Tips for Using Broken Pots in Fairy Gardens

One of the most wonderful things about a miniature garden is its unique potential to turn the "broken" into beauty. The whimsy and imagination that goes into a fairy garden allow room for objects, plants, and spaces that you might not use in a real-sized garden. One of my favorite elements is actually the broken pot. Avid gardeners often find themselves with one or two broken terra cotta pots lying around. Whether they are knocked over by pets, kicked by visitors, or just weathered through time and the elements, these pots could be considered trash—however, there are tons of options if you would like to repurpose your containers!

You may be gardening inside or outdoors, but either place is excellent for a broken pot. If there are cracks along its sides, you can build in a miniature walkway. Think about steps, a fairy slide, or ledges for tiny plants like succulents, cacti, and other decorative greenery. If the pot has a significant portion missing, you can create a "cutaway" look, as if the viewer is getting an inside look into a secret fairy garden world!

Filled with dirt, colorful pebbles, mulch, or another filler, you can then build the inside of your broken pot to include any number of miniature accessories and details. Fairy house? Of course! Benches, swings, signs, and furniture? Yes! Save the largest miniature plants for the top of the pot so that they can grow upwards. You might choose to include a saucer where the broken pot sits. This is a great place for leafy plants, flowers, or more signs, furniture, and accessories.

Think of the broken pot as its little world. Try to concoct a story—why is the pot broken? Was there a chipmunk that disrupted the fairy garden? Did gnomes discover the pot in the backyard and decide to decorate it for themselves? Even more than an intact container, a broken pot adds personality and plot to your miniature garden. If you are feeling even more creative, you could paint some blooms or words on the pot, perhaps matching the fairy who calls the place "home." Using calligraphy, you could sketch a quote about brokenness and beauty. Miniature gardens that are placed in broken pots can be lovely reminders of the good things that lie within otherwise unfortunate situations. More than just a miniature garden, a broken pot can be a ray of hope in your backyard, front yard, or even inside your home.

So, next time you knock over a terra cotta pot—do not throw it away! Save it, let it crumble a bit, and get creative! That pot is not meant for the trash. It is a unique home for fairies. It is a flowering wonderland that includes a twisting, winding staircase all the way up to the top. More than that, it is your chance to use your imagination and create a miniature garden that is unexpected, a little bit broken, and completely perfect, all at the same time.