It's May and time to garden. As a youngster, I looked forward to May Day (May 1) as the occasion to pick spring flowers and fill small baskets or paper cones that were stealthily delivered to my mother and neighbors. The recipient was not to know the giver's identity, but the secret was often not so secret. When I was a bit older, my parents took me to Earlham College for its festive May Day pageant with a May Pole dance and the crowning of a May Queen. Oh, did I love that sight after a long winter of gray skies and monotone landscapes! Now, those May Day recollections are inspiration for a new interest.

I have welcomed spring gardening ready to unleash imagination on fairy gardens. Much of the joy of creating these miniature gardens is sharing them with others. I now have two young neighbor girls, my granddaughter, a friend and her niece all making their own gardens. No two fairy gardens are alike. Each gardener has chosen her own container according to the vision she has for her garden. I am using a cracked birdbath; some chose baskets; others selected random terra cotta pots.

This year we are having a ceremonial planting party and fairy tea - great fun for all. With fresh soil, a selection of miniature plants, and a few small features, gardens get built in just a few hours. We spend time scouring the yard to find natural items such as moss, stones, unusual twigs, and seed pods. For ponds, small rocks or sand define the edges. I brought sand back from Florida so one of the gardens could include a beach for a tiny sandcastle I also found on vacation. Other small items and fairies (not angels) from Goodwill and garage sales are in our materials arsenal. I now have a box filled with all kind of goodies that afford seasonal and theme accents.

We begin by putting down a layers of plastic peanuts or gravel in the bottom of the container to allow good drainage. Then place a layer of window screen over the gravel and then fill the container with soil. Those with baskets have to line them with sheet moss. After the ground is tamped down and sprinkled with water, the hardscape begins. I made a trellis for my dish while my friend purchased a beautiful arch. We have benches, chairs and tables, gourd houses, bird baths, ponds, and fences. Then a wooden spoon is great to use to dig a hole to adds plants. I even use curly willow starts for trees in my garden. Carefully the soil is opened, and seedlings are patted into place. The final step is adding rocks, sands, or colorful stones for paths in the garden. I have also made May Poles with colorful ribbons, adding pennants and battery-operated lights.

As you see, it's all up to one's imagination to determine what a fairy garden can be. I usually don't put a fairy in my garden until later in the summer. I want as many fairies to come as possible to my specially designed garden. Who knows who might show up? And remember if you see a fairy, you cannot tell. They might flee if you do!

We celebrate our new gardens with a tea featuring miniature cookies and succulent ripe fruits: strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Lemon cookies are a must because I think fairies would also enjoy something tart and sweet. The tea is herbal with a hint of honey. The day ends on a perfect note with everyone having a charming garden to take home so fairies will come to their yards. If you get the urge to try this type of gardening, Backyard Birds on 54th Street, Sullivan's on Keystone or Allisonville Nursery have great resources for creating fairy gardens.