FLOWER*FAIRIES

~*§*~CICELY MARY BARKER~*§*~

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Cicely Mary Barker was born in Croydon, South London in 1895 and died in 1973. She led a quiet life, and was always happiest with a sketchbook in hand. Owing to ill health, she was educated at home and largely taught herself to draw and paint. Despite her lack of formal artistic training, her natural talent was commercially recognised when she was only 15 with the publication of a set of postcards. But, it was her Flower Fairies books, the first of which was published in 1923, which brought her international acclaim as an artist. The delicate charm of her illustrations, coupled with her meticulous botanical accuracy, has captivated both children and adults alike for nearly 70 years, and the books have become classics of children's literature. Text from the inside back cover of FLOWER*FAIRIES OF*THE*GARDEN ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

WHERE? ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Where are the fairies? Where can we find them? We've seen the fairy-rings The leave behind them! When they have danced all night, Where do they go? Lark, in the sky above, Say, do you know? Is it a secret No one is telling? Why, in your garden Surely they're dwelling! No need for journeying, Seeking afar: Where there are flowers, There fairies are! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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Due to the original watercolours having since been lost, the pictures you see here were scanned from a first edition by Frederick Warne and published by Penguin Books in a beautiful series of books I have enjoyed. I would like to share them with you here. So far, the only copy I personally own is the FLOWER*FAIRIES OF*THE*GARDEN. I have had the chance to peruse the other books in the set through a friends personal collection and they are by far the most beautiful, sweetest poetry I have had the honour of reading.

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The picture below is from

FLOWER*FAIRIES
OF*THE*GARDEN

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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The first Flower Fairies book was published nearly 70 years ago. They have been loved by millions since that time. Cicely Mary Barker had a fantastic view of the natural world; this combined with her love of children, made her illustrations delightful and pleasing to the eye as well as the heart and soul. The goodness her fairies bring to the reader is powerful in its innocense. Beginning in 1923 with Flower Fairies of the Spring, the Flower Fairy books were written and illustrated over a period of 25 years. Copyrighted by her estate, these works are scanned copies taken from her books and postcard sets. <-*!*->Please download these images to your PC and do not link directly to this site. This site is new and if trouble arises for me with the estate of Cicely Mary Barker, or with my ISP, this site and all it contains will be removed promptly. @ The Estate of Cicely Mary Barker 1990 Faery search in the Faery Garden Flower Fairy Poetry Flower Fairies by Fiona Send a faery postcard Before downloading images ~*§*~MUST READ !!~*§*~ Page Copyright Info. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *THE SONG OF* THE SCILLA FAIRY ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Scilla, Scilla, tell me true, Why are you so very blue?" Oh, I really cannot say Why I'm made this lovely way! I might know, if I were wise. Yet--I've heard of seas and skies, Where the blue is deeper far Than our skies of Springtime are. P'r'aps I'm here to let you see What that Summer blue will be. When you see it, think of me! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they went skipping about, and that was the beginning of faeries." ~*§*~Sir James Matthews Barrie~*§*~ ~*~*~*~*~*~*~