Fairy Gardening
 by Amber S.

Fairies are easily attracted to gardens. They enjoy both wild areas and well-manicured areas of gardens. Alongside your other plants, you should have a small area of your garden that is left unkempt. Placing statues or small fountains in these wilder areas will serve both as a gift to the fairy folk and add a lovely touch to what might otherwise seem only an unkempt area. Fairy houses can be built to welcome the little people. Certain plants are especially favored by fairies and will help attract them to your garden. Below is a list of the little people's favorite plants.

 


"Seating Area in the Daily Mirror Garden" by Eric Chrichton

Alder
Protected by water spirits.
Apple
To ensure good harvests, leave the last apple of your crop for the Apple-Tree-Man.
Ash
Druids wands were made of ash twigs. It also has healing properties. Weak-limbed children were passed through split ash trees which were then bound up. If the tree grew straight, the child would as well. Also may be used as a substitute for Rowan.
Birch
If the spirit of the birch tree (The One With the White Hand) touches a head it leaves a white mark and the person turns insane. If it touches a heart, the person will die.
Blackthorn
Guarded by the Lunantishee
Bluebell
One who hears a bluebell ring will soon die. A field of bluebells is especially dangerous, as it is intricately interwoven with faerie enchantments. Said to attract faeries to dance in your garden. On Beltane eve, make an ankle bracelet of "Bluebells" and "jingle" bells to attract helpful fae folk to you.
Clover
A four-leafed one may be used to break a faerie spell. A sacred faery plant, clovers of all kinds will attract them. Lay seven grains of wheat on a four-leafed clover to see the Faery.
Cowslips
These are loved and protected by the faeries. They help one to find hidden faerie gold.
Elder
Sometimes is a witch disguised as a tree. Never lay a baby in an elder wood cradle or the faeries will pinch them so they bruise. Burning elder wood is dangerous since it invites the Devil.
Elderberries
 Used to make Faery wine, these berries can be burned on a fire to invite the Good Folk to a gathering. Make a homemade brew of Elderberry Wine and you are sure to have some thirsty visitors. It is said that if a human drinks the wine, she will be able to see the Faery. If a human should drink elderberry wine from the same goblet as a Faery being, he will be able to see them forever after.
Elcampagne
 Also known as Elfswort. This root can be scattered around the home to attract the Sidhe. It can be added to any magick or spell to invoke Faery blessing.
 Fairy Ring Mushroom
Marks the boundaries of faerie rings.
Foxglove
Florets are worn by faeries as hats and gloves. The source of the modern heart drug Digitalis, Foxglove can have seriously dangerous results if taken internally. DO NOT INGEST!! Instead, plant Foxglove near your front door to invite the Faery in. Put a dried sprig of Foxglove in a talisman to keep you surrounded in Faery light.
Hazel
Celtic legend says it is the receptacle of knowledge; the hazelnut is a symbol of fertility in England.
 Heather
 Heather is said to ignite faery passions and open portals between their world and our own. Make an offering of Heather on "Beltane" eve to attract good fae to your garden
Lilac
The sweet scent is said to draw Fae spirits to your garden. Lilac and primroses for midsummer's eve, will please the Fae.
Milkweed
Both Monarch butterflies and fairies like milkweed. If Milkweed is planted in a Witches garden, the fey will always be in the area. The silky tassels of the Milkweed pods can be added to a dream pillow to not only make it softer but also to make you dream of fairies. In the Autumn when the pods are bursting and the fluffy seeds are flying across the fields, a wish is granted for each seed that can be caught and then released again.
Mistletoe
 The most sacred herb of the Druids. Mistletoe is a magical activator. In Faery spells, use a dash of Mistletoe taken on Summer Solstice to empower your workings with Faery magick.
Oak
Oakmen are created when a felled oak stump sends up shoots. One should never take food offered by them since it is poisonous.
Pansies
the flower that was used as a love potion by Oberon, a faerie king thought to have been invented by Shakespeare.
 Peony
 Peony seeds were once used to protect children from faeries. A garland of the seeds were placed around the child's neck to keep them safe from kidnapping.
Poppies
Said to invoke the faery into your dreams. Make a dream pillow of fresh poppies to entice the fae to your dreams.
Primroses
Make the invisible visible. Eating them lets you see faeries. If one touches a faerie rock with the correct number of primroses in a posy, the way to faerie land and faerie gifts is made clear. The wrong number means certain doom. When planted in a garden or hung dried on the front door, primroses will attract the company of Faeries. If you have them growing under your care, do not let them die! The Faery will be deeply offended by your carelessness. Primroses are great in container gardens.
Ragwort
Used as makeshift horses by the faerie.
Roses
 Roses attract the Faery to a garden. Their sweet scent will lure elemental spirits to take up residence close by. Roses can be used in Faery love spells. When performing the spell, sprinkle rose petals under your feet and dance softly upon them while asking the Faery for their blessing on your magick. Roses are loved by the fey so you can plant Roses in your garden to attract fairies. Wild Roses are best for this purpose
 Rowan
Protects against bad spirits. Used in butter churns so that the butter would not be overlooked by faeries. Bewitched horses may be controlled by a rowan whip. Druids used rowan wood for fires with which they called up spirits whom could be forced to answer questions when rowanberries were spread over the flayed hides of bulls.
 Thyme
Part of a recipe for a brew to make one see the faeries. The tops of the Wild Thyme must be gathered near the side of a faerie hill. Wearing thyme will increase your ability to see the Sidhe. Sprinkle it at the base of your door, and on window sills to invite the Faery to enter your home.
Toadstools
Some have poisonous hallucinogenic properties. The Vikings ate it and gain their reputations as berserkers. In Celtic lore, they are among the food of the gods, as with many red plants. Some toadstools associated with the faerie are Fly Agaric, Yellow Fairy Club, Slender Elf Cap, Dune Pixie-Hood, and Dryad's Saddle.
Willow
At night they uproot themselves and stalk travelers, muttering at them.

Making Fairy Houses
Fairy houses are easy to construct and don’t cost a lot of money. You can use making fairy houses as a rainy day project. Begin by buying small, unfinished bird houses from a craft store. Make sure that they do not have many holes in the sides that will allow water in. Remove the roof from the fairy house. If it is nailed or glued, you can knock it off with a hammer and glue it back later. Paint the inside of the house any way that you wish. It can have pictures on the walls or mirrors. Dollhouse furniture can be useful for your fairy house project. Sprinkle glitter on the inside walls of the house. Make little pillows out of lovely silk or satin cloth. You can decorate the cushions with beads, sequins or glitter. Place tiny gifts inside the house such as iridescent marbles or little glass pieces. Fairies love anything shiny. On the outside of the house you can use tempera paints to paint it any way you want. You can paint it to look like bricks or stone or paint ivy growing up the sides. Paint the roof to look thatched or shingled. After the house is painted, coat it with at least four layers of shellac to keep it from fading and to keep the rain out. Buy a piece of round flat wood to use as a door. It should be slightly larger than the opening in the fairy house. You should also buy a small hinge and a tiny latch to close the door. These can also be purchased from craft stores. Placing a door on the house will keep rain, insects, spiders, and birds out so that the fairies will be able to use it. Paint the door and shellac it. Attach the door with the hinge so that it opens and closes. Then fit the latch on the outside so that the door can be closed and locked. You might also wish to place the roof on with hinges so that it can be opened and cleaned once a year. Place the houses in your garden where you feel they will be slightly hidden.

Creating Fairy Places in Your Garden
You can also create tiny places for fairies in your garden. A birdbath or a fountain is a perfect place for fairies to bathe. You can make tiny caves using rocks. Hide them under rose bushes and beneath ivy. Tables and chairs can be made from stone. Make a table using a flat piece of rock such as slate. Use four smaller stones at each corner for table legs. You can set stones around the table to serve as chairs. If the stones fall over, you can glue them with hot glue or super glue to the bottom of the table. Line your fountains with small stones and place stones in the water on which fairies can sit.
Set aside a place where you will honor your guests. Welcome them by leaving honeycakes and other goodies for them to eat. Fairies are fond of sweets. Leave a place on a flat stone where you can leave a plate of treats for your visitors. Just remember to change them often. The fairies may or may not take the actual food. Remember that they live on the spiritual plane and can take the essence of the food and leave the empty shell behind.
Fairies will appreciate if you leave one small area of your garden unkempt. Placing a statue there will help it look more decorative and can even make the area look older and more wild. If you cannot afford a statue, you can make rings of nine stones or tiny replicas of Stonehenge. Tiny temples can be built with just a little imagination.


"Garden Statue at Crook Hall" Michael Boys

Learn a Little More About the Fey:
Living With Fairies - by AmberSkyfire
The Realm of the Fae - learn about the faery folk
Lavendise - an incredible website dedicated to fae of all types