Garden Witch's Herbal

by Ellen Dugan

  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.

  Clarity

  This defines the perimeter of the garden and the use of pathways. Where does your magickal garden begin? Where does it lead, and where does it end? The clever use of a clearly defined entrance, or threshold, into the garden makes it special and welcomes you in. A good garden threshold area is like a welcoming embrace. The threshold into a garden is an

  in-between place that is full of possibilities and enchantment. In fact, a gate can be a symbol of a spiritual doorway, or passage, that separates one reality, or one world, from the next.

  Once inside the garden, you shoul
d be drawn along a pathway to its heart; the heart of the garden is a place you feel compelled to approach. It’s fascinating and irresistible. Also, the heart of the garden defines its use. This is where your magickal intentions are centered and visitors’ attentions will be focused.

  Complexity

  In the simplest of terms, this is variety. You can achieve this with the magick of color. (Color in the garden will be discussed in detail in our next section.) Now, it’s true that color shouldn’t be so overwhelming that the eye can’t rest. However, keep in mind that even in a shady hosta garden, for example, there are dozens of varieties and different shades of green available, and all those hues of green can harmonize with each other beautifully—anything from lime green to blue green to white stripes and edges and yellow hues. Play on that, use your imagination, and see what you can create. Look at the pattern of the foliage and the texture of leaf and flower. Pay attention to patterns and any symbolism that may be meaningful to you.

  Mystery

  Give your Witch’s garden something that will inspire curiosity. Here, you balance what is known with what is unexpected. The garden should captivate you and lure you in, in some subtle way—that tantalizing promise of more. For example, a path that turns the corner into an unexpected surprise. A hidden water feature that you can hear but have to search to find. Wind chimes hanging from a tall tree that sing out in a breeze. A statue of a goddess or faerie tucked into a shady nook or grotto. A small, secret place to leave offerings to the elementals and faeries of the garden. Mystery is vital in a magickal garden, because that feeling of stumbling upon a secret garden is such a delicious one. Use your imagination, and see what you can do to add some mystery and magick to your garden.

  Refuge

  Refuge is best described as a feeling of welcome relaxation and reflection; in other words, a place where you can “sit a spell.” Your garden should include a place to sit and to relax. This can be as simple as a concrete or wooden bench, a tire swing, a boulder, a glider, or a curvy metal chair. Wherever you choose to make your refuge, offer some type of seating, and make the area special. In my garden, this area is under the rose arbor. Tucked under there is a small bistro table and chair set. It’s shady and private, and when the roses bloom in May, it is filled wall-to-wall with hot pink roses. Incorporating a resting place in your magickal garden offers you a chance to relax, contemplate, and enjoy—and perhaps creates a serene spot to even work a spell or two.

  Color Magick in the Garden

  Green is the fresh emblem of well-founded hopes.

  In blue, the spirit can wander, but in green it can rest.

  mary webb, the joy of spring

  Working successfully with color in the garden is one of the more important lessons that I have taught to Master Gardener interns over the years, and it is necessary knowledge for budding landscape and magickal garden designers too. That being said, you’ll need to ask yourself a few questions before deciding on your color scheme. Do you prefer a subtle blending of colors that complement each other, or do you prefer contrasting colors? Magickal gardeners can certainly apply these basic principles when they choose the colors of their plants and create absolutely charming effects. Do you have a favorite color that you’d like to dominate in the garden all year, or would you like to see diverse colors all working together?

  If you think color is not important in the garden, think again. The clever use of color can set the mood and make a space seem larger or even cozier. Color can warm up a shady spot or cool down a sunny one. Color is often used to create a specific atmosphere in the garden. It can draw attention to a particular feature, create an impression of spaciousness, or help make a large area seem cozier. The trick is to learn what colors harmonize, or work well together, and how to identify them. Here are a few color schemes for you to consider.

  Complementary Colors

  You remember your complementary colors from elementary school, don’t you? These are pairs of colors that are directly opposite from each other on the color wheel. They are the tried and true color combinations such as red and green, blue and orange, and yellow and purple.

  Analogous Colors

  Also called “harmonious colors,” these are colors that are next to each other on the color wheel—e.g., the warm tones of yellow, yellow orange, and orange, or the cooler hues of blue violet, violet, and red violet. An analogous color combination of lavender, blue, and cool pink appeals to many people and is a lovely way to get a flower bed to flow together and create a sense of unity.

  Complementary Colors:

  colors that are opposite each other on the wheel (e.g., red and green)

  Analogous Colors:

  colors that are close to each other

  on the wheel (e.g., yellow,

  yellow orange, and orange)

  Triadic Colors

  These color combinations result from drawing an equilateral triangle inside the color wheel, such as red, yellow, and blue, or green, violet, and orange.

  Monochromatic Colors

  These are sometimes referred to as “single-color gardens.” This is the simplest kind of color scheme and one of the easiest for novice gardeners to work with. This type of color scheme is built on varying shades of one basic color—for example, the lighter and darker shades of red, such as medium pink, pale pink, purple, and reddish purple. These types of single-color gardens give a sense of openness and space to even the smallest of gardens.

  It also can really make a shady garden pop. Imagine an all-white garden tucked in a shady spot. You could turn it into a moon goddess garden, if you wanted. Imagine how gorgeous a creamy white hydrangea, white-edged hostas, and white impatiens would be. Each would play well off the other and show to their best advantage, since with a monochromatic garden, the plant’s form and texture will take center stage.

  Neutral Colors

  These are the blending colors in the garden: grey, silver, and white. True green may also be used as a neutral feature in the garden. These neutral colors tone down the effects of sharply contrasting or clashing colors that may seem harsh to the eye if placed next to each other. Want an example? Let’s say you have orange nasturtiums and purple pansies side by side; they will clash. Tuck in some silver dusty miller, and it will soften the look so that it won’t seem so visually jarring.

  Bright Colors

  The warm, vibrant colors of red, hot orange, and bright yellow draw attention to themselves and make large areas seem smaller and cozier. They create the illusion of warmth, invoke the element of fire, and cast a festive atmosphere.

  Dark Colors

  Dark colors such as purples and blues will create an impression of more space. These are soothing, calming colors that invoke the element of water. Plus they will weave the illusion of coolness in hot, full-sun-exposure gardens, no matter what the temperature.

  Pastel Colors

  These soft shades of white, pale yellow, and pink will stand out in twilight gardens and shady areas. You may employ these colors to invoke the element of air. Also keep in mind that these colors will light up during twilight and are good color choices if the evening hours are the ones you are most able to enjoy in the garden. Consider pastels if you are planning a witchy nighttime garden.

  Seasonal and Multi-Season Color

  Part of the fun of choosing colors for your magickal garden is deciding when those colors will appear. Remember to choose plants for all of the seasons—choose plants for spring, summer, and the fall months, and try to plan for a little bit of winter interest too. This way, your garden shifts seamlessly from one season to the next.

  Your Magickal Garden’s

  Style, Structure, and Space

  More things grow in the garden than the gardener knows.

  spanish proverb

  Now we move along to our next decision: finding your style and deciding what is bes
t suited for your own enchanted garden space. At this point, you have to follow your heart (and, of course, indulge in your own magickal personality). The best style of garden for you is always the one you prefer. No, I’m not being overly simplistic here; it’s true. It might be a mixture of styles—formal, cottage, woodland, or Oriental—but hey, the sky’s the limit!

  Still not sure where to begin? Try looking through some books on garden design, and then go visit a public garden and see what style tugs at your heart. Reading about garden styles isn’t enough. You must go out and experience the gardens in person. Feel the texture of the leaves, see the colors of the blossoms, and smell their fragrances. Get your senses involved; they will lead you in the right direction.

  Perhaps you have a hankering to try an Oriental approach, with bamboo, rounded pebbles, pine trees, and simple water features. Maybe you are crazy for cottage style, with blooming herbs, perennials, and vegetables all growing jumbled together. What about a mysterious and shady garden with lots of perennial ferns, hostas, and impatiens for color?

  Some magickal folks go for the structured and proper look of a formal knot garden or an Elizabethan sun dial garden full of herbs. There are those of us who get pleasure from the more formal setting—just for fun. It’s so traditional and precise. My formal herb beds even have a neat row of boxwood hedges outside of their fence that I just adore. I suppose it’s because all my other beds are cottage style, so wild and unstructured.

  And if you are wondering, no, the styles don’t clash. They are simply different, and I might add that they are located in separate parts of the yard. After strolling through all the cottage gardens, the formal one really jumps out at you, beckoning visitors for a closer look. And this is exactly what I was going for. I use the entire yard—both front, sides, and back—and successfully blend several styles together.