fairy houses...

via

this past weekend we took a visit to a lovely local garden, woodlands, that is open only once a month. it is a little seven acre oasis in the middle of the city... full of native plants and flowers. right now it is also full of fairy houses. they are part of a project by skyland trail...

"skyland trail is a community-based nonprofit that offers hope to adults with mental illness by guiding them on the path to recovery.  clients engaged in both art and horticulture therapy, and inspired by the magic of woodlands garden through regular visits, have created miniature homes and gardens alongside the paths. fairy home building and gardening taps into the imagination and ingenuity of adults struggling with mental illness.  it allows individuals to celebrate the intricacies of nature while embracing their own talents and passions."

it was so much fun for the children (and me) to walk through the garden trail, discovering fairy houses. the one shown above was my personal favorite... a nest where fairies are born and spend time waiting for their wings to dry and figuring out what sort of fairy they will be. the kids were very inspired to come home and start working on fairy homes in our own garden...

i like that it is a project that encourages the children to look at our yard in a new way, to pay closer attention to nature when we are there and walking in the neighborhood... finding little things to add to the houses. i like that is an ongoing project, always changing. i especially like the idea of having these little hidden magical places to discover in the yard! i hope they make a lot more! maybe the chickens will enjoy discovering them too...