I'm embarrassed to report my visits to east Texas can be counted on the fingers of one hand--actually just ringman, pinkie, tallman, and thumbkin. It's a surprise to find hills and pine trees just an hour's drive from Big D.
Our workshop was at Blue Moon Gardens in Chandler, somewhere between Tyler and Waco. To get there, one must have lunch in the cute artsy town of Edom, Texas. This day's lovely weather had brought out many romantic motorcycle couples for Valentine's lunch at The Shed, an historic cafe. We crossed the highway to eat at the Edom Bakery and Grill . The Strawberry Fields salad of spring greens, strawberries, mozzarella, and walnuts in a raspberry vinaigarette is inspiring food for thought.
Pine trees do not grow in Plano. At all. If you live here a long time, you forget how fine pine trees smell and look. Add to the scent and appearance the cushiony ground cover of needles, pine cones, and moss. It's magic.
The Blue Moon workshop students each created a container garden with a miniature shrub and two perennial groundcovers. The gift shop offered fairy figurines, tiny garden furniture, fences, trellises, gardening tools, and tea sets to enhance our arrangements. Participants were encouraged to bring other items to use in their fairy gardens.
Blue Moon Gardens is a very cool place, with many sources of inspiration. We had a great time, but our creations were also inspired by Tracy Kane's Fairy House Series. Kane's delightful books and videos promote nature awareness by using only natural materials to create fairy environments. They are a wonderful place to start if your family wants to create a fairy garden.
My garden has Dutch lavender, tiny sedum, and a gate into the land of pixies. My host's garden has a pretend beehive, and a real germander plant. Germander smells divine, and is reported to be a bumblebee magnet.
© 2009 Nancy L. Ruder
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