I wrote about being at a crossroads earlier, and I’ve moved down the road from the crossroads. Still looking at all the cars driving by and the towns that I pass along the way. One place at the crossroads was a unique garden experience store. It offers fairy garden supplies. As I prepared to give a fairy garden workshop, I had to make my own as an example.
Because it’s a sampler, I used everything, even if it wasn’t a cohesive design. I have “tree cookies” and branch rounders, flat and on their sides as edging. I put twigs upright as fencing and on their side as a walkway. I felt that I needed to show something to the students for ideas, but they really came up with their own brilliant ideas.
- Pea rocks originally intended for drainage were laid down like a concrete patio or path
- Tree cookies were set on their sides like a wall
- Branches were split lengthwise as fencing and as a bridge
- Wire was used to hang acorn caps
- Pine cones were placed to make an archway
- Decorative pebbles were lining walkways
- Pine cones were upended for a table and chair (or would that be a stool if it was a seat only, no back or arms?)
The kids did many things that I didn’t even think about! Just giving them material and time yielded spectacular results. Hopefully they’ll be able to spend hours rearranging and adding and subtracting elements as time goes by.
Stephanie
julia