The kids are only here until June 29th, then they leave for a month to visit my parents. Before they go, I'd like to work on a project with them in the afternoons. When they leave, I'm going to expand on it.
I'd like to build a fairy garden. With the kids, we'll be using an old blue glazed birdbath to make a container fairy garden. After trying to figure out a place to put the completed container garden, and then trying to figure out where else I could build a larger-scale garden, I think I've hit on the perfect spot.
We're in Central Texas. It's hot and dry in the summer, and we don't have much shade here except between our house and our very good friends/neighbors'. Their back yard fence extends toward the street about six feet beyond our own, making a nice 6' x 6' (approx.) alcove between their fence, our fence, and the side of our house. That area only gets direct sunlight for a couple of hours, right at midday, so I think mosses will be fine. There's enough room to eventually put a bench for us all to use. We're their baby daughter's godparents, and I'd love to have a place for my children to play pretend and eventually have her join in.
I've followed a few Pinterest boards featuring fairy gardens, but I wondered if anybody here in the hot Hell of Zone 8 has any recommendations for plants which can be used for miniature landscaping (mosses, small plants which can be bonsai-ed to look like trees, etc.).
I've been obsessed for over a year with bonsai and penjing, but I haven't had the chance to do anything about it. I still have two little ones who play pretend and I think a fairy garden may give us all a nice project and a place to be imaginative. I'm excited to get started, so long as I can get Mr. T to buy into the idea.
He thinks I'm crazy so far (I am, but that's beside the point) and that I'll get the birdbath part done and be all "Eff this, it's hot out here. I'm going inside."
What's glorious about this region, though, is that a proper garden can go all year 'round. Our little garden can actually cycle through the seasons, and we can be out there to enjoy it.
So. Thoughts? Recommendations? Support for Mr. T?
“If you don't like my opinion of you, you can always improve.” ~ Ashleigh Brilliant
"Great love requires determination." ~ tryingtwo
"Don't try to win over the haters, you're not the jackass whisperer." ~ Brene Brown