Paganism and modern witchcraft are nature religions, honouring the wheel of the year and the cycles of life. Tending a garden is one of the best ways to keep in touch with nature and experience the elements, as well as being a relaxing and rewarding hobby.Witches frequently use herbs in rituals and for spells. If you want to cultivate your own, to make them that bit more personal and effective, Bud, Blossom, Leaf: The Magical Herb Gardener's Handbook
, by Dorothy Morrison, tells you pretty much everything you need to know to grow a perfect witch's garden.The book is in two parts. The first half is on how to make your garden grow, while the second is what to do with your harvest.
As well as covering the basics of gardening - how to prepare soil, plant seeds, tend saplings, weed, prune and harvest your crop - the first half of the book explains things like the magical symbolism of herbs and the importance of planting and harvesting at the correct moon phase. It also includes magical chants to say while you are gardening, and rituals to consecrate your tools, bless your garden and give thanks for the harvest.
One of the things I think I might find particularly useful is the very large section given to natural deterrents for pests and vermin. Last summer, my home was plagued with slugs and the advice in this book would have been very welcome. Herbal treatments for plant diseases are covered too - including the simple remedy of cold chamomile tea as a fungicide.
The second half of Bud, Blossom, Leaf
explains how to make use of herbs for cooking, first aid, beauty and spellcasting. The recipes are varied and practical, including insect repellents, bath fizzies, face masks, cough syrup, herbal vinegars, incense cones and herbal wine.One I think I might try is peppermint lip gloss. To make it, you heat 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of dried peppermint leaves. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes before straining out the leaves. Then, add 1 tablespoon of beeswax, reheat and stir to mix. Finally, remove from the heat, stir in 1.5 teaspoons of honey and put into small jars.
Spring is the perfect time to start a garden and this book has plenty to help a complete novice begin a simple project or an experienced gardener - or witch - develop a wonderful outdoor enchanted space.
My only reservation is that my copy is an American edition, so often gives measurements in cups. A useful conversion to remember is that 1 cup is 16 tablespoons.
You can view Bud, Blossom, Leaf: The Magical Herb Gardener's Handbook on Amazon
. It is published by Llewellyn.
4 comments:
Thanks for that gives me a good idea of what's in the book before I buy it myself.
Hugs,
Antony x
I've found that keeping a garden has become a bit challenging of late. My partner and I used to have quite a large one before we moved to the new house, and I actually did most of the weeding and watering. I suppose the move broke the routine! We have some indoor plants and we always cover our deck with plants in the spring and summer, but no real garden to speak of. My partner tried to get one started in 2008 but I didn't have much time to help, and he seemed to lose interest. He wants to try again this spring, so we'll see. I'm thinking sticking to indoor plants and the deck is the most effective (and least guilt-inducing) way for me to keep close to nature. And regular walks, too.
Growing plants in pots definitely seems easier than tackling a large garden.
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