Bailey Van Tassel

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fairy door in a tree
29 Mar 2022
Garden Design

The Surprise Detail I’m Most Excited For: Fairy Door

In lieu of a secret garden that is walled in, I’m adding little personal touches to our garden that will add some whimsy and surprise for our kids. Enter the fairy door.

While I am coming more and more to terms each day with the reality that I can not in fact control my children’s thoughts and feelings (thank goodness), However, I can think of them and create with them in mind. I truly don’t know how I came up with it, but had the idea that hiding a little compartment within one of my raised beds would be so fun. A little treasure trove that I could tuck tiny treats into. Things like little clay figurines, bouncy balls, wrapped candies, or maybe tiny notes with symbols on them.

Fairy Folklore

Traditional fairy doors are fixed onto the base of a tree as a fun folklore gesture that creates the ability for fairies to cross in and out of our world. Children are delighted to find them and sometimes even leave little gifts.

It is said that fairies can be mischevious, so to be sure to not have them too close to the house or anything that can be broken. To keep them happy, give them little offerings like bits of food, flowers, trinkets, etc.

I personally also recall being totally enamored by fairies as a child and would go into this tiny shop in Occidental (a small town near my home) that was filled with fairy books, figurines, crystals, incense, and all the magical things. I’d spend hours in there while my dad waited outside for me. I look back now and realize the poor man was probably entirely uninterested, but still being supportive.

Perhaps I’m just playing to my inner child’s desires, but nonetheless, here we are.

credit: myfairytaledoors.com

Where to Put a Garden Fairy Door

In my personal interpretation, we will be building a little box within one of our raised beds, with a fairy door that is functional and opens up. I’ve had this idea in my head for two years and finally get to see it come to life!

While we are going to make it built into the base of a bed, there are other options of course!

You could build up a mound of dirt and create a little hobbit home, or pull a brick out of a wall and place a door over it. You could even build a little stick teepee and use that as a fairy or gnome home.

Get creative!

Fairy Door Options

After doing more research than I am willing to admit, it’s clear that Etsy is the place to go for fairy doors.

The unique quality that I wanted was function – a door that actually opens, but is also cute, and a tiny bit discreet so that it does indeed feel like a secret find. I want someone to truly stop in their tracks and bend down to open the door, full of magic when they see a tucked-away thingamajig.

I originally wanted something very hidden and wooden, but then quickly pivoted to yellow because it was too cute. If I change my mind, I’ll paint it.

Below are a few additional options that I just loved. They’re simply so cute.

  1. Dark wood door
  2. Red door
  3. Blue door
  4. Light wood door
  5. Pink door

To see some more of our renovation, go here (it’s our before). Stay tuned to see the fairy door reveal, and of course, let me know if you have any questions in the below comments.

TAGS:fairiesfairy door
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Hi I’m Bailey

Hi I’m Bailey

Teaching you how to grow veggies in any space while show you how to live a garden-inspired life.

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Bold move, right? One of my girlfriends told me to do this and raved about the benefits (she always knows the good stuff - she’s that girl). But, I did some research too. 

One clove of raw garlic a day has myriad health benefits. Yes it has to be raw. You cut it and let it sit out a minute so the allacin can form which is the healing component in garlic. Then just take with water. 

It’s not just amazing for cooking, but also repairing us from the inside out and boosting immunity.

So, are you game for a clove a day?? I know, it seems cringey but you don’t even taste it - the upside is just too good!
•
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Bold move, right? One of my girlfriends told me to do this and raved about the benefits (she always knows the good stuff – she’s that girl). But, I did some research too.

One clove of raw garlic a day has myriad health benefits. Yes it has to be raw. You cut it and let it sit out a minute so the allacin can form which is the healing component in garlic. Then just take with water.

It’s not just amazing for cooking, but also repairing us from the inside out and boosting immunity.

So, are you game for a clove a day?? I know, it seems cringey but you don’t even taste it – the upside is just too good!

21 hours ago
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1/4
I took this advice seriously 🌸 

But “for real life” as my four-year-old says, the more I focused on turning my life into a heaven on earth, creating happiness with my own hands, the more I just felt so at home with myself. 

Growing food is so poetic to me (as you can probably tell) because it truly takes our hands and fills our hearts - our lives - with joy, resilience, and confidence. 

It’s also fun to see progress! This started out as an in-ground garden and has evolved immensely. 

Any garden design questions - leave them here 👇🏼
•
Follow

I took this advice seriously 🌸

But “for real life” as my four-year-old says, the more I focused on turning my life into a heaven on earth, creating happiness with my own hands, the more I just felt so at home with myself.

Growing food is so poetic to me (as you can probably tell) because it truly takes our hands and fills our hearts – our lives – with joy, resilience, and confidence.

It’s also fun to see progress! This started out as an in-ground garden and has evolved immensely.

Any garden design questions – leave them here 👇🏼

3 days ago
View on Instagram |
2/4
This is MY list of top 4 must-know things. It doesn’t have to be yours. But after years of guiding people through hardiness zones 3 through 10, I can tell you there’s a difference in each one when it comes to timing and temperament. 

And then your very own microclimate will determine a ton. This is a personal thing that no one can really deeply help you with. Not even your neighbor. Every outdoor space has nooks and crannies that behave uniquely. And altitude and valleys and hillsides and salty ocean air versus humid tropical air, etc etc will determine a lot. So just pay attention. Be curious. 

Then we need to know the purpose of it all. Mine mixes function, health, beauty, and adding magic to my children’s lives all wrapped up in one. 

Of course then the sun you get is crucial. We all dance around the fireball in this crazy solar system, and we can’t change our positioning to it. 

The list goes on, but this is where I start. 

Are your top 4 different?
•
Follow

This is MY list of top 4 must-know things. It doesn’t have to be yours. But after years of guiding people through hardiness zones 3 through 10, I can tell you there’s a difference in each one when it comes to timing and temperament.

And then your very own microclimate will determine a ton. This is a personal thing that no one can really deeply help you with. Not even your neighbor. Every outdoor space has nooks and crannies that behave uniquely. And altitude and valleys and hillsides and salty ocean air versus humid tropical air, etc etc will determine a lot. So just pay attention. Be curious.

Then we need to know the purpose of it all. Mine mixes function, health, beauty, and adding magic to my children’s lives all wrapped up in one.

Of course then the sun you get is crucial. We all dance around the fireball in this crazy solar system, and we can’t change our positioning to it.

The list goes on, but this is where I start.

Are your top 4 different?

4 days ago
View on Instagram |
3/4
Turns out I just needed to let what I had be enough. 

Many of you have watched this journey unfold from day one. I am so grateful to have gotten to prove to myself and others that you can make whatever you have, bring joy and connection and contentment. 

Along the way you may just uncover a passion, career, purpose, and dreams that you never realize would come to manifest. 

If you have ANY garden limitations, share them here. We’ll troubleshoot ‘em together!
•
Follow

Turns out I just needed to let what I had be enough.

Many of you have watched this journey unfold from day one. I am so grateful to have gotten to prove to myself and others that you can make whatever you have, bring joy and connection and contentment.

Along the way you may just uncover a passion, career, purpose, and dreams that you never realize would come to manifest.

If you have ANY garden limitations, share them here. We’ll troubleshoot ‘em together!

6 days ago
View on Instagram |
4/4

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