Garden Witch's Herbal (2 page)

Chapter 1

Conjuring a Garden
with Heart

He who would have beautiful roses in his garden
must first have beautiful roses in his heart.

samuel reynolds hole

Over the past few years, as I have toured around the country meeting many magickal folks, I have had Pagans and Witches walk up to me with their garden-dirt-stained, well-used, dog-eared copy of
Garden Witchery
and tell me with a smile that they want
more
—more herb magick information, more advanced techniques, more green magick, and more magickal gardening tips.

I have been promising you all that I was indeed working on it; for those of you who have been waiting, here you go. Let's dig in, shall we?

As a magickal gardener who has delved deeply into the mystical world of plants, I know firsthand that there is a real connection to divinity to be gained here and an earthy sense of empowerment that comes from working with the soil, growing and tending to your own plants, and getting your hands dirty. This is the ultimate in grounding and centering.

When we garden, we create an intimate relationship with the five fundamental elements of the natural world. These five elements are recognized by many magickal traditions and cultures, even though the final element may vary. Wiccan traditions identify these magickal elements as earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. To the Chinese, the five elements are wood, fire, metal, earth, and water. To be rooted firmly in nature's magick, all of the elements must be honored within the magickal garden.

If you step outside for a moment, you will become intimately linked with these elements immediately, so let's do that right now. Close your eyes for a moment, and search your heart. What does it tell you? Now look around you; what do you sense? Step out of your shoes and onto the grass somewhere. Feel the grass tickling your feet? Be thankful for the support and the grounding energy that the element of earth is lending you.

Open your eyes, and look around. Notice any birds flying about? Do you feel the breeze as it rushes past? If so, then greet the element of air as it brings forth inspiration and change. The sun shining down on you can symbolize fire, as can landscape lighting that illuminates the garden path. The feminine, fertile element of water can be represented in many guises: a natural body of water, such as a nearby creek or pond; a garden fountain; a birdbath for our feathered friends to splash about in; the rain that falls or dewdrops dangling on the leaves of the plants—all are representations of this element. Becoming more viscerally aware of these magickal elements and the very foundations of nature makes us all part of something greater and more magickally meaningful.

When we work our green magick in harmony with the elements and the natural world, we share something far older than just gardening. Here, we touch an ethereal connection to the basic harmonies of creation. This act then actually allows us to connect with the final element of spirit. As Witches and Green Magicians, we come into contact with the powers of creation and divinity every day, no matter where we live. Our lives become enriched by the deities of the earth, the powers of the changing seasons, and the truly awesome force of nature. It is important to grasp that this intimate connection to the earth over time will help our spirituality become deeper, more personal, and more meaningful. On the most basic level, our spellcraft becomes more powerful as we become more in tune with the earth.

Since most of us live in the cities or in the suburbs, not snuggled into a cottage deep in the woods, we experience a greater challenge when we wish to renew or expand our connection to the natural world. But fortunately, you can find traces of this primal magick just about anywhere. It's much easier than you think. The first place to look is within. Make up your mind, here and now, to search for and to find the energies of nature, no matter where you live. Then you can turn your attention to the trees and plants that share your surroundings. You'll discover the magick within a small copse of trees whether it is in the yard or the public park. Within the world of the urban grove and garden, the force of nature is very much alive and present, for here lives a smaller version of the wild places and the great woodlands.

In my book
Garden Witchery
, I showed you that magickal plants are all around you and easy to grow in the home landscape. I encouraged you to live a little and to surround yourself with these charming plants and to link back into the enchantment of nature.
Garden
Witchery
taught you how to practically incorporate both gardening and herbalism into your magickal practices.

This book of more advanced green magick techniques is written for the Witch, for the magickal herbalist, and for those who search for the sacred and the divine in nature. In our return visit to the Witch's garden, I want to show you how the local groves of trees and your very own gardens can influence more than your magick. They can, in reality, influence your green spirituality.

Magickal Inspiration and Garden Design

Gardeners are like landscape painters.
Their canvas is the soil, their paints the vast array
of living flowers, trees, and shrubs.

donald norfolk,
the soul garden

When people set out to create a magickal garden, they are, in fact, expressing their own personalities in the overall design. As we transform our yards and personal spaces into magickal, secret gardens and sacred groves, we begin to appreciate these areas as places of growth not only for the assorted plants and trees but for ourselves as well. Gardening is good for the mind, body, and spirit.

If a garden is to reflect the mystical and the sacred side of nature, then it has to be diverse, just like us. There are many different types of trees, herbs, and flowers—and magick—to incorporate into your spiritual plan. Now is when you begin to fine-tune things, for the Witch's garden is a tangible symbol of your commitment to making time for magick and spirituality in your everyday life.

The rest of this chapter will discuss the foundations of good magickal gardening design—a discussion on style, space, and how to get a little enchanted garden atmosphere going. This is green magick at its most basic and elemental. There are even pointers on how to correctly work with color schemes in the garden. And you can bet your watering can that these principles are important in every garden, no matter if it's a clever container garden on a patio or deck or a rambling flower bed that fills up the entire yard. This is good practical knowledge to have because the design helps to set the magickal mood and the overall atmosphere in the Witch's garden.

Creating Magickal Gardens with Atmosphere

Nature uses human imagination to lift her work of creation
to even higher levels.

luigi pirandello

Whenever I teach a class on herbs and gardening, be it to magickal folks or mundane, I typically get questions about how to create a “mood” or “theme” in a garden. The ambiance of a garden is everything. Even those of us who've been gardening for a while realize that there is more to gardening than just sticking the plants in the ground. After a while, you want your garden to flow together and to set an atmosphere or theme. For magickal practitioners, that theme is likely going to be an enchanted one.

One of the most popular garden themes today is a faerie garden. That's always a hot topic, no matter what type of group I am lecturing or teaching (even at the community college where I teach adult continuing education classes on flower gardening). As a Witch, this always makes me chuckle. If you mention faerie gardens even to the most sedate crowd, the whole room perks up. Questions start being fired off, and everyone gets enthusiastic.

So let's get motivated! What type of garden are you dreaming of? What would you do if you could just go crazy in the garden? Perhaps you'd plan a theme garden devoted to one specific deity, or design a faerie-tale garden, or even a tranquil feng shui-style of meditation garden. Maybe you wish to plant a bigger enchanted herb garden full of magickal plants for spells and charms. How about a handy Kitchen Witch garden full of veggies and culinary herbs?

The choice is completely up to you. No matter what magickal mood you are trying to invoke in the Witch's garden, design and color will come into play. By applying these advanced techniques and by tweaking the design a bit further, you can conjure up the atmosphere that you want. Have fun incorporating these practical ideas and tips into your garden of witchery. Dare to turn a simple garden into one that inspires you spiritually and transforms your dreams into something spectacular.

Make no mistake, the fastest way to turn a pedestrian flower bed into an enchanting garden is to get a little atmosphere going. There must be something here that captures people's imaginations and tugs at their heart. We make use of the basic elements of design not only to beautify but to increase our perception of the environment. This helps us to open up and to receive the messages and secrets that are inherent in the natural and the magickal world.

The Enchanting Elements of Design

All of nature wears one universal grin.

henry fielding

Creative design is what turns a collection of trees, herbs, perennials, and flowers into a garden. The clarity and color schemes found in your magickal garden give focus to your goals and intentions. The complexity in your plant forms, such as texture and pattern, will make for a sensual garden that begs to be touched, sniffed, and enjoyed. Create a refuge, add a sense of mystery, and be conscious of the flow of energy when creating a magickal garden.

No matter what type of garden you are planning, you'll enjoy better results if you incorporate the design tips that are discussed in this chapter. Don't forget to look at the magickal garden with an eye toward design. Pay attention to your intuition, and work on improving the mood and the overall aura, or atmosphere, that you are attempting to achieve in your landscape. The best gardens all share a few main qualities, even though the styles and themes may be radically different. These design qualities are clarity, complexity, mystery, and refuge. Without these traits, a garden doesn't enchant us or invite us in.