Heinz Brothers to host Fairy Garden Festival Weekend
Heinz Brothers Greenhouse Garden Center, a locally-owned premier garden center, is hosting its sixth annual Fairy Garden Festival Weekend on April 8-9.
The festival will feature a wide assortment of fairy garden products, including containers, plants and potting mixes, houses and terrariums, as well as a wide variety of fairies and miniature accessories. Heinz is also featuring a collection of Ittie Bitties, 2-inch miniature assorted plants that are the perfect size for fairy gardens. Fairy garden experts will be on hand to help people get started in fairy gardening or expand upon existing fairy gardens.
In addition, there will be fun activities for the whole family, including a Fairy Garden Scavenger Hunt with a grand prize giveaway, a Customer Fairy Garden Competition, education and demonstrations, face painting and more. Free potting mix will be provided for customers that bring their own container or purchase one in the store.
A fairy garden is a miniature garden with structures and living plants. A fairy garden starts with a container, such as ceramic and terra cotta pots, wicker baskets, galvanized buckets, wooden boxes or any container with a wide open surface area to accommodate the garden features. It is important to fill the fairy garden container with the right potting mix that contains peat moss and perlite, such as BACCTO Lite, for optimal drainage.
Most fairy gardens feature a miniature door or house, surrounded by an assortment of plants, figurines, furniture and other accessories, with a top dressing of moss, sand, shells, stones or pebbles. Popular plants found in these miniature gardens include ferns, sedum, violets, primrose, cypress and more.
Fairy gardens are well suited for indoor or outdoor display. If placed outdoors, choose a spot in the garden protected from heavy rains, strong winds and direct afternoon sun to create optimal growing conditions and maintain the integrity of the miniature landscape. Outdoor fairy gardens can also overwinter indoors, so they can flourish for many years.
Fairy gardening continues to grow in popularity as it combines two favorite trends: gardening and miniatures. New trends in fairy gardening include: 1.) an expansion of traditional fairy figurines into other magical creatures, such as trolls and mermaids, 2.) the addition of animals, such as frogs, squirrels, rabbits and dogs, to provide a "true to life" element to the garden, and 3.) creating whimsical themes for the gardens based upon fairy tales or favorite stories.
According to Christa Bormann, Heinz Brothers Greenhouse garden center manager, "These 'green places for small spaces' work well in any space making them ideal for someone who is downsizing or someone who is trying to find the perfect centerpiece for a patio table. They also provide a whimsical outlet for parents, grandparents and children to build and nurture over time. Fairy gardens are well suited for the children in all of us."
The Heinz Brothers Greenhouse Garden Center is located at 2010 E. Main St. in St. Charles. The Fairy Garden Festival Weekend will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 8, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 9. In addition, Heinz is offering a $5 coupon for any $35 garden center purchase that can be obtained off their Facebook page.
For information, call Heinz at (630) 377-6288 or visit www.heinzbrothers.com.