This week I have been reading the wonderful book, Fairy Gardening: Creating Your Own Magical Miniature Garden by Julie Bawden-Davis and Beverly Turner. It is a wonderful resource and in this blog, I outline several reasons why I recommend it.
Starting a Fairy Garden
Fairy Gardening is a wonderful guide for beginners like myself. Julia and Beverly explain the fundamental aspects of miniature garden design, such as scale, composition, planting and garden care. Also included is a list of suggested diminutive ground covers, shrubs and trees. They also encourage you to unleash your imagination and be resourceful by creating gardens using different container types, giving great examples. They include gardens they have created using baskets, bird baths, chairs, and even an old kitchen sink!
Tell a magical tale in your garden
The book is a great resource not only for fairy and mini gardeners but also other visual storytellers. Since I began creating miniatures, I have become more interested in designing miniature scenes. These projects have helped me tremendously as a writer and illustrator. Not only have they inspired my imagination, but helped me experiment with core elements, such as composition, texture and colour. Julia and Beverly’s book has helped me even further. They explain clearly key dimensions of storytelling and give wonderful tips on how to weave them into your designs, including how to position figurines, create motion and even the illusion of flight!
Have you read the book? I’d love to learn your thoughts about it. Please share with me below.
Fairy Gardening is published by SkyHore Publishing and is available from The Book Depository and Amazon.
And if you would like to start designing a miniature or fairy garden, and are looking for miniatures, I cordially invite you to browse my online shop.
Disclaimer: Please kindly note that I am an affiliate of the Book Depository and Amazon. This means that if you click on the book’s link and make a purchase, I will receive a commission at no cost to you.
