How to Make a Fairy Garden in a Colander: Upcycled Whimsy with Built-In Drainage

Most upcycled fairy garden containers have one small drawback: you have to drill them. Teapots, boots, drawers and tins all look wonderful, but without drainage holes the soil turns to soup after the first heavy watering. A colander solves that problem before you even start. It is, after all, a bowl designed entirely around the idea of letting water run straight through. Add the fact that its curved shape and little feet or handles look charming planted up, and you have one of the easiest and prettiest homes a miniature world could ask for.

Why a colander makes such a good fairy garden

The appeal comes down to three things. First, the drainage is perfect and completely free — no drill, no risk of cracking the container. Second, the shape is ideal: a shallow, rounded bowl gives you a generous surface for a scene while keeping everything close enough to view from above, which is exactly how a fairy garden is best admired. Third, a colander can be hung or stood, so it works on a tabletop, a wall bracket or dangling from a hook by its handles, making it a brilliant choice for balconies and other tight spots where floor space is scarce.

Enamel, stainless steel and even old plastic colanders all work. A vintage enamel one with a chip or two only adds to the charm, and you can often find them for next to nothing at car boot sales and charity shops.

What you will need

Gather your colander, a piece of permeable landscape fabric or hessian to line it, a light peat-free potting compost, and a few small plants. You will also want your hard landscaping — fine gravel or sand for paths, a handful of pebbles, and some moss — plus the miniature accessories that bring the story to life: a little door, a bench, a tiny bridge, or a fairy figure or two. A small trowel or even an old spoon is all you need for planting.

Preparing and lining the colander

Because the holes that make a colander drain so well are also big enough for compost to wash straight through, the one essential step is lining it. Press a layer of landscape fabric, hessian or even thin moss around the inside of the bowl, letting it reach just up to the rim. This holds the soil in while still letting water escape. Trim away any excess that pokes over the top so it stays hidden. If you plan to hang the colander, check that the handles are sound and hang it empty first to be sure the bracket or hook can take the weight once it is filled and watered.

Adding soil and choosing plants

Fill the lined colander with a light, free-draining compost, stopping a centimetre or so below the rim so there is room to water without overflow. Mix in a little grit if you have it, as miniature plants hate sitting wet.

The secret to a convincing fairy garden is scale: everything must stay small. Reach for slow-growing, low plants such as mind-your-own-business (Soleirolia), miniature ferns, small sedums, baby’s tears, and cushion-forming mosses, along with the odd tiny-leaved trailing plant to spill over the edge and soften the metal rim. It is worth reading up on the best plants for a fairy garden before you buy, so your tiny landscape still looks in proportion a few months down the line. Plant the greenery first, firming each one in gently, and leave a few open areas for paths and clearings.

Building the miniature scene

Now comes the fun part. Lay a winding path of fine gravel or sand from one side of the bowl to the other — a curve always looks more magical than a straight line. Set a little door against a raised mound of soil or a stone so it looks built into a hillside, and position a bench, a bridge over a pebble stream, or a tiny lantern along the path. Tuck cushions of moss around the bases of plants and accessories to blur the joins and make everything look settled and established. Work from the back of the bowl forward, placing the taller plants and features behind and the low detail in front, so the whole scene has a sense of depth when you look into it.

Resist the urge to crowd it. A few well-placed pieces with a little open space between them tell a far more charming story than a bowl packed edge to edge.

Hanging it or standing it

If you are hanging your colander, a set of three chains or sturdy cords clipped to the rim gives the most even, level hang; a single handle looks pretty but can tip. Hung at eye level by a door or window, the little world greets you every time you pass. On a tabletop, raise it on a small stand or a couple of bricks so water can still drip freely from underneath without marking the surface. Wherever it goes, a spot in bright but indirect light suits most of the small shade-loving plants best.

Caring for your colander garden

Thanks to all those holes, a colander garden drains fast, which means it can also dry out faster than a solid pot — so check it every few days in warm weather and water gently with a fine rose or a mister to avoid washing the scene about. Pinch back any plant that outgrows its surroundings, lift out anything that fails, and refresh the moss when it browns. In a hard frost, move the colander somewhere sheltered, as the thin metal offers the roots little protection.

When you are ready for your next project, the same upcycling spirit works beautifully in all sorts of vessels — a graceful old watering can or a chipped vintage teapot each make enchanting miniature homes of their own. But for sheer ease, it is hard to beat the humble colander that was practically made for the job.