Okay, if you want to get technical, this garden will probably attract more butterflies and hummingbirds than faeries. However, it’s the thought that counts, and who’s to say for sure whether that little creature that just whizzed past was a hummingbird or one of the Wee Folk?* (Besides, tradition has it that faeries are attracted to gardens where butterflies are plentiful, so you might just get lucky.)

The garden can be as large or small as space allows, and in a pinch nothing more elaborate than a window box or a few flowerpots will suffice.

The first step is to make your garden attractive to wildlife in general: Avoid pesticides, make sure there’s a water source (such as a birdbath or small fountain), and provide shelter: Siting the garden near woods or a dense hedge is ideal, but a smaller garden can use a birdhouse or even a clay flowerpot turned on its side instead.

Hummingbirds and adult butterflies both like plants that produce a lot of nectar, but butterflies also appreciate “host” plants that their caterpillars eat: Check with your local wildlife extension about host plants. It’s best to select plant species which are native to your area, since they’ll not only grow best but they’ll also attract the most butterflies. Try to arrange your plant selection so that something is in bloom throughout the growing season. A “cottage”-type garden with a slightly overgrown look and a variety of flowers is perfect for this (and gets extra points because it’s lower maintenance).

There are loads of plants which are suitable for this type of garden, including:

Anemone species
Aster (Callistephus chinensis)
Baby’s Breath (Gypsophilia)
Beardtongue (Penstemon)
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
Bergamot/Horse Mint (Monarda)
Blanket Flower (Gaillardia aristata)
Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)
Burning Bush (Dictamnus albus)
Buttercup (Ranunculus)
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii/Buddleia alternifolia)
Butterfly Flower (Schizanthus wisetonensis)
Butterfly Lily (Hedychium coronarium)
Butterfly Orchid (Oncidium papilio)
Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternata)
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum)
Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa)
Columbine (Aquilegia)
Common Garden Petunia (Petunia hybrida)
Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Common Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)
Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Coralbells (Heuchera)
Coreopsis (Coreopsis grandiflora/verticillata)
Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)
Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)
English Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia)
Forget-me-not (Myosotis)
Four o’Clocks (Mirabilis jalapa)
Foxglove (Digitalis)
Gayfeather (Liatris spicata)
Giant Hyssop (Agastache)
Gloriosa Daisy (Rudbeckia hirta)
Heather (Erica)
Hollyhock (Alcea)
Lavender (Lavandula)
Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Lobelia species
Mexican sunflower (Tithonia)
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum)
New York Aster (Aster novi-belgii)
Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata)
Peonies (Paeoniaceae)
Periwinkle (Vinca)
Pincushion Flowers (Scabiosa caucasica)
Pinks (Dianthus caryophyllus)
Poppy (Papaver)
Primrose (Primula)
Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus)
Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Roses (Rosa)
Sea Holly (Eryngium bourgatii)
Sea Pink (Armeria maritima)
Shrubby Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruitiosa)
Snapdragons (Antirrhinum)
Snowdrops (Galanthus)
Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus)
Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
Thyme (Thymus)
Verbenas, Vervains (Verbena)
Violets (Viola pedata)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

If you have small children or animals which might randomly munch things in the garden, check to make sure you aren’t planting anything harmful. (Buttercups, for instance, can cause contact dermatitis, and foxgloves can be deadly.)

An additional trick for attracting butterflies is to provide them with a “sun deck:” Fill a shallow bowl with gravel and then add water. Keep the gravel moist throughout the summer. Butterflies will stop for a drink and frequently sunbathe for a while. (A few slices of overripe fruit will also attract many species.)

For optimal faerie results, add a gazing ball or other colorful decorative accents. (A pretty blown-glass hummingbird feeder can do double duty, luring more birds and adding an eye-catching decoration.) You can also try cultivating some of these plants and trees, all of which are reputed to be favored by faeries:

Alder
Apple
Ash
Birch
Blackthorn
Bluebells
Clover
Cowslip
Elder
Elecampane
Ferns
Flax
Foxglove
Furze Bushes
Globe Flower
Hawthorn
Hazel
Heather
Mallow
Nightwort
Oak
Pansies
Primrose
Ragweed/St. John’s Wort
Rose
Rosemary
Rowan
Silverweed/Silver Cinquefoil
Stichwort
Strawberries
Thyme
Tulips
Willow
Wood Anemone
Wood Sorrel
Wormwood

Even if you never see a faery, that doesn’t mean they aren’t around. And you’ll still have a lovely garden and a nice conversation piece (you’re trying to attract what?) either way.

(Hummingbird fairy image by Jody Bergsma.)

*I’d be happy with either one. When you wander into a hummingbird’s territory, it buzzes around and menaces you. I love being menaced by something two inches long. Makes me feel like Godzilla when the helicopters come.