Garden Witchery Read online

  About the Author

  Ellen Dugan, also known as the Garden Witch, is a psychic-clairvoyant who lives in Missouri with her husband and three teenage children. A practicing witch for over fifteen years, Ellen also has many years of nursery and garden center experience, including landscape and garden design. She received her Master Gardener status through the University of Missouri and her local county extension office. Look for other articles by Ellen in Llewellyn’s annual Magical Almanac, Wicca Almanac, and Herbal Almanac. Visit her online at www.ellendugan.com.

  Llewellyn Publications

  Woodbury, Minnesota

  Copyright Information

  Garden Witchery: Magick from the Ground Up © 2003 by Ellen Dugan.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any matter whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written permission from Llewellyn Publications, except in the form of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  As the purchaser of this e-book, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. The text may not be otherwise reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, or recorded on any other storage device in any form or by any means.

  Any unauthorized usage of the text without express written permission of the publisher is a violation of the author’s copyright and is illegal and punishable by law.

  First e-book edition © 2012

  E-book ISBN: 9780738718453

  Book design and editing by Rebecca Zins

  Cover design and interior zone map by Gavin Dayton Duffy

  Cover statue photograph © 2002 Jonathan Nutt / gardenImage

  Cover ivy photograph © 2002 Photodisc

  Illustrations © Kerigwen

  Llewellyn Publications is an imprint of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

  Llewellyn Publications does not participate in, endorse, or have any authority or responsibility concerning private business arrangements between our authors and the public.

  Any Internet references contained in this work are current at publication time, but the publisher cannot guarantee that a specific reference will continue or be maintained. Please refer to the publisher’s website for links to current author websites.

  Llewellyn Publications

  Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.

  2143 Wooddale Drive

  Woodbury, MN 55125

  www.llewellyn.com

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  This book is dedicated in loving memory to my grandmother,

  Dorothy Catherine

  1908-2001

  She made a wicked pot roast and was a wonderful grandmother.

  She taught a young girl the names of all the wildflowers and

  encouraged her to walk alone and unafraid through the woods.

  She cherished books and poetry and had unfulfilled dreams

  of being a writer someday . . . I hope she knows that

  she helped to inspire me to become one instead.

  contents

  Acknowledgments

  Introduction

  I: What Is Garden Witchery?

  2: Backyard Magick

  3: Flower Magick

  4: Florigraphy and Flower Folklore

  5: Enchanted Specialty Gardens

  6: Moon Gardening, Magick, and Astrological Timing

  7: Faery Magick

  8: Garden Witch Crafts

  9: Sabbat Celebrations for Families

  10: Garden Magick from the Ground Up

  Gardening Journal

  Glossary

  Bibliography

  The murmur of a bee,

  A witchcraft yieldeth me . . .

  Emily Dickinson

  Acknowledgments

  To my friends, who from the beginning encouraged me to write. To Rebecca and Cindy for their insights, listening to me babble and making me howl with laughter. To Colleen, my gardening buddy, who braved it out with me during our Master Gardener classes, and especially to Paula, who always demanded, “When are you going to write that book?” Thanks for all the support and faith in me. Also a high-tech thanks to Ben, our resident Computer Wizard, for all your assistance.

  A special thanks goes to my magickal friends. For Amy, my fellow witch mom, and to her children. To Scott, with appreciation for the use of your library. To Mickie and her girls, and to Nicole, an incredibly talented garden witch. Thanks for your friendship, Nicole, and for your help with the bath salt recipes.

  Also, I’d like to thank the ladies at Llewellyn: new submissions editor, Megan Atwood; my editor, Becky Zins; and Kerigwen, for the gorgeous artwork.

  To my family, for your patience with me as I worked on this book. I’m grateful for your bearing with me while I shouted at the old computer and then made myself crazy trying to learn a new one. My loving appreciation goes to my two teenage sons, for always asking how the book was coming along, for the emergency computer lessons, and for unwavering encouragement and enthusiasm. To my magickal daughter Kat, whom I cherish. Thank you for pushing me to write the faerie chapter and for quietly pulling up a chair and offering to help make my spells rhyme.

  Finally, to my husband, Ken. It’s been a great twenty years. This is for making me laugh at the most inappropriate times of my life and for creating a wonderfully loud, boisterous, and happy family with me. I love you. Thanks for always believing . . . in both me and the magick.

  Everything in nature invites us

  constantly to be what we are.

  Gretel Ehrlich

  Introduction

  Picture for a moment the image of the benevolent witch who lives in a flower-surrounded cottage. The witch’s gardens are a place where morning glories and moonflowers tumble over privacy fences. Roses climb over handmade arbors, and magickal herbs and flowers thrive together in sunny beds. Around back, tucked under old trees, the shade garden offers a quiet spot and relief from the summer heat.

  Ah . . . a suburban Pagan myth. I have read that this image of the witch is outdated, over-romanticized, and unrealistic. Actually, it’s very real, and it’s all true. I’m taking a stand. Honestly, my knees are killing me. I am one of those witches who are supposedly a suburban myth. I am a garden witch.

  A garden witch? Is this some new, unheard-of tradition? No. The lore of herbs and flowers is ancient, as is the practice of growing a magickal garden. Gardens have always been enchanting places. A garden witch just takes that theory and runs with it. Magickal gardening is an intimate approach to putting the nature back into your earth religion.

  How do you know if you’re a garden witch? Well, the symptoms are fairly easy to diagnose. Do you experience a sensory rush at the sights and smells of a garden? Are you fascinated by plant lore and legend? Do you enjoy growing your own herbs and plants? To those of you who answered yes, and those of you future gardeners that yearn to try your hand at magickal gardening and herbalism, this will be right up your alley.

  I’d like to invite you into the world of the garden witch—into my world. In this book you will find ideas, tips, and practical advice for both the magickal and the mundane gardener. There are garden witch spells and recipes, garden lore, seasonal crafts, and suggestions for simple sabbat celebrations that you can enjoy with your family.

  Who am I to write on the subject of garden witchery? What are my qualifications? My name is Ellen Dugan. I live in Missouri with my husband and our three teenage children. I have many years of nursery and garden center experience, including contracting out occasionally as a landsc
ape and garden designer. In the spring of 2000, I received Master Gardener status through the University of Missouri and my local county extension office.

  I first began to seriously study folk magick in the late 1980s. I was initiated into Wicca standing under a full moon on Samhain/Halloween night. In the past, I have participated in an eclectic training group, and then organized and was a participant of a women’s open circle. Currently I am a member of a wonderful circle of adult Wiccans and their families.

  Years ago, when I had first begun practicing as a solitary witch, I stumbled across a book that forever changed the way I looked at gardening. It was Scott Cunningham’s Magical Herbalism. In those early gardener days, I had just started to realize that most of my perennials were classified as herbs. Even more surprising to me was the fact that several of the magickal herbs listed in Cunningham’s book were perennials and herbs that I already had growing in my yard. Cool.

  With my newfound knowledge in hand, I made a list of all my annuals, perennials, and herbs. Hey, I’m a Virgo—we are really good at lists. Then I cross-referenced them to Cunningham’s list, and what do you know? I had supplies!

  All these great magickal ingredients, right at my fingertips. I was in garden witch heaven. And that is how it all began . . .

  So, while your own gardening stories will be different, let’s both stroll down this garden path together. I can’t wait to show you how to add a little garden witchery into your life . . . from the ground up!

  Who bends a knee where violets grow

  a hundred secret things shall know.

  Rachel Field

  I

  What Is Garden Wi­tchery?

  For some folks, garden witchery conjures up images of lush, enchanted gardens where butterflies dance and children play. Wind chimes sing in the breeze and fountains trickle and splash. In this magickal place, the witch who lives there strolls about under sunny skies or dappled moonlight, gathering plants for her spellwork and for their fragrance. Fantasy? No. All of those things are possible in a city, suburban, or rural yard.

  The gardens described for you in the introduction are real. I was describing my gardens. Suburban magickal gardens are a reality. You can do it. All it takes is hard work, determination, and time. Let’s add two more very important magickal ingredients to this mixture: you and your imagination.

  Use yours for a moment to visit me in my magickal gardens. Just come as you are. Let me assure you that I do not waft around the yard in ritual wear. Nor do I expect you to. How will you find me? I can usually be found working in the gardens, toting around a five-gallon bucket full of gardening supplies. I am typically crawling around on my hands and knees, attired in sturdy clothes and sunglasses. It’s more than likely I’ll either be planting, weeding, or dead-heading the gardens. I’m probably grubby and having a great time.

  Sorry for the lack of mystique. There is no big drama here. I am a very down-to-earth type of witch. I have often been accused by my friends of being a cross between Martha Stewart and Samantha Stevens. You know, I can live with that.

  Come on around back and sit with me under the shade of one of the old maples in the backyard. Let’s plop down in the grass and chat. I suppose you have lots of questions . . . that great big chartreuse plant? That’s a Sum and Substance hosta. Yeah, he is a monster. You like the silver gazing globe? Thanks, my kids gave it to me for Mother’s Day last year. That fragrance? Ah . . . what does it smell like to you? Sort of an orange-floral? It could be the monarda, or is that scent you’re noticing a captivating combination of soil, sunscreen, and bug spray? Why, that would be me.

  So, you’re here because you want to learn about magickal gardening? I have plenty to tell and to teach you. But first, I’d like you to look me in the eyes. Our eyes meet and hold. I smile and let out a contented sigh, and we both begin to laugh. Now let me see your hands, don’t mind any garden soil that is still on mine . . .

  I grasp your hands and turn over your palms to give them a steely eyed stare. No, I’m not looking for a green thumb. I’m looking to see if you have an open and loving heart, determination, and strong hands. That’s what it takes to be a garden witch. The heart, I am sure, is just fine. As for the hands . . . trust me. If you are seriously determined to get into gardening, you will have those strong, capable hands soon enough.

  A garden witch is not unlike a kitchen witch in that they both practice a hearth and home type of magick. However, don’t let that fool you into complacency! A kitchen witch or garden witch on their home turf is an awesome magickal force indeed. Stay with me here, we are still talking about an advanced magickal system. Nothing winds me up faster than those who would sneer down at the home-based, family-oriented type of witches.

  Practicing a down-to-earth, practical style of witchcraft is both enjoyable and fulfilling. There is nothing wrong with raising your family and quietly living the natural magician’s life. How do you imagine the wisewomen of old lived? It’s a pretty safe bet that they practiced alone and discreetly. (In the old days, it was safer that way.)

  The solitary path is one that many modern witches find themselves walking today, some by choice, others by chance. It can be discouraging working by yourself without the benefit of a coven for support and advice. It can also be illuminating to go it alone. Use this time to expand your knowledge and understanding of the earth’s magicks. Go ahead, get out there in the yard and plant some herbs. Stir up a little herbal magick in the kitchen, it’s fun! You don’t have to have an entourage along to expand your skills. You simply need yourself. Often the most important and powerful magick performed by a witch is done privately.

  Some magickal folks hear the words “kitchen witch” and their brains just shut down. Oh, they might give you a patronizing smile and a pat on the head. Then they’ll inform you how they’ve come a long way from their days of kitchen magick. Don’t let them intimidate you.

  Growing your own magickal plants and herbs and using them properly becomes a complex part of a major magickal working. It is true that working advanced magick requires more time, study, and effort on your part. That time and effort you put out to elevate your skills is well spent. It separates the novice from the adept practitioner.

  Magickal herbalism in itself is considered to be a major magick. Major magicks are defined as those that require a higher level of knowledge and expertise. It may take months before your plants are ready to harvest. Magickal herbs have their own energies and correspondences to be considered as well. It requires discipline, patience, and competence to use plant energies effectively. Think about it.

  So many witches are in a rush to learn a new spell or a new technique that they often overlook the obvious. It’s not about the spells, it’s about the magick. Your magick. Each person is drawn to a specialty in magick, or a favorite type of magick, if you will—something that just clicks for them. For some of us, it’s herbs and gardening.

  If you had to assemble herbs for a healing spell and you wanted a lot of magickal oomph, what do you think would be most likely to deliver it? Some dried lavender that you ordered online? Who knows what sort of chemicals could have been sprayed on the plants? Or how old the herb is? Or how many people handled it?

  Instead, consider some homegrown lavender or yarrow that you would have tended yourself. We’ll take this a step further and add that you harvested in a correct phase of the moon that corresponded with the results you were trying to achieve. Astrological timing plays a large part in garden witchery. These magickal herbs and flowers that you’ve grown can be further enhanced by the correct use of astrological timing. These will be discussed in detail in chapter 6.

  There is nothing quite like making—or growing, for that matter—a magickal tool yourself. As you know, a self-created magickal tool or object becomes twice as powerful from absorbing the energy that you expended in the making of the item. So the same can be said for c
ultivating your own magickal flowers and herbs. As you sow, raise, and then harvest your herbs and plants, your energy has seeped into the plant every time you touched it. Now all that energy is waiting to be programmed or released.

  Garden witches and natural magicians can be city dwellers working in community gardens as easily as suburban Pagans doing the “weekend warrior” thing in their backyards. The point is that you will be working in the garden, whether it’s in pots and window boxes on your balcony, in the backyard, or on the farm. It doesn’t matter where. It is the quality of the plants, not the quantity of them, that counts. Connecting with nature is our goal here. Sound good? Great! Roll up your sleeves and get ready to dig in.

  Herbs and garden plants play a meaningful part in the folklore and tradition of every culture. Their arcane and phenomenal powers to heal the mind and body fascinate us and confirm humankind’s connection to the natural world. A garden is a place that encourages and lures people to unearth the magick, mystery, and unexpected surprises that nature will reveal to anyone who wants to take a closer look. The garden does and will talk back, teaching us about success as well as failure. What do you imagine you could learn if we were to settle down in the grass, be still, and listen closely to Nature as she teaches us? You would discover many secret things and learn a myriad of valuable lessons. That’s a good place to start, just don’t stop there.

  Now, how much more information, do you suppose, would be divined by getting out there and actually getting your hands dirty? As gardeners, be it magickal or mundane, we cultivate more than just herbs and flowers. We are cultivating a sensitivity and appreciation for the environment. By tapping into the magick of the earth, you increase your abilities and strengthen your magickal expertise. To “walk with power” means that you move in tune with the powers of nature, the powers of the Earth herself. This is a very important step toward becoming a responsible magician and a jubilant guardian of the Earth.