Skip to Content

I LOVE This Fun Succulent Fairy Garden Idea (This Easy DIY Is SO Cute!)

How CUTE is this indoor succulent fairy garden tray?! It’s a simple DIY. Here’s the easy steps to make your own fairy garden with succulents.

DIY Indoor Succulent Fairy Garden Idea

I know, I know. I just built a Fairy Herb Garden a few months ago and I loved that too. But I just couldn’t resist designing a new one with succulents and a vintage camper theme.

Right after writing up my directions for the fairy herb garden, I found a vintage camper on Amazon and recommended it as a cute option for the same tray.

Then, I stumbled upon this cute vintage camper at Hobby Lobby and I new I had to design an indoor fairy garden around it! And, this time I decided to use succulents.

Image of Homemade DIY Indoor Fairy Garden with a Vintage Camper Van, dog, and succulent plants.

Since succulents remind me of the rocky landscaping in the Southwest and campers remind me of, well camping, I decided to go with a camping in the Southwest theme.

To give this mini succulent garden more visual appeal, I mixed a sheet of moss with pea gravel to make the terrain. Then I added some fake succulents with a little pot of real succulents.

Easy DIY Steps to Make a DIY Shallow Planter Tray with tips on best plants to use for a shallow planter or garden. I LOVE this cute Succulent Fairy Garden Theme too.
Can you believe 4 of these succulents are fake? They look so nice, guys!

I also grabbed an aloe to give the tray a little height and because aloe’s are just awesome. This whole indoor fairy garden tray can be made in less than an hour. It’s super easy.

If you buy all real succulents, I recommend keeping them in a separate small planting dish inside the tray. That’ll make it easier to water them separately. And the soil is ready made for succulents!

Image of an indoor succulent fairy garden idea with instructions to make a tray fairy garden with succulents.
Don’t forget to Save or Share how to make this indoor succulent fairy garden idea!

Now, let’s get to how I made this DIY fairy garden with succulents.

What You’ll Need

Here’s a quick look at how to make your own DIY Succulent Fairy Garden on my YouTube Channel.

I LOVE This Fun DIY Succulent Fairy Garden Idea - And, my kids do too!

How To Make A Fairy Garden With Succulents

Quick Note: Some of these pictures are from the original DIY indoor Fairy Garden post, but the set up is pretty similar. Just ignore the herbs in some of the pictures. 😉

Quick Step Guide

  1. Prep The Tray
  2. Add Gravel For Drainage
  3. Make The Light Poles
  4. Add The Plants & Decorations

Prep The Tray

Cut your heavy-duty garbage bag so that 6 inches or so hangs over all 4 sides. Leaving extra long sides now makes it easier to fill the tray without worrying about the plastic shifting.

This LED Lighted DIY Indoor Succulent Garden Tray is one of the easiest DIY Succulent Garden Ideas you'll find. Fill with your favorite succulents and vintage truck or camper to give it some extra charm. You have to love Easy Indoor Succulents, especially when they're cute decor.
Start with a tray with at least a 4″ rim.

Lay the plastic on top of the tray and push it flat along the bottom and into each corner. You will have extra material sticking up on the edges for now.

This LED Lighted DIY Indoor Succulent Garden Tray is one of the easiest DIY Succulent Garden Ideas you'll find. Fill with your favorite succulents and vintage truck or camper to give it some extra charm. You have to love Easy Indoor Succulents, especially when they're cute decor.
Line the tray with heavy-duty plastic to protect the tray from water.

Add Gravel For Drainage

Put a 1″ layer of gravel along the bottom of the tray. Then add a couple of inches of the best soil for the type of plants you’ve chosen.

Make sure the tray has enough soil to be firm all across the tray and around the plants. Add the plants and cover the soil in a light layer of pea gravel and moss to suit your design.

This LED Lighted DIY Indoor Succulent Garden Tray is one of the easiest DIY Succulent Garden Ideas you'll find. Fill with your favorite succulents and vintage truck or camper to give it some extra charm. You have to love Easy Indoor Succulents, especially when they're cute decor.
Pour a light layer of gravel into the bottom of the tray for drainage.

OR, if you are using real succulents already in small shallow planters or fake succulents for your design. You can just fill the whole tray with pretty pea gravel, since you won’t need soil.

Trim away the extra plastic along the edges of the tray.

Make The Light Poles

Screw an eye hook in one end of each of the 4 dowel sections. Stick a dowel in each corner of the tray, eye hook end up. I also hot glued my dowels into the corners of the tray.

Start the lighting by hiding the battery pack for the lights behind the tray or between the liner and tray. You can use 3M Command Velcro Strips to keep it in place.

Make sure to never let the battery pack get wet, it is not waterproof.

This LED Lighted DIY Indoor Succulent Garden Tray is one of the easiest DIY Succulent Garden Ideas you'll find. Fill with your favorite succulents and vintage truck or camper to give it some extra charm. You have to love Easy Indoor Succulents, especially when they're cute decor.
The lights give this cute succulent fairy garden extra charm.

The wire and the lights on most of these mini LED lights are waterproof though, be sure to double-check the instructions included with yours.

Wind the wire LED mini light around each dowel and through the eye hook to secure the wire in place. Depending on the length of your wire, you may need to do 1 or more dowels twice.

Just be sure to always start and end each dowel with the eye hook to make it look more like the lights around a campground.

Easy DIY Steps to Make a DIY Shallow Planter Tray with tips on best plants to use for a shallow planter or garden. I LOVE this cute Succulent Fairy Garden Theme too.
The wood discs and larger stones are a small touch from the yard that really complete this garden. I cut the wood discs from a big branch. But, you can buy these at craft stores too.

I left the front of my tray free of lights. I didn’t want to obstruct the view of the camper and succulents.

If you are designing this as a centerpiece, you can always change the layout of the lights so that they are across the center of the tray or even shorten the dowels to keep the lighting along the edge of the tray.

Add The Plants & Decorations

Once the lighting is done, place your vintage camper (more birdhouse campers on Amazon) and other bits of decor inside the tray. You could really have fun with this idea and make it into anything you can imagine.

If your family is into fairies, mice, butterflies, horses, etc., go with that as a theme. You could use gravel to make a dry creek bed. Create little mailboxes from craft wood.

How adorable is this Fun Vintage DIY Indoor Fairy Garden Idea! In under an hour, you can add cute fairy garden details to your favorite indoor plants. #AbbottsAtHome #FairyGarden #IndoorPlants #VintageDecor #HomeDecorIdeas
Moss and wood slices create a lawn and pathway for my Vintage Camper. The cute dog just adds a bit more fun to this fairy garden with succulents.

Or even use fairy garden decor for your little garden. Have fun with it. I made my wood discs from a branch I found in our yard. I used my miter saw to quickly cut it into slices.

After I had the scene set up the way I wanted it, I was able to pick the best spots for the plants in the open areas.

How adorable is this Fun Vintage DIY Indoor Fairy Garden Idea! In under an hour, you can add cute fairy garden details to your favorite indoor plants. #AbbottsAtHome #FairyGarden #IndoorPlants #VintageDecor #HomeDecorIdeas
My little boys love this DIY Shallow Planter Tray – Succulent Fairy Garden because of the sweet lights, camper, and that dog, of course!

Tips for Indoor Plants to Use in a Shallow Tray

There are lots of plants that work well in shallow planters, like a tray. Just do a quick google search on what you want to use to double check before buying.

Many types of herbs, succulents, indoor ivys, bonsai trees, pothos, and even strawberries will work.

JUST BE SURE to pick the right potting mix, sunlight, and drainage for your plants.

That’s it for this DIY Shallow Planter Tray Idea. Here’s a few more projects you might like!

Check out the 20 Best DIY Projects Using Chalkboard Paint. These are fantastic, guys!

Here's my top picks for the Best DIY Projects Using Chalkboard Paint for your home. I LOVE these ideas!

Looking for more cute DIY Decor ideas? Have you tried DIY Acrylic Pour Art? It’s super fun and totally addictive, guys.

This Fun & Easy DIY Acrylic Pour Tutorial is a great way to make unique and low cost art. But, how about using that acrylic pour on drawers and furniture?! #AbbottsAtHome #AcrylicPaint #DIYHomeDecor #AcrylicPouring

And, you might like this popular DIY for faux metal patina finishes. This DIY is so incredibly easy. I even use these paints on old decor and mirrors for a cool new patina metal look.

Build a DIY Chunky Wooden Frame for a canvas, print, or anything. You'll save money and get a custom size for your wall decor. #AbbottsAtHome #customframe #DIYframe
Loving the way this looks already. 🙂

I love this beautiful DIY Acrylic Paint Pouring Wall Art tutorial.

Make your own stunning art for less than $20 with this pretty DIY Paint Pouring Wall Art Idea & Tutorial. I love this DIY Art Project, guys! Anyone can do this. #AbbottsAtHome #WallArt #PaintPouring #PouringPaint #AcrylicPaint #DIYDecor

Feeling inspired? Ready to design your own Fun Indoor Succulent Fairy Garden Idea? Have fun and let me know if you have questions. Or post pictures of your work and tag Abbotts At Home on FB, I’d love to see it!

Kathleen - Bloggers Lifestyle

Thursday 11th of April 2019

I do like your little diy indoor garden, I am into miniature stuff, fairies and other scenes so I appreciate your lovely creation. I saved it to my Let's Create Pinterest board, which you may like to collaborate on https://www.pinterest.com.au/2patkath/lets-create-craft/ Kathleen Blogger's Pit Stop

Stephanie

Saturday 13th of April 2019

Yay! So glad you liked it. I'll check out your board. :)

Crystal Buckley

Wednesday 10th of April 2019

Love this! So cute! Where did you find the metal serving tray at? Or where can i find something like that been looking for something like that for my fairy garden? Thanks

Stephanie

Thursday 11th of April 2019

Hi Crystal. I can't find the one I have anymore. But this one might work for you. https://amzn.to/2X69vjk I hope you find one you like!!

Kari

Wednesday 10th of April 2019

I featured your camping vignette on my Celebrate your story post this week. check out www.meandmycaptain.com and thanks for linking up. Kari

Stephanie

Thursday 11th of April 2019

Wow, thanks so much for the feature Kari!

Sarah @ The DIY Mommy

Monday 8th of April 2019

This is so much fun! I love it :)

Stephanie

Tuesday 9th of April 2019

Thanks so much, Sarah!

April J Harris

Monday 8th of April 2019

Stephanie, this is so cute!! What a sweet fairy garden. Scheduled to pin and featuring at the Hearth and Soul Link Party today! Thank you so much for sharing!

Stephanie

Monday 8th of April 2019

Thanks so much, April!

Comments are closed.