairy in sight.

Whether you're just a fan of tiny woodland accessories or looking for a garden project to do with kids, creating a fairy garden is a good bet. Many miniature gardeners use resin fairy garden figurines and structures they find at the garden store. Still, you can make a charming fairy garden without relying solely on store-bought items. These are just a few ways to create the magical fairy garden design you've always wanted.

Natural Nooks and Crannies

If you've got a gnarled old tree, it's pretty much essential that it be fitted for a fairy garden door. This gorgeous creation by artist Sally J. Smith of Green Spirit Arts is at the end of a meandering staircase of moss and stone. It's composed of just the sort of materials woodland wee folk would most like to use, like bits of wood, sticks, and bark. As a result, the tree is magically transformed into a miniature work of art. Just look at that diamond-pane window!

Buy It: Mini Fairy Garden Wood Door, Amazon

Fairy Garden Lights

They don't call them "fairy lights" for nothing. This fairy garden by Little Tudor House on the Prairie is beyond charming and features DIY twinkly solar lights to keep the party going long after dark. After all, uplighting is an intrinsic part of good landscape design.

Buy it: Solar String Lights, Amazon

Naturally Occurring Architecture

Yes! Those are actual mushrooms! Real pixies would be sure to seize the opportunity to use gorgeous tree fungus as a stoop and awnings for a sassy red door. And they would plant up a tiny pot with flowers because curb appeal matters. This little fairy garden moment is by Nichola Battilana of Pixie Hill.

Upcycled Fairy Garden

If you leave an adorable old suitcase in the yard, don't be surprised when the pixies set up camp (or a full-tilt cottage and manicured gardens). This project from Empress of Dirt redefines container gardening in the most magical way.

Cottage Fairy Garden

This darling fairy garden from Olive and Love demonstrates how easy it is to have a no-fuss, magical little corner in your yard. A store-bought ceramic house and a meandering stepping-stone pathway nestled amongst the flowers are like a scene straight out of a storybook.

Seasonal Fairy Gardens

Your whole garden changes with the seasons, so why shouldn't your miniature ones do the same? This fairy garden from Farm and Foundry takes full advantage, seasonally changing its plant materials and colors, and decorations (like this party decor for the autumn solstice) featuring real Chinese lantern pods strung across the pathway.

Teacup Gardening

We can all agree that fairy gardens should be miniature, but these charming teacup towns from artist Nichola Battilana of Pixie Hill take the (tiny) cake. What's more adorable than a pixie village that fits in the palm of your hand?

Natural Fairy Garden

The breathtaking work of Sally J. Smith of Green Spirit Arts is the epitome of woodland fairy architecture. Made from primarily natural elements and maybe a pinch of magic, her fairy garden designs seem to spring from the very earth itself. In her book Fairy Houses: How to Create Whimsical Homes for Fairy Folk (Amazon), you can learn how to make these gorgeous dwellings for your garden.

DIY Tiny Bunting

Everything feels a little more festive with bunting. This simple fairy garden DIY by The Magic Onions features an easy-to-care-for succulent garden in a terra-cotta pot with adorable handmade twig furniture parked beneath some of the most darling bunting we've ever seen.

Related: How to Make an Adorable Well for Your Fairy Garden

Patio Fairy Garden

If you don't have a patch of garden space to spare, this container fairy garden from The Burgh Baby is the perfect solution. A galvanized washtub is the base for a birdhouse-turned-fairy home (check out that penny roof) and its surrounding lush, flower-filled garden. There's even a fairy clothesline dotted with dainty laundry.

Upcycled Mailbox Fairy Garden

A mailbox has been transformed into a pixie Romani caravan by artist Nichola Battilana of Pixie Hill. It's an ingenious upcycling project, perfect for the more Bohemian-spirited of your garden fairy folk.

Calming Fairy Garden

Fairies need a little relaxing, too. Maybe even a nice, tranquil spot to roll out a tiny yoga mat. This fairy garden idea from Farm and Foundry features a miniature walking labyrinth, a meditative sandbox, and colorful washi tape prayer flags.

Related: How to Plant a Wheelbarrow Fairy Garden

The Perfect Petite Plants for Your Fairy Garden

Your fairy garden deserves plants the right size for a miniature world of imagination and creativity. Tiny and green, these selections can be used to create hedges, add trees, and add grass-like groundcover to your fairyland.

The polka-dot plant, with its colorful pink and green leaves, is a favorite for fairy garden aficionados, and Mexican heather blooms with tiny flowers. Elfin thyme is a delicate-leaved plant that blooms with pink flowers at the end of spring. Tree-like Golden Monterey cypress Adds a vertical design to your little garden, and lighter-than-air Asparagus fern will add a delicate touch. Combine your fairy garden with the art of bonsai, and you'll have a beautiful piece of tiny landscape art.

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