A Fairy Garden

I visited my cousin over Memorial weekend and stayed in her beautiful home--her hubby built their home, lighthouse included! The white boathouse is theirs as well, if you look closely there is a platform built off the roof. Their daughter was a diver. What a talented family, and a very welcoming family too. I sure wish we lived closer, I'd be rocking on her porch every weekend!

I brought some of my Hosta to share with my cousin and she, recognizing that I was a gardener, introduced me to the owner of this magical shade garden. The owner is her next door neighbor.

This photo is taken from the dock.

I took this photo from her neighbor's dock and my cousin just oohed and ah'd, she had never thought to take this perspective before. That's what I love about photography.

The Lillie's were in full bloom. I love their delicate color.

This stone birdbath is carefully balanced. 

I love its natural look.

A bumble bee, a bit out of focus though.

Before I explored the garden, I had to explore the docks.

This string of bobber's caught my eye.

And here. See, I'm a river girl. We had a weekend place on the Mississippi River, about an hour north of St. Louis, when I was growing up. So many happy memories. Docks, old fishing boats and anything related makes my heart go pitter patter. 

I love this vignette of weathered wood and the delicate flower.

"This home is safeguarded by a bottle tree, the upside down bottles, preferably blue, would capture wandering spirit's, haunts, or 'haints' as the African Slaves believed. During the night, when the haint's were about, they would become trapped in one of the upside down bottles, the morning sun would kill them and if that was not enough the bottle would be plugged and thrown away. More on the custom of blue and haint's can be found in my earlier post on Haint Blue.

She knew that there could be a spell put in trees, and she was familiar from the time she was born with the way bottle trees kept evil spirits from coming into the house — by luring them inside the colored bottles, where they cannot get out again."
—Livvie, by Eudora Welty

I guess the bottle tree also protects the many fairies that call this shaded garden their home.

Her neighbor has young granddaughters and when they visit they play with the garden inhabitants.

They delight in this magical fairyland and the stories their grandmother spins.

I'm sure each girl has her favorites.

And the collection continues to grow.

I love this idea, and plan to steal it when I have grandchildren of my own. :)

We will have our own stories to weave. Don't you just love this magical space?

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come visit the other gardens.