It’s the Run for the Roses. Hope your pick wins!

First, set a fairy trap. No, just kidding. That is impossible from what I’ve heard. However, there are many ways to create a fairy garden. I was inspired to start one in an old tree stump after hearing a lecture on “Fairy Tales in the Garden” by blogging diva Amanda Thomsen of Hortmag.com’s Kiss My Aster. A timely lecture considering that it just so happened we had an old tree in the barnyard that was getting cut up for firewood. I found the perfect hollowed out stump complete with a fairy door in the bottom. Yay.

After zipping over to the barn with the skidsteer and picking up the enchanted stump, I found a lovely spot with shade in the morning and late afternoon situated in front of a young blue spruce. While I would love to have a sweet little wooded spot, we live on the top of a hill no mature trees. It could have gone in the nearby hedgerow but I wanted it close enough to see it daily and for LaLa to visit there often.

Note the lovely little fairy door at the bottom. All it needs is a walkway, paint and a doorknob!

Planting the garden in a tree stump is nice because it raises up the viewing level and creates numerous places to introduce your fairy decor.  Speaking of fairy decor… did you know that you can order anything that you can dream of online? I had no idea! I have my eye on a particular metal table and chairs after finding the sweetest tea set at a craft store. Stay tuned on that one.

Varigated ivy, Irish moss, Hinoki cypress and creeping thyme.

A fairy garden doesn’t haven’t to be expensive to make. I used a dwarf Hinoki cypress that had gotten stepped on a couple times in my perennial bed that needed a little TLC. It made a nice small tree for the arrangement. We used a small little wren house for the fairy’s cottage with a cute little ceramic gazebo and mushrooms from a set that LaLa got for her birthday.

Some good materials for a fairy garden include:

• Moss covered stones
• twigs
• low growing plants such as irish moss, creeping thyme, creeping phlox and miniature conifers
• pebbles
• mushrooms- real or faux
• polished stones
• shiny things
• picket fencing
• rhinestones
• doll furniture and accessories
• your imagination

Once your little miniature outdoor landscaping project is planted start adding little accessories to bring it all together and enchant the fairies, your children and yourself. I found a charming little red wagon, some potted plants and a garden hose to add to my garden. I think the perfect little gardening fairy will come. I hope she will be willing to work for her keep!

So what are you waiting for?! Start that fairy garden and enjoy it with wonderment as though seeing it through the eyes of a child. Mine is far from complete so stop back in and see how it evolves! What would be featured in your fairy garden to make it uniquely yours?

A fragrant sachet filled with French Lavender Buds featuring the MOM Topiary…

Lilac Bouquet with Topiary Table and Chickadees… Oh so sweet!

Lavender Sachet, Linen Guest Towel, Lilac Handcrafted Soap and Greeting Card all featuring the Lilac Bouquet.

Greeting Card Inside: Thank you for being the wonderful woman that you are.

Happy Mother’s Day

Look at this charming postcard that I received in the mail last week! It is from a new store that has picked up my line of topiary themed goodies called Pear Tree in Kansas City, MO. What a treat for me! I have THE nicest customers and get to work with some of the most wonderful people and stores. So today I thought it would be nice to officially welcome the new stores that have started carrying my line/artwork this year. If any of the new stores listed below are near you… stop in and check things out! Tell them I sent ya!

Pear Tree Kansas City, MO

Flower Child Florist Philadelphia, PA

Embellish Richmond, VA

Prospector’s Nursery Nevada City, CA

Grandma’s Garden Center Waynesville, IN

Don’t live in Missouri, Indiana, California or Virginia? Click here to check for other stores in your area or if you would like to suggest a store.

Oh, it’s great to be home! Totally enjoyed my trip to Philadelphia for the Flower Show this year… lots of fun, friends, food and flowers! Did I say flowers? Oh, and there were flowers. Lots of them. Little ones, big ones, crazy ones, pink ones, fragrant ones and even one named “Snoopy”… who knew!? Next year’s theme for the show is “Springtime in Paris”. I’m already inspired. Put it on your calendar! I hope the following images provide motivation to attend next years’ show or just garden eye candy for those of us who have endured a hard winter! Please excuse the quality of some of the photos. I was reduced to using my iphone as a camera having left CNY in a flurry to avoid a snowstorm and managed to forget my good camera!

The theme for this years’ show was “Passport to the World”. Garden displays from India, Singapore, South Africa, Holland, Ireland and the US were featured. I think the India exhibit was my favorite. I loved all of the color and the openness of the design.

A giant hot air balloon depicting the globe greeted everyone as they entered the show. This photo was taken the night before the preview as the landscapers were in a shallow pond wearing waders while installing the most gorgeous and gigantic lily pads that I have ever seen.

The enormous giraffe in the South Africa exhibit was magical. The structure was made out of rebar and little glass vases with orchid blossoms were hanging throughout the sculpture. The photo was taken the night before the PHS preview.

The Ireland exhibit. Love the topiary Irish Harp and use of stone.

This “orchid tree” and the moss carpet at its base made up of various mosses and succulents was one of my favorite elements at the show. Gorgeous! Photo doesn’t do it justice.

These “icy” designs were for the the New Zealand exhibit if I rememeber correctly. It was very theatrical. This exhibit was Farmboy’s favorite due to his extreme love of all things cold and snowy. Crazy… I know!

Shown above are photos of the India display. The colors were so vibrant. The rose medallions surrounding the bubbling water features were very impressive. There were performances of a traditional Indian wedding under the canopy during the show.

There were a number of displays that featured “living walls”. Walls made completely of plants. The textures and colors were lush and I especially enjoyed this example. Sorry for the fuzziness of the photo!

The images above are of the Holland exhibit. Who doesn’t LOVE tulips, bicycles, daffodils and scented geranium topiary standards?! I want tulips growing in the tiles of my laundry room. How cool is that?

The two images above show the charming Beatles inspired garden created by volunteers to honor the retiring PHS president Jane G. Pepper.

I went gaga over this display… the colors, texture and lighting. It was featured inside a large shipping crate. A very interesting and “out of the box” exhibit. Anne and Mike from our dinner club came to the show and Anne suggested that I do something like this for our next dinner club! Ha! That’s a good one!

I always enjoy the fashion part of the flower show. The image above is an example of one of the combinations entered in the fashion and arrangement competition. The designers have to relate the garment and the flower arrangement to each other following a given theme. Fascinating.

Isn’t that the cutest?! Love the pussywillow umbrella and those lime green wellies with the purple anemones!

Flower lampshade anyone?

I sat in on a fascinating bee keeping lecture by Jim Bob the Beekeeper in the Gardener’s Studio.

I especially like the competition section of the show. It totally appeals to the plant geek in me. Shown below are some highlights from that part of the show.

A pretty succulent.

The Front Porch competition.

The orchids at the show are spectacular…

as well as the Bonsai.

Medium sized niche arrangement.

Ikebana Arrangement

Tiara made from plant materials! Can you believe that?

Another beautiful, sculptural tiara made from plants.

I always find the miniature rock gardens interesting. I’ve got to make one of those hypertufa containers and do one of these!

And last but not least… my latest little obsession. Terrariums. I purchased a few plants and a cloche and base at the show. Stay tuned for my first terrarium in many years!

Hope you enjoyed the photos! I’ll have a few more to post at a later time. If you were are the show… what was your favorite garden display? Do tell!

There are many topiaries of note at the Philadelphia Flower Show. A number of them I have seen year after year here in competition. After seeing the myrtle entries it has inspired me to try myrtle as an indoor topiary specimen. I love the fine leaves and the tightness of form that it creates. Hope you enjoy seeing some of this years’ entries! Stop back by for highlights of the display gardens… coming soon.

Here is a new little design for the heavenly scented Lilac Handcrafted Soap we will be featuring at the 2010 Philadelphia International Flower Show.  The design will also be used for a corresponding Mother’s Day Card! A nice little card… a nice little gift… I’m just sayin!

This soap will be available to order on our website next month so be sure to stop by if you will not be attending the Flower Show!

A charming little design to ring in the New Year. Hope you like!

My newest Posh Pet Digs design: Cutting hedge portraiture of your favorite pets! This is a sweet Sheltie named Gracie. The rings and bars on the pillows are little graphic hints of Gracies’ fun with agility training. Her owner likes chickadees and goldfinches and, well, I just got carried away with the whole thing. Can you tell?

This design is available on notecards, linen guest towels, linen cocktail napkins, lavender sachets, limited edition pillows and limited edition prints at michellemasters.com

Ho Ho Ho! Enjoy 10% savings on your entire order at www.michellemasters.com through the 12th of December! Enter 10HOHOHO for the coupon code.