It probably won't surprise you to know (at least if you follow this blog), that there are literally thousands of spirits looking over your trees, yard, and garden. But when I asked for one who wanted to speak to me about starting a garden, a pretty green fairy named Georgette appeared and wanted you all to know how to start a garden with the help of fairies.
Each one of our unseen friends add an extra quality of energy to each living thing, including the soil. She showed me each plant glowing from the care they receive from the spirits.
Depending on what part of the country you're in, you may already be months into tending your summer garden, but here in Montana, we just had a killing frost last week so we're all still itching to get started.
So while we wait, here is Georgette's complete guide to starting a garden with the help of the fairies. Even if you're not planning one at the moment, she offers some good tips to all of us who care for plants, and even a book recommendation (who knew)!
First, and this is no surprise, we need to ask permission to create the garden (read more about asking for permission here).
If you have an area of your yard that is full of grass and weeds where you'd like to place your garden, cover it with cardboard or mulch to smother the grass and weeds. I asked Georgette what the fairies think about removing one kind of plant to plant another and she said that they recognize the need for that to happen in order for the land to reach it's “higher potential”.
I suggested that it was clear that a vegetable garden's higher potential was to nourish us, but what about planting flowers?
She said: Beauty nourishes the soul. And how beautiful is that?
Okay, on to the soil. Building up soil, rather than digging down, is the preferred method to creating a new garden. You can use a pitchfork to poke holes in the existing compacted soil, but then you can let the soil creatures (microbes, earthworms, etc) do their jobs. Building soil takes time but is important to the health of the garden.
If you're not already familiar with sheet mulching, this exactly the method that Georgette recommends!
To start a new garden, a simple offering of a container of water charged by the full moon (just leave it outside overnight during the full moon to charge it) can be offered in thanks and prayer for the future gifts you will receive from the garden. Use it to water in your first little plants.
You can start your plants from seed or buy them in a nursery – don't feel like you have to do everything from scratch.
Sing songs or play music while planting or working in the garden – the plants like it and so do the fairies!
When I asked about garden pests or disease, Georgette was very quick to say that there is always a natural remedy. There are bound to be occasional imbalances in the ecosystem and outbreaks will happen. Sometimes you may have to give up a plant to the bugs. In that case, it's best to remove the plant from the garden completely (don't compost it) so it won't affect other plants.
When the time comes to harvest fruits or veggies or cut branches or flowers, be sure to ask permission. Whichever ones you are most attracted to cut or harvest are the ones eager to come with you – the plants see it as an opportunity to serve yet another purpose.
The advice I received for all gardeners is that we should spend time in our gardens – TEND to the plants, just like the fairies and plant spirits are. Everyone works together to do their part in creating a thriving garden.
Tell the garden what your wishes are for it – healthy fruits and vegetables, beautifully scented cut flowers, or a peaceful spot to rest in the shade.
The fairies are the gatekeepers and assure me that they keep an eye on everything when we're not around. Be sure to thank and acknowledge their help in creating your beautiful garden!
And finally – the fairies (and I) recommend the book Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Homescale Permaculture by Toby Hemenway. It's pretty much the gateway drug to the world of permaculture, where we work with nature, rather than against to create beautiful, abundant and resilient gardens.
