Magic in the Garden

Miss me? I missed you. Been busy times here at Muse Cottage, between the on going work on the garage conversion ( you can catch up on that by reading some of the recent past posts) , putting in new garden beds and well, sadly I have been rather ill for nearly a month, and on medications that make me want to do nothing past snoozing on the couch... the latter is truly the reason I had not posted all of last week. I am far from 100%, but I did not wish to be out of touch for much longer. Posting here always cheers me up... I love sharing what is happening at Muse Cottage. Today's post is all about my latest garden bed that hubby put in for me, to cheer me up I suspect; I was not feeling too chipper with being sick and all. 

The day began with me feeling poorly and down and knowing that all the free days coming up would be consumed with working on the garage conversion till it's completion and the planting season soon coming to an end, as soon it would be too hot to do so, when hubby said that we had one free day left and could indeed put in the new garden bed I had been planning.  I already had two plants in place, a climbing rose and a baby hydrangea, and our recently purchased and named by a reader on my FB page, concrete rabbit, by the name of Cuthbert who watched over both. However I had grand plans for a new bed that would include a Fairy house. 

I had decided to make the front yard garden beds at  Muse Cottage full of whimsy as soon as I purchased two concrete Gnomes, though bigger than the average Gnome, they did the job to add that special little touch to the other beds in the yard. With their coming home with me, and after chatting with my Mom about her fairy garden at her cottage in Texas, and seeing via image searches on line, I had a good idea of how I wanted to proceed, and the day that hubby agreed to work on this latest bed was the perfect time to do so. Since I had been fascinated with Fairies, Gnomes, Elves and all other magical creatures most of my life, I knew that I would have great fun in the en devour. 

Imagination is Key...

 As I had mentioned I have been fascinated with magical creatures , as an only child I relied on my ability to get lost in their world. Often I would spend long hours playing with small dolls known as "Dawn Dolls" , "kiddles" even "Flatsy Dolls" and they were always fairies in my world. During my childhood the cartoon Smurfs appeared and I never missed an episode, not to mention I collected all the little figurines. 

To this day when I see a mushroom, I wonder.....

I had all these and more that I kept in a special
box. I spent all my weekly allowance on them,
and knew them all by name. 

I would read books, that at the time I would get off of the Bookmobile that would come to the street near our family property. I would check out all that I was allowed and race the little over quarter mile or so home, through the fields, careful to not fall into a squirrel hole along the way. Once home I would read them over and over. All fed my imagination. Of course it helped to live near a town by the name of Solvang Ca. where the main statue in the square was Hans Christian Anderson and there was many little shops that sold all things magical from Fairies to Gnomes in every size and shape.

Two of my favorites of course...

I loved the details of what was in the Gnome's home

I could so imagine these little guys puttering in the garden.

What little girl was not enamored
by Flower Fairies?? 

 As I grew older, I would wonder from the closeness of home and explore the woods near by as well as lay in the fields that had yet to be turned into housing tracks, and though I knew that I should let go of such things that dance in the minds of children, I could not help myself, and my mind would again allow me to find magic all around me. I would "see" fairies on the dragon flies flitting about over my head on a hot Summer day, butterflies were fairies in disguise ... and as I strolled through the woods, I could almost feel the eyes from creatures from another realm all about me.

To this day as an adult, a very practical adult for the most part, I have never truly lost what as a little girl I held dear, the magic that is all about us but that most adults let go. I do not believe that just because we can not see something it does not exist..... but that is a whole other post. This is after all a garden post... OH! You thought I forgot didn't you?  I thought it might be nice to share a little story about my youth, and a little magic and not just photos of dirt and plants... but now the time has indeed come to do just that. 

The Magical Garden Bed...

The digging and clearing begins. Hubby shakes all the dirt off
each clump of grass, it creates a lovely "sifted" dirt to plant in.

The prepped bed.  Cuthbert is ready for his new surroundings.

The plants and supplies are bought and ready.  Just a few,
till we see how they fill in. 

The beginnings of the elf/fairy house.

Three tools and a lot of effort later, we have the "house" in
place... as well as the plants. 

Mulch time.....

Soon enough we have a fine beginning to a magical garden bed. 

Ceramic toadstools, a pebble yard with stone "wall" and of course
Cuthbert  help create the scene... but it is far from finished. 

Some of the flowers.... Lantanas  ( oh and some pepper to keep cats out)

By suggestion from my Mom, a Queen Elizabeth Rose,
the subtle tea scent greets me each time I walk by.
The white balls are moth balls, more anti-cat box prevention.

A lovely pale blue/lavender Clematis. 

Progress on the first day....

...complete with a dragon fly.

A week later and lookie what has been added! Doors, windows,
fairies and even furniture!  The doors and windows are big enough
for the Elves to use, The fairies , as they come in all sizes and shapes
are quite happy as well with them.

The fencing keeps the cats out, well larger cats, and yet allows the birds and magical folk in and out at will. 

Soon the snap dragons in the back will be planted in the stump. That
appears to us humans to be hallow... but to magical creatures it is like
Mary Poppins carpet bag... an endless amount of space is behind the door.
The hallow look is to fool the humans *wink* 

Though the furniture is far too small for the Elves and Gnomes,
the Fairies find it the perfect size. The bronze in color fairy statues are
just that.. we all know Fairies are bright and colorful creatures. The
statues are to let them know this garden bed is for them! *wink* 

 Till next time , hope you find a little magic 

and whimsy in your day!

 Love from Muse Cottage