Welcome to the Fantasy Garden Tarot: A Whimsical Deck Review
The Fantasy Garden Tarot by Dmytro Ryzhak is a genuinely enchanting deck that combines artistic brilliance with a whimsical, light-hearted energy. Each card is meticulously drawn using ballpoint pens, a medium that gives the artwork a unique texture and delicacy. Published by Pentagram Publishing, this deck transports you to a fantastical garden world filled with lush landscapes, intricate architecture, and an unmistakable sense of wonder. Inspired by the deck’s intricate designs and garden theme, I developed specific spreads to delve deeper into its unique personality and foster meaningful engagement during readings.
First Impressions: A Natured-Inspired Tarot Experience
What I love most about this deck is how using ballpoint pens creates a light and airy feel. The fine lines and vibrant details bring an almost ethereal quality to the imagery, making it approachable and engaging. With its rich symbolism and focus on growth, the garden theme feels especially suited for reflection and personal exploration. If you’re a seasoned reader or a collector seeking something unique, this deck promises an inspiring and intuitive experience. The yellows, golds, and warm tones radiating from the deck instantly captured my imagination. I couldn’t wait to sit down, draw some cards, and uncover its personality.
Ballpoint Beauty: Artistic Style and Warm Tones in the Fantasy Garden Tarot
Artistic Style: The Fantasy Garden Tarot is illustrated entirely in ballpoint pen. This extremely common note-taking, doodling, and writing instrument makes the texture feel light but with extensive detail. The linework and storytelling style of the cards give a very textured focus on environmental details. The imagery of the eight ballpoint pens consistently builds a story on every page, making reading the cards comfortable and easy. This leads to the lines being fine and used in an expressive way, to express both mood and movement.
Color Palette: Relies heavily on yellow gold, green, blue, and red, which create an enchanted earth that is warm and inviting.
Vibe: This is an easy-going, earthy, textured deck that exudes a soft emotional quality and makes me smile whenever I use it.
Symbolism depth: The Fantasy Garden Tarot is loosely based on RWS. Focusing on the environment, it blends characteristics and some symbolism of the RWS into each card differently.
Major Arcana
Symbolism and Structure: How This Deck Speaks to the Intuitive Reader
- Deck Composition: 78 cards, adhering to the traditional structure of the Rider-Waite-Smith system.
- Card Size: 2.64 x 4.65 inches (67×118 mm), providing a comfortable handling experience.
- Packaging: Comes in a sturdy hard box with golden foil accents, adding a touch of elegance.
- Guidebook: Includes a printed guidebook that offers insights into the deck’s symbolism and suggested spreads.
A Deck for Insightful Tarot Readings and Personal Growth
Though the imagery is loosely modeled on the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) symbolism and characteristics, it still maintains enough of the RWS structure to be a seamless transition for readers familiar with the system. The Fantasy Garden Tarot leans into the environment and builds the visual narrative, which makes it ideal for intuitive reading. The mood and movement detailed within each card invite the reader to feel their way through each card.
This deck is very effective in reflective readings. It is easy to get to the “beneath the surface” insight. This deck is great for growth, potential, and emotional truth themes. This isn’t a deck that feels hurried; it invites you to get lost in the illustrations and sit with the cards. The tone is very gentle and enlightening.
Interviewing the Deck: Questions to Connect with Its Whimsical Energy
Before starting the interview, I took a moment to shuffle the deck with intention, focusing on forming a deep connection with it. Grounding yourself before using a deck is crucial for creating a meaningful bond. Whether you light a candle, meditate briefly, or simply hold the deck, a short ritual can help set the tone. Here is the six-card layout I used to guide the interview:
- What is your overall energy or personality? (Helps you connect with the deck’s vibe.)
- What are your strengths as a deck? (Shows where this deck shines in readings.)
- What are your limitations? (Helps understand when the deck might not be the best choice.)
- What kind of readings will you excel at? (Clarifies the situations it’s most suited for.)
- How can we best collaborate? (Gives guidance on how you should approach this deck in practice.)
- What do you want me to learn from working with you? (Reveals the deck’s purpose in your journey.)
After shuffling the cards and preparing to connect with the deck, I asked my first question: What is your overall energy or personality?
Deck Interview
When I sit down to interview a new deck, I don’t just read the cards, I listen to them. I approach the process as if the deck itself is speaking, not in riddles or rigid meanings, but in a voice shaped by its art, mood, and energy. This conversational method reflects how I read Tarot in general: with openness, intuition, and a touch of storytelling.
I ask questions, observe every brushstroke or pen mark, and let the imagery stir a response in me. Each answer the deck offers becomes a dialogue, part its voice, and part mine. This style deepens my relationship with the cards and brings out the personality in a way that’s both reflective and responsive. With the Fantasy Garden Tarot, whose whimsical, delicate artwork seems to hum with life, this process felt even more immersive. The deck didn’t just reply, it invited me into its world.
1. What is your overall energy or personality?
(Helps you connect with the deck’s vibe.)
Fantasy Garden Tarot Answer (Reversed Hermit): My energy is a quiet wisdom that invites you to look outward into the world and contemplate its beauty. The dark pen strokes evoke layers of mystery, balanced by the lantern that softly glows while the crescent moon breaks through the darkness and shimmers above the water. Standing on a balcony, I offer connection rather than isolation, ready to guide you outward. I remind you that light always breaks through, even in the darkest strokes.
The Fantasy Garden Tarot feels like a quiet but persistent invitation to rejoin the world. In the spirit of the Reversed Hermit, this deck doesn’t urge you to retreat into stillness. It gently nudges you outward, back into the sunlight of shared spaces and connected moments. Its energy is not about isolation for wisdom’s sake, but about applying that wisdom to life’s larger garden.
There’s a distinct feeling that this deck wants you to stop holding the lantern only for yourself. The light it offers isn’t a solitary glow in the darkness. More of a glimmer on the path that winds through relationships, purpose, and presence. When your inner world feels too crowded, or when you’ve spent too long turned inward, the Fantasy Garden Tarot opens a window. It says: look again. There’s beauty blooming just beyond your balcony.
2. What are your strengths as a deck?
(Shows where this deck shines in readings.)
Fantasy Garden Tarot Answer (Reversed Seven of Pentacles): My strength is helping you see clearly where your energy is best spent. Like the wheat being harvested, I reveal where your efforts have already borne fruit to help you decide if it’s time to keep going or to shift focus. When frustration or impatience sets in, I encourage you to pause and reflect: Is this path still serving you?
Even in moments of reevaluation, my golden tones remind you of the value already achieved, even if the results aren’t perfect. I excel at helping you balance effort with reward, offering clarity in moments of doubt. Together, we’ll uncover whether to push forward or let go. My golden tones remind you that what’s already been achieved is valuable, even if the results aren’t perfect.
The Fantasy Garden Tarot has a way of clearing the mental clutter, almost like sunlight cutting through the canopy after a long stretch of overthinking. Its light, airy artwork doesn’t dilute its message—it sharpens it. In the spirit of the Reversed Seven of Pentacles, this deck excels at helping you recognize where your energy is actually taking root, and where it’s simply being scattered into soil that can’t sustain you.
There’s something wonderfully honest about the way this deck works. It doesn’t tiptoe around stagnation or pretend that waiting always leads to harvest. Instead, it gently—but unmistakably—points out the places where your time, emotion, or effort hasn’t been yielding what you hoped for. It shows you the golden fields where growth is happening, and just as clearly names the patches where growth has stalled.
Its strength lies in pattern recognition. The Fantasy Garden Tarot sees misalignment before you do. It picks up on frustration you haven’t voiced, the weariness you’ve ignored, the subtle pull toward change that you’ve brushed aside. And rather than scolding or lecturing, it offers a new path—one with clearer skies, lighter steps, and more intentional choices.
This is a deck that thrives on movement. Not reckless motion, but the kind of forward shift that happens when you stop forcing what doesn’t want to grow. It helps you evaluate your commitments with compassion, encouraging you to prune away the dead branches so you can direct your energy into what’s truly flourishing.
In short, the Fantasy Garden Tarot excels at realignment. It helps you honor what’s working, release what’s draining you, and reinvest your spirit where it can bloom. Its delicate penwork mirrors its intuitive precision: fine lines, clear truths, and a gentle but unmistakable nudge toward wiser choices.
3. What are your limitations?
(Helps understand when the deck might not be the best choice.)
Fantasy Garden Tarot Answer (Ten of Wands): “My limitation lies in navigating the balance between effort and ease. While my breezy sky hints at lightness, I often ask you to carry the weight of truths that aren’t easy to face. My imagery reflects progress and responsibility—like the wheat-laden figure beneath towering wands, I can illuminate challenges, but my guidance can feel heavy in moments of overwhelm.
The protruding wands towering over the worker represent how challenges can sometimes overshadow your progress. I may not always be the deck to turn to when you seek simplicity or immediate relief. However, I encourage you to pause, delegate, or admire your accomplishments.
There’s a quiet intensity in the Fantasy Garden Tarot—a softness in its imagery that doesn’t shy away from weight. Through the Ten of Wands, it reveals one of its most human limitations: it doesn’t always lighten your load; sometimes it shows you just how much you’re carrying.
This isn’t a flaw. It’s a feature of its honesty.
This deck doesn’t sugarcoat the burdens that come with being deeply invested, emotionally entangled, or stretched too thin. It points to your armful of responsibilities—the ones you volunteered for, the ones that piled up quietly, and the ones you’re afraid to set down. In doing so, it may sometimes amplify that sense of being overwhelmed before it offers relief.
There are times when working with the Fantasy Garden Tarot might feel like walking through an overgrown path—you’re still surrounded by beauty, but it takes effort to see it clearly. The messages might not always arrive in a whisper of inspiration. Instead, they come bundled with the full awareness of what it means to care deeply, to show up consistently, to shoulder what others might never see.
This deck doesn’t always offer quick fixes or instant clarity. Its wisdom can be layered and subtle, like deciphering meaning in a field of golden wheat—where the stalks are heavy and the sun is bright, but your arms are already full. In those moments, it may not be the most direct or soothing guide. It asks you to pause, breathe, and acknowledge that yes, this is heavy—and no, you don’t have to carry it all alone.
Its limitation, then, is this: it can mirror your fatigue before it mirrors your breakthrough. But even in that, it serves. Because before anything can be released, it must be recognized.
And this deck—bless it—recognizes everything.
4. What kind of readings will you excel at?
(Clarifies the situations it’s most suited for.)
Fantasy Garden Tarot Answer (The Emperor): “I excel in readings where you seek structure and direction. The golden path to my throne symbolizes guidance and clarity, even through transitions. I bring balance to chaos and help you establish strong foundations.
When your world feels chaotic, I bring balance and order. Whether you’re creating a plan, defining your priorities, or finding the confidence to lead, I illuminate your path forward, even when shadows linger. My energy blends gentleness and authority, helping you step into your personal power.
Despite its soft lines, dreamy color palette, and fairytale whimsy, the Fantasy Garden Tarot is no lightweight when it comes to the serious business of alignment. When The Emperor stepped forward in this deck interview, it clarified something important—this is a deck that shines in readings where stability, leadership, and long-term planning are on the table.
You might not expect it from a deck drawn in ballpoint pen and flushed with golden glow, but the Fantasy Garden Tarot is a remarkably clear-eyed companion when it comes to questions of boundaries, structure, and responsibility. The warmth in its art doesn’t mean it avoids the hard truths—it just delivers them with a steadier hand and a kinder tone.
This deck excels in readings where the seeker is facing crossroads that require a firm decision, a solid plan, or a reclamation of personal authority. Whether you’re establishing new life routines, reworking business goals, setting relationship boundaries, or even reparenting yourself—this is the kind of deck that will gently escort you back to your throne.
The Emperor in this deck doesn’t bark orders. He lights the path. And that’s what this tarot excels at: helping you take a deep breath, get your footing, and chart a course based on what actually matters—not fleeting emotion or scattered distraction, but your core principles.
You might use this deck for:
- Planning long-term goals or vision work
- Creating rituals or structure for spiritual practice
- Navigating power dynamics (especially when personal sovereignty is in question)
- Evaluating commitments and energetic investments
- Parenting, teaching, or leadership roles—where you hold space for others
It’s a grounded reader’s dream: compassionate, but rooted. Gentle, but sovereign. This is the deck you reach for when you’re ready to step out of chaos and back into clarity.
5. How can we best collaborate?
(Gives guidance on how you should approach this deck in practice.)
Fantasy Garden Tarot Answer (The Lovers): Our collaboration is rooted in partnership, trust, and the joy of discovery. Like the sun that shines above me, I radiate warmth and guidance, lighting the way for us to work together. The roses along the path are a reminder that even in moments of challenge, beauty, and love can always be found.
I invite you to see me as more than a deck—as a companion who reflects your light back to you. We’ll explore your values and choices, connecting your intuition and my insights. Trust in the harmony of our partnership, and I will help you uncover the wisdom and clarity you seek.
When The Lovers appears in a deck interview—especially one as visually lush and energetically warm as in the Fantasy Garden Tarot—it suggests something far more personal than technique or mechanics. This card highlights the potential for true partnership between reader and deck. Not a distant transaction, but a co-creative relationship built on presence, choice, and trust.
The collaboration this deck invites isn’t rigid or prescriptive. It asks for intention. For quiet moments before the shuffle. For a pause long enough to feel what’s rising. The Lovers speaks to a reading practice rooted in conscious relationship—where you and the deck both bring something sacred to the table.
This deck thrives when treated with devotion, not because it’s demanding, but because it mirrors energy. The more you approach it with openness and care, the more layered, intuitive, and resonant its messages become. You’re not just drawing cards—you’re entering into a shared space where symbolism becomes conversation.
It’s ideal for reflection-based spreads, value alignment, and choice-driven questions. Not because it’s indecisive, but because it honors complexity. It reminds you that every path branches from what you hold dear—and helps you see how your choices shape the larger story.
In essence, the Fantasy Garden Tarot wants to be your collaborator, not just your compass. Let it meet you heart-first, and it will read like a conversation with a trusted soul.
6. What do you want me to learn from working with you?
(Reveals the deck’s purpose in your journey.)
Fantasy Garden Tarot Answer (The Hierophant): “I am here to teach you about reverence—both for the immense power within yourself and for the wisdom that surrounds you. The golden dragon represents your potential, vast and awe-inspiring, yet nurtured by humble practices.
The five guardians stand as a testament to the importance of devotion, whether to personal rituals, community, or learning. Even the grandest truths are built on quiet devotion. Together, we’ll honor the past, question it, and create something uniquely yours.
The Fantasy Garden Tarot carries its wisdom like a well-worn key—offering access, not restriction. When The Hierophant arrived to answer this question, the message was clear: this deck wants to be your teacher—but not the kind that locks you into dogma or demands perfection. Rather, it invites you into a lineage of sacred learning that evolves with you.
This is a deck that honors tradition while making space for personal interpretation. It reminds you that spiritual growth isn’t found in memorizing meanings—it’s cultivated through reflection, experimentation, and the quiet rituals you build for yourself. The imagery of the sleeping dragon beneath its silk-draped sanctuary suggests that wisdom isn’t always loud or dramatic. Sometimes, it rests in the spaces you protect and tend over time.
The garden theme of the deck reinforces this idea: learning is seasonal. You plant seeds of knowledge, you water them with attention, and you trust that growth will come—even if it doesn’t follow a linear path. The five hooded figures encircling the dragon are like aspects of your own seeking—watching, listening, devoted. They don’t demand certainty. They offer presence.
This deck wants you to learn how to be both reverent and rebellious. To value what has been passed down, but never lose your own voice in the process. To become fluent in symbolism, but still speak your truth.
Working with the Fantasy Garden Tarot is an act of sacred reciprocity. It asks you to keep learning, keep questioning, and above all—keep tending your inner garden with wisdom, patience, and curiosity.
Ready to step into the garden yourself?
This deck inspired more than just reflection—it inspired a spread. The “In the Garden of Possibility” reading is designed to help you uncover what’s growing within, what needs tending, and what might bloom if you trust the process.
It’s gentle, intuitive, and perfect for journaling, self-care, or transitional moments. Shuffle your cards, take a deep breath, and let the garden show you the way.
→ In the Garden of Possibility Spread
Final Thoughts: Is This the Right Whimsical Tarot Deck for You?
The Fantasy Garden Tarot is more than a collection of cards—it’s a living, breathing companion that invites you into a world of beauty, reflection, and growth. Its rich imagery, warm tones, and intuitive depth make it approachable and profound.
This deck is especially well-suited for intuitive exploration and creative interpretation. A “Garden of Growth” spread could help uncover where your energy is best nurtured, or you can use the “Golden Path” spread to explore structure and balance. Whether you seek clarity or aim to expand your practice, the Fantasy Garden Tarot offers a nurturing guide for your journey.This deck isn’t just a tool—it’s a trusted companion, ready to illuminate your path with beauty and warmth wisdom.