Fairy FAQs

What do Garden Fairies dig doin?

We have a wonderment about nature and love getting together to work on gardening related projects. We get to talk about plants and ourselves- and because we are very creative and passionate, we have a lot of fun doing it. Garden Fairies is a flock (really a co-op) of mainly middle-aged female gardeners.

Approaching, or firmly planted in middle-age, we have a zest for living and a shared concern for our community.

What is the Garden Fairies’ Mission?

The Garden Fairies main mission is to enhance and make new gardens.

We connect with other members of the Garden Fairy group on a regular basis to help improve our gardens and to form new friendships. We often assist new members by jump starting projects that would be daunting to undertake without help.

We have other missions as well. One is to help people who love gardening but, due to physical limitations, have given up the hobby. To fill this need, we started Garden Fairies “Gift of a Garden Program”.

Do the Garden Fairies dig community outreach projects?

Over the years we have done many community outreach projects, forming associations to foster goodwill in our community.

1. Fred Howard Park/ Tarpon Springs FL- we helped plant 30,000 sea oats. In the past, we have aided in ridding the park of invasive plants.
2. Brooker Creek Preserve/ Tarpon Springs FL- Dedicated to the conservation of native plants is where we helped install large beds of native flora
3. Community Pride Daycare Center/ Clearwater FL-  a organization that assists homeless and needy children.We partnered with Palm Harbor Montessori to provided xmas presents for the children. The flock of Garden Fairies and Santa that delivered the presents were a huge hit with the children.
4. Something Fishy Lovin’ and Livin’ Artists Home & Garden Tour, we helped funds for a school an elementary school in Largo, FL.
5. The Garden Fairy 2004 Artistic Garden Tour raised thousands of dollars for Howard Park in Tarpon Springs, including new palm trees and plants at the island beach and also to create a new community grow garden at Fred .
6. Helen Ellis Hospital / Tarpon Springs FL- to benefit the hospital neonatal wing, we did ambitious artwork for two benefits, “Chairs that Care Gala” and “Martini Glass Gala”
7. Hurricane and tsunami survivors/Safety Harbor- we aiding put on two benefits at Garden Fairy (and Wizard) members Todd and Kiaralinda’s famous “Bowling Ball House”.
8. Front Porch C.D.A./ St. Petersburg FL- we donated $150,000 of materials and in-kind labor which got them matching funds from the State of Florida to build a community courtyard space and outdoor learning classroom.
9. Artist facing foreclosure- GFairy Jodi provided her house for a benefit for a local struggling artist. Post benefit GFairy Heather worked hand in hand with the artist, continuing on providing lots of ongoing support. The artist has been able to stay in her home and is doing much better financially.
10. Brookwood Home/ St. Petersburg FL-  for abused and neglected teenage girls. Since 2004 Brookwood has been our annual holiday charity. We have painted tee shirts with the girls and made them various personal items; bracelets, necklaces, slippers and makeup bags.
11. Tarpon Springs Middle School- we ran an outdoor classroom at The Howard Park Community Garden teaching at risk middle schoolers, teaching art and horticulture.
12. 2009 Art in the Garden Tour/ Tampa Bay FL-  we will be doing a large mosaic and painted mural somewhere in Tarpon Springs, our 2010 beneficiary with funds raised through our garden tour. We are partnering with the The Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce, with additional funding from BB&T Bank.

How Do Garden Fairies Grow Friendships?

The majority of the members are middle aged, fun loving, imaginative lovers of life. Many of the Garden Fairies are creative professional female artists or are artistically inclined. But we have women who are in all kinds of fields. Do you have artistic yearnings that are unfullfilled? Come join us to find your “inner artist” and some new best friends.

How many Fairies and Garden Nymphs (Fairy interns) are there?

There are more than 500 members from three Florida counties; Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough.We also have “Associate” Fairies – snowbirds (and members who have moved away and attend our events when they’re in town). Our internet communications detail our latest adventures, featuring images of the flock to provide inspiration and information for our northern members.

How can you get involved?

We publish in this blog- the dates, times and directions to the Garden Fairy events. “Garden Fairies” has no regular dues for participation in our events. Just subscribe to this blog, and you’ll be automatically notified.

Any rules?

“Garden Fairies” has only one rule and very little hierarchy. Our only rule is that members are asked to work in three other members’ gardens (taking them through Nymph stage to the final full fledged Fairy stage). When one becomes a full fledged Garden Fairy she gets her wings and is put on the list to have her garden worked on, some time in the future.

There are only two stages; the Nymph Stage and the Final Fairy Stage. We have found men who want to become part of the flock are resistant to the name Fairy, so we came up with a designation for our male counterparts- Garden Wizards. For those men who put in extra time with the flock get elevated to Garden Kahunas (meaning priest, sorcerer, magician, wizard, minister, expert in any profession).

What are the benefits of being a Garden Fairy?

Get inspired by being surrounded by creative, positive people who will help you explore your creative potential, in and out of the garden.

• Grow as a gardener.
• Learn about wonderful, out-of-the-way plant nurseries.
• Meet great people. Our focus is digging in the dirt. (We promote pleasantness and work hard on leaving the dirty dirt behind.)
• Go on field trips.
• Help others.
• Exercise.

Overwhelmed with desire for a great yard?

Some people either don’t have the time to dig with the Fairies or want their yard done now. For people in those categories we offer Garden Fairy Pro-Services.

Many of the Garden Fairies are professional artists who you can hire to help you transform part of your house or garden. We also have a list of reliable trades people who can help you with your house and garden.

Art for the garden

Some of the Pro Garden Fairies make art for the garden and one Garden Fairy has a shop featuring  garden art.