Joanna Roos wanted to create a space for her daughter Andee to play in that would ignite her imagination. She also wanted to do it on a budget. From this, came the idea of a fairy garden which has since transformed into an enchanted garden with references to not only fairies, but magical literature like Harry Potter, the Wizard of Oz and Jack and the Beanstalk.
WATCH: How to make a teapot fairy garden
What did the garden look like before the makeover?
It was an unkempt garden bed full of fallen palm fronds and leaf litter. We live on 2.5 acres just out of Darwin, my husband works long hours and I’m busy with our toddler, so gardening hasn’t been a priority.
What inspired your makeover?
Our 20-month-old daughter inspired me. I enjoy giving her magical memories and like to inspire her imagination.
What kind of look were you after?
Originally, I was going to create a fairy garden in a pot, but I couldn’t consolidate all my ideas into something so small. I noticed we had some hollow logs laying around and I thought they’d make lovely fairy houses. Then I started researching and found some birdhouses at Kmart for $5 that I thought would make great, affordable fairy shops for the garden.
As I added more and more to the garden, I kept thinking up new ideas and it continued to grow. It originally started as a fairy garden, but I thought it would be fun to incorporate literary references from fairy tales that would be relevant to my daughter Andee, so it became more of an enchanted garden. No matter what I did the priority was doing it as cheaply as possible- repurposing and recycling what I could.
Biggest challenge?
I think probably knowing when to stop, I haven’t figured that out yet and the garden is currently being extended even more. Finding the time with a toddler on hand is also challenging, so I get up at 5 and get a few hours work in before Andee wakes up.
Talk us through the process
- I started with a couple of hollow logs.
- Made windows and doors from polymer clay.
- Turned Bunnings wicker plant hanging baskets into whimsical roof tops for the hollow log houses.
- Turned Kmart birdhouses into shops using icy pole sticks & paint.
- Painted terracotta pots and pot saucers to look like toadstools.
- Cleaned up garden bed and made a pathway through.
- Found an old bike in a junk pile and turned it into a feature in the garden.
- Made the Wizard of Oz set from instructions found online.
- Turned a dog kennel into a gingerbread house.
- Got some stones for the pathway.
- Made the directional signpost from scrap wood.
Budget breakdown:
It cost around $500 in total.
Kmart birdhouses- $5 each
Kmart Acrylic paints – $2 each
Kmart icypole sticks – $2 pack of 30
Kmart got glue – $2 pack
Kmart pool noodles (for giant lollipops) – $2 each
Terracotta pots & saucers – pieces were priced between $2- $6 each at Bunnings
Rusteloum 2x spray paint – $13 a tin (used for mushrooms, gingerbread house & wizard of Oz set)
Wire hanging baskets (for hanging fairy houses) – $7.50 each at Bunnings
Polymer clay – $3.95 a pack
Wicker baskets (for fairy house roofs) – $15 each at Bunnings
Dog kennel – $15 on Facebook marketplace
Fairy Lights – $4 – $8 pack at Kmart
Expanding foam (for snow on gingerbread house)- $12 a tin at Bunnings
Rubbish bin (enchanted mailbox) – $10 at Kmart
Assorted fairy items – $10 for a tub on Facebook marketplace
Decorative gravel (for around houses) – $6.95 a bag at Bunnings
Fit ball (for pumpkin carriage) $7.50 at Kmart
Bike – free
Gravel for pathway – $60
Toy ball (for hot air balloon) $3 at Kmart.
Favourite part of your makeover?
I like the bike because it was free and looks beautiful lit up at night with the little ice cream shop in the front basket.
Shop the look
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