Flower Fairies are coming to Hampshire this summer!  From 19 July to 3 September, Cicely Mary Barker’s much loved creations will feature in Sir Harold Hillier Gardens’ spectacular children’s trail.

What could be more fun than slipping on a pair of fairy wings and exploring one of the county’s most beautiful gardens?  Twelve fairies feature in the trail along with children’s activities and a fairy grotto.  Cicely’s accurate illustrations are a perfect fit for the Gardens – well-known for excellence in horticulture and conservation.

Fairies in the trail include the Honeysuckle Fairy, the Poppy Fairy, the Harebell Fairy and the Foxglove Fairy. The £5 trail (plus normal admission prices) includes a ‘fairy passport’ with activities and a pair of wings.

Since they first crept out from behind leaves and flowers in 1918 for the Elves and Fairies postcards, Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower Fairies™ have been enchanting and delighting children and adults alike. A selection of these charming characters will be on display at the Garden Museum this summer in an exhibition which celebrates the centenary of the earliest publication of Cicely Mary Barker’s first fairy illustrations.

Continuing to be inspired by fairies Cicely Mary Barker published the first of her Flower Fairies books in 1923. Visitors will see original illustrations for more than 40 of her Flower Fairiesdesigns, drawing extensively from the Frederick Warne archive which is an imprint of Penguin Random House UK. There will also be previously unseen sketchbooks and drawings together with her research materials.

Younger visitors to the exhibition will have the opportunity to dress up as some of their favourite fairies from Barker’s Illustrations and send pictures to family and friends.

Some key pieces in the exhibition include a rare set of 1918 Elves and Fairies postcards and the original artwork for these, as well as the preparatory sketches for the White Bindweed Fairy, Alder Fairy and Jack-go-to-Bed at noon. There will be artwork from all eight of the original Flower Fairies books, including Flower Fairies of the Winter, which was published posthumously. Favourites include the Fuchsia Fairy, the Strawberry Fairy, the Rose Fairy and the Horse Chestnut Fairy.

The exhibition will be held alongside a number of family-friendly events, including cookery workshops which explore the use of edible flowers in food and garden workshops which will allow children to make fairy gardens.

Robert James launched their incredible bronze Flower Fairies sculptures at Chelsea Flower Show this month, bringing the Clover Fairy and the Gorse Fairy to life in exquisite detail.

It has been a real pleasure for us to work with these talented sculptors who aim to bring enchantment from childhood into the contemporary garden.

Located in Nagasaki prefecture, Huis Ten Bosch is a famous theme park that is a recreation of a Dutch town, complete with beautiful canals and nature.  Flowers bloom throughout the seasons in this park and right now there is a Flower Fairies exhibition being held as part of the 2017 Flower Festival.

Visitors can enjoy gorgeous Flower Fairies displays featuring their art and poems, as well as information about the flowers themselves.  There will be an area where you can enjoy many unique experiences, including meeting fairies with the help of digital imagery and an enchanted mirror.

This exhibition will run through to 3rd July 2017

CHICAGO, IL – Ultimate Source, Inc. Ultimate Source is excited to announce their partnership with the Estate of Cicely Mary Barker and Penguin Random House to introduce the NEW Flower Fairies Secret Garden Collection. This brand-new miniature gardening product line includes 8 Flower Fairies, multiple accessories, and planter kits to create your own real or imaginary miniature garden. With all the diverse ways to decorate your garden, it’s easy to collect, create, and imagine your Flower Fairies world.

Ultimate Source Sr. Manager, Joyce Sprau, has this to say about the product line, “I saw a gap in the market for a Fairy Garden product line specifically designed for kids.  The challenge was to find the right license because children need a story and characters that they can relate to.  I found the perfect harmony through the stories of the Flower Fairies by Cicely Mary Barker.”

These Flower Fairies are unlike any other miniature garden item on the market, as they are made with durable plastic and they are safety tested for children ages 6 and over. Children can choose to create their real miniature garden using live plants or create an imaginary garden with foam moss and silk plants designed perfectly for the Flower Fairies world. Once they design their own scene, children can continue to play, imagine, and re-create the Flower Fairies stories.

For more information on all of the designs available, visit www.flowerfairiesgarden.com.
Be sure to follow Flower Fairies Secret Garden on Instagram @flower_fairies_secretgarden, on Facebook at Flower Fairies Secret Garden, and on Twitter @flowerfairiesSG

This year we’ve launched an exciting a new feature for our Facebook followers called #ArchiveSundays

One of the most special things about the Flower Fairies is their history and heritage, so on the last Sunday of each month we will be sharing some exclusive finds from deep in the archives – from original sketches and covers to interesting history and facts about Cicely Mary Barker herself.

Follow us at Instagram.com/officialflowerfairies for a celebration of Cicely Mary Barker’s illustration, associated arts and crafts, and sneak peeks from behind the scenes.

This brand new collection of ceramic, textile and figural gifts features the enchanting Flower Fairies, originally drawn by Cicely Mary Barker. Available from Border Fine Arts Contemporary.

The first Flower Fairies illustrations were published in 1923 and combined accurate drawings of flowers – often based on Cicely’s studies at London’s Kew Gardens – with fairy images based on real children who attended her sister’s nursery school.

Border Fine Arts designers have been inspired by Cicely’s wonderful Candytuft and Gorse illustrations and by adding a contemporary twist using pastel pink and bright yellow backgrounds, have created a beautiful collection featuring tea sets, scarves and umbrellas.