IN THE GARDEN | How to create a living fairytale

Fantasy in a fairy story sparks a child’s imagination. Through this magic, a young mind learns emotional and moral intelligence, develops word power and becomes sensitive to other cultures.

Eight-year-old Demi Scholl has the privilege of living in her very own fairytale every day, in the fairy garden her dad, Warwick, created just for her in the back yard of their home in Vincent, East London.

Though far from the factual nature of the Selborne mathematics teacher’s classes, the storyline of a fairytale also teaches valuable lessons.

Tapping into this imaginative narrative a child develops critical thinking skills.

As they root for the “good” and “bad” characters in the story, they become aware of the consequences of the different behaviours they portray.

How different are the environments of a fairy garden compared to a maths classroom and sports field where Warwick works?

“Not very different, actually,” he said.

“Attention to detail is one of my characteristics as a person and most certainly describes me as an educator and sports coach.

“A garden like this has taken shape over a long time, bit by bit.”

He admitted the “fairy garden” was actually a guise for his obsession with succulents.

It also excuses the amount he spends on new plants when reviewing the family budget.

“I love my collection of rare plants — the bigger and brighter, the better.”

Demi, a grade 2 pupil at Stirling Primary School, and her dad started the garden together during lockdown.

It was timed too on the birth of Stacey and Warwick’s son, Brody.

“It was a fun way of keeping Demi occupied so Stacey could have the space and time she needed to spend with the baby,’’ Warwick said.

The fairy garden provided a project to make something of the neglected space that was just an overgrown vegetable/weed patch which had become an eyesore.

And Warwick needed an area dedicated to growing his succulent collection.

“I’m also a great fantasy nerd. I think a lot of people rely on switching off and transporting themselves to another world to relax.

“For our children, believing in a fantasy — Father Christmas, the Easter bunny and tooth fairy — makes them happy and excited. So why not?

“In Demi’s case it was spending time with dad that she loved but the fairy garden also spoke to her creative side so she often came home from school with crafts for the garden which she’d made there.

“Fairy garden ‘furniture’ is costly so we gave her pieces as presents on birthdays and at Christmas.

“Or she’d come with random things she thought would find a home here.

“We’d pick up pieces at different stores or bazaars to create the little people and creatures’ habitat.”

Getting started

“Digging out the design in the 8m-long by 5m-wide space was hard work.

“I first dug out the design and laid a pathway to amble through the garden.

“It was important to contain the beds, which was done with rolls of wood garden edging.

“The landscape was also shaped with the placing of rocks and plants and creating high points at the back of the bed.

“Slopes were introduced too, to mimic a natural look.

“Rocks and plants were moved about all the time till we were content with the setting.”

Soil

“I had to learn the hard way developing soil that provided the right amount of drainage for the succulents.

“There are many recipes on the internet but I generally use a mix of 50% mulch with 50% fine crushed stone and perlite.”

Watering

Succulents have been called “camels of the plant world” as they have evolved to store water in their thick leaves, which also serve to protect them from the heat of the sun.

They thrive in sunny, dry climates.

The fleshy leaves act like a sponge.

Warwick’s watering regime depends on the season and the temperatures of the day.

“If we are having regular rain then I don’t water them at all.

“But in the hot, dry conditions we have experienced over the past months, I water them each week.”

He monitors the succulents growing in pots as they tend to dry out quicker.

In winter, he normally waters them every second week.

“It helps to test the soil for dryness or moisture by the feel of it.

“If its damp, don’t water. Never overwater. It’s probably the number one reason for a succulent to rot and die.”

Choosing plants

There are more than 10,000 species of succulents to choose from. Each differs in size, colour and texture.

Colours can be purple, mauve, blue, white-grey, pink, orange, black or red.

Some even change colour with the seasons or the amount of sunlight they receive.

Succulents also have the habit of displaying the most vibrant of hues after a period of extreme stress.

Warwick’s favourite succulents of the many he grows are the frilly echeveria.

Propagation

“Only some may be propagated from the leaf, while with others you need to wait for baby plants to grow from the stem,” Warwick advises.

To propagate plants from the leaves, make sure you pull the whole leaf from the stem. Don’t leave anything behind.

Leave the leaf to dry (callous) for two days.

“Lie them flat on damp soil in indirect sunlight and keep them out of the rain.

“Keep the soil damp and be patient. There is no need to stick them in the soil.

“All succulents are different though.

“Some grow pups quicker than others, while others don’t require any process or ‘love’ to grow.

“I’ve grown new plants by scattering the leaves on the soil like seeds.”

Growing new plants from branches

“Cut them and leave them to dry for two days. It’s very important that the callous forms on the cuttings otherwise they will rot.

“Place them on damp soil and wait for healthy roots to form before potting or replanting them.

“Keep the new/baby plants out of the sun in indirect light until they become healthy adult plants.

“Growing a fairy garden is an ongoing exercise which evolves over time.

“Its landscape changes should you come across an interesting piece of rock or wood, or find a new fairy house.”

• In the Garden is written by feature writer, garden enthusiast and former teacher Julia Smith, who has returned home to live in Chintsa East. The column aims to inform novice and accomplished gardeners on how to make the most of their green patches.