What I Learned About Birdhouses in a Fairy Garden

Author: Florence Blum

"Chirp!" "Twee!" "Screet!" Do you hear that? It must be the sound of birds. Perhaps they are calling out to one another or letting us know that they are hungry and would like some birdseed. Their sing-song voices are delightful to hear, no matter the season.

If you are an avid gardener in the fairy garden or miniature garden, you have no doubt heard the call of birds in your own yard. Birds of all shapes, sizes, and colors love to spend time around trees, flowers, and other living things. The more you plant, the more you can expect to see birds and insects make their way into your outdoor space.

Audubon fans, budding ornithologists, and everyday bird watchers might be familiar with birdhouses, also known as nest boxes. Birdhouses provide shelter for certain species of birds. Bird feeders and birdbaths provide food and splashing for other types of birds. If you work at it, it is easy to make your backyard garden a haven for birds! On the other hand, you may just want to incorporate birdhouses into your fairy garden.

Yes, you can mix the worlds of birdhouses and fairy gardens! Some gardeners want to bring the spirit of birds into their fairy gardens by decorating with teeny-tiny bird houses. Others like to use their full-size birdhouses as homes for their fairies. Both are unique options that leave plenty of room for creativity and personalization. Ready? It is time to see your ideas take flight.

Miniature Birdhouses

It can be fun to introduce your miniature garden fairies to all of the things you love. From vegetable gardens to beach scenes, gardeners have become adept at scaling down reality into the smallest of sizes. The same can be done with birds.

Some fairy gardens highlight birds as members of the larger critter family. You could see a bird perched atop a shovel or birds snagging a drink at a wishing well. Birdbaths are particularly popular in fairy gardens, as the fairies and other garden residents love to watch birds playing in the water.

A careful shopper will also find plenty of easy ways to add miniature birdhouses to the fairy garden. The Canary Yellow Bird Cage with Hook is incredibly cheerful, while the Blue Bird Feeder with Cardinal can be added to the fairy garden easily, just by pushing the pick into the soil. Some miniature garden accessories feature fantastical birdhouse presentations, such as the Birdhouse Gate, which has been carefully decorated with birdhouses all along the fence.

Big Birdhouses

Another option you can pursue in the birdhouse world is the use of large-size birdhouses in the miniature garden. A traditional birdhouse will be much larger than most of the miniature garden accessories and fairies in the fairy garden. It might even be just the right size to serve as a fairy house! You can start with an unpainted, plain birdhouse model found at most craft stores, then paint to match your fairy garden décor. Paint on pictures of a little door, windows, and siding or bricks. Then you will have a birdhouse that doubles as a fairy house.

Many gardeners have gotten quite creative with their fairy birdhouse inventions. Hot glue is a miracle worker on a wooden birdhouse. Add moss for a swamp cottage. Glue on miniature stones to create a home that blends right into the garden. Cover it in sequins for a fairy house that is fit for a fairy queen.

Part of the appeal of using a pre-fabricated birdhouse as a fairy house is its hollow interior. The hole for birds can be reimagined into a post office for fairies, a secret hiding place for gems and stones, or even a window for fairies to gaze through.

No matter how you decide to incorporate bird houses into your fairy garden, these whimsical miniature accessories (and bird-sized accessories) will certainly bring some style and flair to the fairy garden. Once you add a birdhouse or two, perhaps your fairies will no longer be the only ones in the garden with wings!