Garden Witchery Read online

  All the wild witches, those most noble ladies,

  For all their broomsticks and their tears,

  Their angry tears, are gone.

  William Butler Yeats

  The Legacy of the Wisewomen

  The history of herbalism begins at the dawn of time, when our earliest ancestors discovered that certain plants had a specific effect on their health and well-being. Other plants were found to comfort, had pleasant aromas, produced a colored dye, or were good to eat.

  It is no surprise, then, that plants were thought to possess powers either for good or evil, and then became objects of reverence and worship. The trees especially, as they lived for much longer than a single human’s life span. Most of the plants that were considered magickal were used for medicine rather than for foodstuff.

  As magick and faith, biology and medicine, botany and philosophy all initially existed together rather than being thought of as separate sciences, rituals began around the harvesting and use of plants and herbs. To be the most effective they were picked at certain times of the year or prepared during specific cycles of the moon. The custodians of this knowledge were the first witches, the wisewomen.

  The legacy of the wisewomen instills love and reverence for the Earth. From these lessons we learn the hidden meanings of the folk names of flowers and the legends of the trees, the uses of astrological timing, the portents of nature, and the creatures of the garden.

  Traditionally, the witch was a solitary practitioner, a seer and the village wisewoman or cunning man. From their modest gardens they produced herbal amulets and charms for the common folk. Local practitioners birthed babies and cast their spells. They whispered herbal treatments to their clients and performed spells for love, healing, prosperity, and an abundant harvest.

  How do we know what sort of Craft these wisewomen practiced? What varieties of plants did they actually grow? There really is no easy answer, but I have a good idea where to look for clues. We must try to find the truth between the much-maligned historical figure of the witch and her modern counterpart of today.

  Gothic Plants and Their Magickal Alternatives

  Historically, witch plants carry a sinister reputation, such as belladonna, foxglove, and deadly nightshade. Hemlock, monkshood, and the yew with its berries are all beautiful plants and all extremely toxic. Unfortunately, witches were often accused of being poisoners. Yikes! I have read gardening and herb books that only list those types of plants as “witch” plants. How very narrow-minded and unfair of them.

  Well, you’re thinking, who would grow such plants today? If you walk into your local nursery with a list of plants like that, they are going to get real suspicious. Once I had someone do that to me. After I stopped gaping, I wrote down a reading list for her and then we had a nice little chat (my kids would tell you that means a lecture) about magickal plant alternatives to gothic witch garden plants.

  Yes, many common plants and shrubs are poisonous. Some you may not even know or suspect, like azaleas, morning glories, and lily of the valley. If you have children or pets, I urge you to be cautious with your plantings. Do your homework.

  I contacted the Missouri Botanical Garden for a list of poisonous plants. They sent me their list and a list from the Missouri Poison System. Call the Master Gardeners in your area for advice. Master Gardeners usually are based out of a University Extension Office. These offices operate individually out of their own specific counties. Check the phone book for a “University Outreach” or “Local Extension Office.” Ask if they can mail you some information. Also, in chapter 5, there is a quick index of poisonous garden plants for you to refer to.

  Tradition and Craft history are fine, but you want to use a big dose of common sense as well. Sure, we all want an ambience of tradition, and want to know what those old witch gardens were really like. What sort of plants did they contain? Remember those alternatives I mentioned? Believe it or not, we get our answers from those clues at an unlikely source: medieval gardens.

  I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

  Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,

  Quite over-canopied and luscious woodbine,

  With sweet musk-roses and eglantine.

  Shakespeare,

  A Midsummer Night's Dream

  Ye Olde Medieval Gardens

  Medieval gardens weren’t that different from our magickal or mundane gardens of today. Remember that these were working gardens. They fed the family. Fruit trees provided the cherry, pear, plum, and apple, favorite medieval fruits. Vegetables such as beets, radishes, beans, cabbage, and carrots were cultivated.

  Herbs such as angelica and lavender were planted for medicinal, aromatic, and seasoning values. Angelica is an archaic and highly aromatic herb that was believed to possess angelic powers and was once worn as an amulet for protection against evil spells. It has the astrological correspondence of the sun. Angelica stems and seeds were used as flavorings, and the stalks were candied and eaten. This plant was also utilized for its aromatic properties derived from its flowers and leaves, both for perfume and potpourri. Magickally, you may draw upon the natural energy of angelica’s blooms and leaves for healing and protection spells.

  Lavender was cultivated not only for scent but for medicine. Its oil is a strong antiseptic with antibacterial properties. It was used to treat all manner of cuts, scrapes, infections, and colds. The scent of lavender has traditionally been employed to help ease headaches and to mask unpleasant odors. Lavender was and still is a popular flower for potpourri and cosmetics. Lavender has the planetary correspondence of Mercury, and it may be worked into any enchantments designed for love, happiness, and peace.

  The rose is a symbol of love and of secrets. Traditionally, a white rose has the ruling planet of the moon. A red rose belongs to Jupiter, and a damask rose relates to Venus. In olden times, rose petals were used to treat a plethora of ailments. The petals were added to salads, crystallized, and made into syrup, preserves, and vinegars. The petals were also added to soaps and cosmetics. Rose water was added for flavoring in sauces and sweet dishes. The oil was applied to chapped skin and, of course, for perfumes.

  Other common varieties of medieval herbs were mullein, fennel, yarrow, mint, tansy, rosemary, parsley, sage, dill, and thyme, all of which, I am happy to point out, are today used as magickal herbs. Some types of medieval flowers that were (and still are) popular include the iris, lily, poppy, peony, columbine, delphinium, and the violet.

  You know the violet, that great little flower that pops up in your lawn and flower beds in the spring? Unfortunately considered a weed today, the violet has the following magickal properties: love, happiness, and faery magick. The sweet violet is a herald of spring and a Venus plant. It has been cultivated for its perfume and color, and is added to cosmetics, drinks, and syrups. To the ancient Greeks, it was a symbol of fertility. Among the more popular perfume scents used in Victorian England, the violet was venerated by the old herbalists, who all spoke with great affection for this beguiling little purplish-blue flower.

  Today, you may gather violet blooms, wash them gently, and toss them into salads. Or pat them dry, dip them into fine sugar, and freeze them. They may be used to decorate cakes, or you may put the fresh blooms inside of ice cube trays. Fill them up with water and freeze for a fun way to accent cold drinks at a garden party. Violets are often a child’s favorite flower and are worth saving a small section of your garden for.

  Take another look at that listing of medieval herbs. Many types of medieval herbs are readily available today as improved modern varieties. So where do you find them? Try checking out a nursery or garden center. It is just that easy. Magickal plants are everywhere.

  Garden Witch Magicks

  Today, garden witch magicks include working with natural objects such as trees, flowers, plants, stones, and crystals. The garden witch or natural magician lives their li
ves by celebrating the magick of nature, attuning to the rhythms of the changing seasons, growing their plants and herbs, and giving out magickal advice for specific needs. The garden witch’s magickal gifts are handmade and homegrown.

  What sort of garden witch skills will you be learning? Why, I thought you’d never ask. Of course we’ll include practical tips for magickal gardening and suggestions for magickal plants. You’ll find several lists for enchanted herbs, trees, and flowers that are easy to grow and that you can achieve new-gardener success with, as well as ideas for magickal plants that will thrive in sunny gardens and recommendations for mysterious, bewitching shade gardens.

  We’ll discuss faery magick—I want to share some advice and some anecdotes. We’ll cover astrological timing, a kicked-up variety of color magick, and the language of flowers, including a whole chapter on flower magick. There will be theme gardens for you to sample, such as faery, tussie-mussie, and children’s Samhain gardens.

  We’ll want to refresh your understanding of aromatherapy, so you’ll find little gems of aromatherapy information sprinkled throughout this book. I want to give you some ideas for witchy-type garden crafts and tools that you can easily make and use, along with houseplant magick and fresh flower spells . . . as a matter of fact, let’s get you started right now.

  The Magick of House Plants and Fresh Flowers

  House plants and fresh flowers perform wonderful magick. Add a little of that old garden witch magick power and ta-da! A potently enchanted present!

  Among the common house plants that have magickal correlations are the African violet, for spirituality and protection. The spider plant absorbs negativity. Ferns are protective. Ivy is for fidelity and fertility. The aloe plant is lucky and wards off accidents in the home. A ficus tree has many magickal correspondences, including love and good luck, and it guards against your family ever going hungry. (Unless, of course, you have teenagers.)

  Perhaps you know of a couple who is trying to conceive. The gift of a blooming cyclamen along with instructions to keep the plant in the bedroom would be very appropriate. Cyclamen promotes fertility, happiness, and lust—perfect for the hopeful parents-to-be.

  Is a friend suffering through a breakup? A small clay pot that you’ve planted full of sunny-faced pansies will brighten things up. Pansies are sacred to Cupid and have the folk name of heartsease—they are a sure cure for those that ache through the disappointment of a romance gone sour. You could paint magickal symbols on the container if you like, pentacles and yellow crescent moons. Try adding symbols for friendship and healing or, better yet, ones of your own design.

  We all know what the red rose symbolizes: lust, love, and romance. Did you know the magickal correspondences change with the many different colors of the rose? This inventory is adapted from the traditional language of flowers for my own garden witchery. Study this list and see what else you can add to it.

  White: Peace, love, and new beginnings

  Yellow: Joy and happiness

  Orange: Vitality and energy

  Pink: Innocent love and friendship

  Purple: Power and passion

  Ivory: Romance and steadfast, mature love

  The garden witch utilizes her1 knowledge of color magick and magickal aromatherapy in designing spells of her own creation. For instance, giving a few red carnations to a friend who is ill is not only thoughtful, it’s downright magickal. Why? Red is a healing color and the scent of carnations is an energy booster. Fresh carnations come in a wide variety of colors, are easy to obtain and, most importantly, are an inexpensive magickal flower.

  It’s up to you to decide whether to give the plant or flowers as is and let the natural scent and energy of them do their work, or whether you choose to magickally enhance them. Please remember to make sure the person receiving such an enchanted plant is open to the idea. If you give purposely zapped flowers or plants to a nonmagickal friend or person that is unknowing and unaware, that’s manipulation, folks.

  When looking for fresh ingredients for garden witchery, hit your own backyard first. See what you can find. Be creative. The wisewomen of old, sometimes referred to as hedge witches, utilized the components that were available to them: their gardens and the native plants and trees in the forests around them.

  Unlike us, they didn’t have access to the wide variety of plants and flowers that we often take for granted. If you don’t have a certain plant, perennial, or tree, and it’s one that you’d like to own, you may find yourself taking a trip to the local nursery or garden center.

  For fresh flowers out of season, try the florist. Use whatever is available to you and within your budget. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to practice garden witchery.

  The path of the garden witch is a valid one. There is no reason why a sincere, modern practitioner should shy away from it. When all is said and done, a garden witch must be confident in her own abilities and possess a strong link to the earth and divinity. If you want to flex your magickal muscles and learn advanced magickal skills, this could be just what the witch doctor ordered.

  [contents]

  1. When I say “her,” it’s because I’m writing this book from my perspective—no disrespect intended for the guys. Many of the best gardeners that I know are male, like my husband and father-in-law (you should see their vegetable gardens)!

  The only limit to your garden

  is the boundaries of your imagination.

  Thomas D. Church

  2

  Backyard Magick

  There are many magickal perennials, annuals, and herbs—even trees and shrubs—that are easy to grow. Where do you find them? You may not have to look very far at all; maybe not any farther than your own backyard. Magickal plants aren’t all exotic little numbers that are impossible to find. They are readily available and all around you.

  Starting a magickal garden isn’t difficult either. A magickal garden may be any size or style that you like—formal or cottage style. Formal flower beds have distinct geometric planting patterns, such as circles, squares, a hexagon or triangle. (Picture a Victorian knot garden or a formal rose garden.) Long, straight lines and borders of hedges, such as boxwood, are often worked into the design or layout.

  Informal flower beds are characterized by curved and free-flowing lines, free-formed flower bed edges, and more casual and relaxed color combinations and varying plant heights all mixed in together. A good example would be an English cottage garden. I must confess I prefer cottage style. It’s romantic and casual with all those flowers growing close together.

  Cottage favorites include old-fashioned varieties that your grandmother would have grown in her yard, like hollyhocks, lilac bushes, climbing roses, and tiger lilies, just to name a few. Do you think she knew that they are all magickal plants? You might find it interesting to note that in the language of flowers, the hollyhock stands for ambition. The lilac signifies first love. Climbing roses symbolize the tenacity of love, and tiger lilies are for erotic love. Wow.

  Adding accessories to an existing garden like wind chimes, a bench, an affordable café table and chair set, or even a small fountain will go a long way toward removing your backyard from the mundane world into a magickal sanctuary. Privacy fences or tall shrubs and trees will give the garden seclusion and a sense of retreat for magickal workings . . . your very own magickal garden, can you imagine it?

  The image that comes to my mind is of the witch raising her arms in supplication to a full moon that sails overhead. A fragrant breeze scented with roses stirs the wind chimes in her garden and gently blows her hair back from her serene, tranquil face.

  As she begins her ritual, the incense smoke billows upward and the candles flicker softly. The crickets are singing and all of nature becomes calm and reverently quiet, as if sensing the witch’s total, unshakable concentration . . .

  �
�Hey, Mom!”

  I just lost my fantasy image. I pull myself out of the scene I’m trying to create to be confronted by one of my teenage sons.

  “Mom!” He repeats as I try to focus on him. “I need new football shoes,” he informs me.

  I frantically hit save on the computer and wonder what time it is. They’re home already? Where did my day off go? “What?” I ask.

  My daughter comes bounding in behind her brother, chattering nonstop about her day. “Oh, good,” she says. “You’re not working.” And now that she’s spotted me, I’m doomed.

  I have a split second to reply and—damn, it’s gone.

  She takes a breath and launches into a full-scale, fast-paced account of her day. Her backpack hits the table with a thud. I try to catch up.

  “Sorry, you need how many new folders?” I ask.

  “Mom.” With the long-suffering sigh that only a thirteen-year-old can produce, she rattles off her list again.

  “Mom, my shoes?” My son tries to wedge his way back into the conversation. My daughter yells at him not to interrupt. His response is short, rude, and . . . wow, creative.

  “That’s enough,” I start to say, only to be ignored. Oh, good. Now they’ve turned on each other.

  Ah, domestic bliss. The plight of the modern witch, surrounded by the demands of family, spouse, and job. You try to grab time for yourself and your magick whenever and how-ever you can. Sometimes you have to wait for those little darlings to go to bed so you can find some peace and quiet. It is not a lifestyle for the timid. No, sir. You really want to throw some danger into your life? Add three teenagers.

  We don’t always have the time or the funds to run to the store for our occult supplies. Wouldn’t it be great if those supplies were right in your own backyard? They could be. Start thinking in terms of backyard magick.