Flower Fairies

I recently came across this book when I was tidying out some shelves, and absently opened it to browse for a few moments.  An hour later I was still there, captivated by the beautiful illustrations.  Cicely Mary Barker spent most of her childhood drawing and painting and she was greatly influenced by Kate Greenaway - another favourite illustrator of mine.  The children in her books were modelled on real children from her sister Dorothy's Kindergarten and her flowers are all anatomically correct!

Flower Fairies are tiny creatures (the biggest is only 20cm tall) that live in the bottom of gardens, the middle of grassy meadows, and on the edge of distant marshes. Wherever and whenever a seed sprouts, a Flower Fairy baby is born. Each Flower Fairy lives and sleeps in their chosen flower, plant or tree, and as this grows the fairy grows too. Each and every Flower Fairy is in charge of looking after their flower or plant; keeping it strong and healthy by making sure it has plenty of sunshine and water to drink, sweeping away dead leaves, and polishing flowers and stems.  These are some of my favourites...

Montage

Cornflower fairy

Apple Blossom fairy