The Real Witches’ Garden: Spells, Herbs, Plants and Magical Spaces Outdoors

An outdoor Sacred Space is also useful for other magical steps which may not be a part of a spell or Ritual. When you need to place something in the light of the Full Moon, then the centre of your space is an excellent place to put it, so long as you remember to remove it before any children or pets can interfere. The centre is also a good spot to place any poorly plants which you intend to nurse back to health. Of course this latter, like many Craft activities, should be tempered with common sense. There is no use putting a sensitive tropical houseplant out into the Winter’s snow and expecting it to thrive!

A HEALING SPELL FOR PLANTS

There are very few Witches or gardeners around who do not, sooner or later, have a poorly plant or two. It is important firstly to ensure that any obvious causes have been addressed: if you have been away for two weeks and the poor thing received no water, then water it; if it is infested with some kind of parasite then remove the offending bugs and so on. But once these practical steps have been addressed then it is time to use magic to help it on its way back to health.

At some point during the Waxing Moon take your plant to your Sacred Space, place it either in the centre or upon your Altar. You will also need a small amount of rainwater in a shallow dish or bowl.

Call upon the quarters, starting with the east; saying:

‘I call thee O element of Air, to give your healing strength to this (name the plant) … Blessed Be.’

Then move to the south, west and north calling upon Fire, Water and Earth, respectively. Now stand facing the north and invite the Goddess and the God, saying:

‘I call upon the Goddess, Mother of all living, and the God, Lord of the Land to aid me in healing this (name of plant) … Lend your strength to it and watch over it, that it might flourish in your name.’

Wait until you can clearly visualize their presence, then say:

‘Blessed Be.’

You can either use the names of the Goddess and God which you most favour working with, or you could use those with particular associations for the plant in question.

Now take the water and draw an invoking Pentagram (#litres_trial_promo) in it with your finger or Athame [see Terms and Definitions], then hold it up to the Goddess and the God and say:

‘May this water be blessed and consecrated by the Gods. May it purify and heal this plant. Blessed Be.’

With your fingertips sprinkle a little of the water over the plant’s foliage and then pour the remainder into the soil around it. Thank the elements by going back to each quarter, starting with the east as before, and saying:

‘I give thanks to thee O element of Air. May your strength ever watch over this place. Blessed Be.’

Repeat for the south, west and north. Then, facing the north, visualize the Goddess and the God and say:

‘I give thanks to the Goddess and the God for aiding me. May their light ever shine here and on all that dwells in this place. Blessed Be.’

Assuming that the weather is clement, or reasonably so, leave the plant there for three days and nights before returning it to a suitable location.

If the plant is not in a pot then you will need to take a small cutting or sprig into the Circle with you, so that it is represented there. Consecrate and bless the water as above but keep it on the Altar until your Ritual is completed. Then take the water out of the Circle to the plant and sprinkle and water as above.

Of course, not everyone’s celebration of the Craft takes the form of active Circle work, but there are other ways we can bring nature into our magic and magic into nature.

FOUR THE GARDEN FOR THE GODDESS AND THE GOD (#ulink_aa174e3a-539f-536a-a4fd-ddb629d808fc)

In the Craft we believe that there are many facets of the Divine. Individual Goddess and God forms have different attributes and characteristics, such as Aphrodite Goddess of Love, Mercury God of Communication, Herne Lord of the Forest, Cerridwyn Goddess of Wisdom, and many, many more. All of them, however, are linked to the cycles of life, death and rebirth, and all are in some way linked to nature and the land. Thus it is through nature, the plants, trees and herbs, etc, that we can become closer to them; closer to understanding their nature and more able to connect with them. Just as there are many Goddesses and Gods there are many ways of celebrating them within your garden – even a single plant can be your offering to the Divine. Chapter 10 lists some plants which are linked to different aspects of the Goddess and the God. But you can also dedicate a corner, or even the whole space, to a design which will help you to develop a closer relationship.

The first step is to decide which aspects of the Divine you intend to honour in the space you have available to you. If you have been practising the Craft for a while, you will already be aware of the Goddess and God forms to which you feel closest. You may even have some idea of how you would like to do this. However, you may prefer to honour the Divine in a less specific way, simply having an area set aside for meditation and contemplation of them in general. There are many shapes which are linked to the Divine and which can be introduced into your plans, such as the spiral, the triple moon

, tall phallic shapes for the God of fertility, and even animal shapes such as the deer, hare, cat, etc.

This part of your garden then becomes a place where not only can you contemplate your Gods, but also a place where you can get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life; a place where you can go to meditate, or just to relax and unwind.

PLANNING THE AREA

In my garden I have plans to introduce a spiral walkway of flat stones into one of the beds. The spiral is an ancient symbol of the Goddess, and can be found carved into many monoliths, cave walls and even pieces of jewellery. It is felt that the spiral represents the path both inwards and outwards to enlightenment and truth. Today, you will often find spiral paths created at Pagan and Wiccan events so that we too can follow this ancient tradition. My garden walkway will serve the dual purpose of giving me easier access to the plants in this space as well as providing a contemplative walk. Designing and crafting a spiral on the ground is not easy, but perhaps the best method is to map it out on squared paper and then to place a grid (use string tied to sticks placed in the ground) over the area you intend to use, so that you can repeat your design. It is common to find at the centre of the spiral a destination, perhaps a fountain, a sundial or a flat rock for sitting on. Alternatively, you can place your most meaningful, or loved, plant at this point. Of course it is not necessary to have a spiral large enough to walk on, you could just as easily use pebbles in a small container which you can trace with your finger or eye. Around this you might like to plant one of the smaller scented herbs such as a miniature thyme or even some alpines. It is worth mentioning that, contrary to the beliefs of some, the spiral is not just a symbol of the Goddess as Crone, although that is sometimes its primary attribution. It also symbolizes the Triple Goddess and some aspects of the God in terms of the cycles of life, death and rebirth.

I also know of someone who hopes to convert their whole lawn into a triple moon, but it is not necessary for this shape to take over your whole garden. The

can be incorporated into flower beds, or with a little ingenuity you could divide it into its three sections and, by placing one in each of three pots, have a triple moon which can be lined up. When it comes to defining shapes in the ground you can use stones or pebbles, wood shavings (although do make sure they come from a good source) or even other plants to define the edges. If you are using plants to create shapes try to select ones which do not grow rampantly; mint, for example, can take over a whole garden if left to its own devices! A better choice would be some of the low level annuals and/or bedding plants; lobelia is one which I find relatively easy to train and control.

These days it is relatively easy to introduce animal shapes into the garden as many garden centres sell pre-formed woven wicker shapes which are intended for use in training climbing plants such as ivy, jasmine, honeysuckle, clematis and so on. These come in a variety of sizes, from those intended to support shrubs and bushes to ones small enough to be placed in a pot with the plant of your choice. Alternatively, if you are artistic, you can draw these shapes in the ground and then ‘colour in’ with the plants of your choice.

Some Witches prefer the idea of creating a number of small ‘shrines’ to different Goddesses and Gods. These can be fairly elaborate with statues and areas to place candles and offerings, or they can be simpler. One idea is to select a plant specific to each Goddess or God you wish to honour in this way, and to place before each of these plants a fairly small marker stone, which can be used to place a nightlight on at the times when you wish to interact with or commune with that deity.

An alternative idea is to simply create a quiet corner, where it is possible to sit in peace and to meditate. If you can, try to place this in such a way that the intended view is of plants and trees, rather than the house or road, which can easily distract your thoughts. You may find that you have to plant something in your direct line of sight to achieve this. Near to where I live there is a wild flower and wildlife centre which has a chamomile seat which would be ideal for this purpose. They have created a raised ‘box’ from logs and placed willow ‘arms’ and a ‘back’ to form a chair. The seat is sown with chamomile and the willow has been allowed to root into the ground. The willow is kept regularly trimmed and woven back into shape, so that the seat can actually be sat upon. I feel, however, that this is probably an idea for the gardener who has plenty of time to devote to tending just one part of the garden. Having said that, there is no reason why you should not create an archway around an existing piece of furniture, or around a space where you can place your chair, or cushion. Pre-formed bamboo arches are ideal for this purpose, and can be used to support climbing plants. You can even do this indoors, linking two pots with the arch and training the plants to meet in the middle, so long as you are sure that you will be able to leave the plants in position.

It is worth mentioning here that, when dealing with climbers, you do need to be patient. It is tempting to encourage them upwards as fast as you can, but you will get a better effect by training them backwards and forwards in horizontal zig-zags, so that the foliage is fairly dense all the way up. Otherwise you can end up surrounded by the stems, with the leaves and flowers all being over your head!

Of course, a quiet corner does not have to take the form of a seat or bower. Another of my projects is to create a crescent-moon-shaped bed, raised perhaps 6 to 9 inches (15 to 25 cm) above the surrounding soil, so that I can create an area of tranquillity within it. I plan to plant the upper surface of the bed with some of the taller, traditional ‘cottage garden’ plants such as hollyhock, delphiniums, foxgloves, etc. This will not entirely preclude the surrounding sights and sounds but will mean that when seated on the ground, I am in the midst of the plants. As I also hope to attract butterflies, bees and other wildlife I shall also include plants such as buddleia and, against the nearby fence, wisteria. To enhance the relaxation element of the area, and because it is significant to my region, I shall include lavender. As this is to be an area with little ‘traffic’ I intend to plant a thyme or chamomile ‘lawn’ in the centre of the crescent. In the past, when my space has been limited, I have kept some plants in pots which can be arranged around me when I need a place of quiet, and again you can utilize this idea within the home.

Obviously, when choosing the site of your quiet area, you will need to take into account the layout of your garden, and the place most likely to be relatively quiet, but it is always useful to seek the guidance and blessing of the Gods.

SEEKING THE BLESSING OF THE GODDESS AND THE GOD

Before you seek the guidance and blessing of the Gods make, buy or seek out an offering for them. This could be a circle of plaited grasses, a single flower head, or perhaps a significantly shaped stone you have found on a walk. It could be a plant you have raised especially for the purpose. It need not be expensive, but should be something which has required you to make a special effort. Offerings to the Old Ones should always entail a sacrifice of time or effort. Of course, your major offering in any garden-related project will be the ongoing time and effort you place into creating and maintaining that area, but this will be a token of that effort.

At a time when you will be undisturbed, take your token out into your garden, close your eyes and visualize the Goddess and the God. Call upon them and ask them to guide you to a place of peace and tranquillity saying:

‘I call upon the Goddess and the God. Lord and Lady I seek a place in which to know you, a place in which to understand you. Show me the way, that I might draw closer to you in peace and love. Give me an open heart and a fresh mind that I might see your way. Blessed Be.’

Holding their image in your mind, turn slowly around three times and open your eyes. Look over the whole of your garden with these thoughts in your head and you will surely be able to see the best location for your new space. If you are considering placing your area indoors use the same invocation to help you to determine the best place. Once you have found the right spot, walk to it, close your eyes again and say:

‘I give thanks to the Goddess and the God for showing me the way. I undertake to work and tend this place in their name in gratitude for their love, and in token of this I make this offering. Blessed Be.’

Place your token in the centre of the area. If you have a particular deity or deities in mind then you can call upon these by name and choose your offering specifically with them in mind.

I find it useful to mark off any area I am about to work on with a few canes tied together with string. This has the effect of alerting my young son and his friends that this is not a play area, thus allowing me a clear working space and giving any plants time to establish themselves. It also encourages me to get on with the job, as sticks and string make it obvious that work has not been completed!

Having located your quiet area you need to work on it and to Dedicate it.

DEDICATING THE AREA

As with the preceding chapter, dedication is more of a process than an event. Remember to visualize the Goddess and the God every time you work on the area, and ask them to help you. Apart from the aspect of making the place special to them, any task dedicated to the Gods benefits from their energies and will therefore be easier and more successful. Try to leave one small, last task in the preparation of your area for your rite of dedication. Perhaps a last prune or trim, or maybe the placing of a single plant or object.

CONSECRATING THE AREA

Once you have set up your area to your satisfaction then you will want to consecrate it. It is best to do this at the Full Moon and at the time of day when you feel you are most likely to be using the site for meditation, contemplation or just to be closer to nature and the Gods. For some this will be early evening, but it could just as easily be any other time of the day. For me this is in the morning, after the ‘school run’ but before I actually start working, as I find that a few moments with the Gods both clears the mind and helps to inspire me.

Take with you into the area some water in a suitable watering vessel, a chalice with a little wine, or fruit juice, and any tools you may need for that last small task which you saved. Place all these to one side of your area, settle yourself down and compose yourself. If it is safe to do so, remove your shoes and go barefoot, so that you are in actual contact with the earth. Spend a few minutes in silent contemplation of both the area and the Goddess and the God. I find it helps to focus on my breathing for a couple of moments before I start, as this helps me to concentrate on what I am about to do.

Picture the Goddess and the God actually being present with you, and imagine them moving through the area, smelling and touching the plants. When you can see this clearly in your mind’s eye, call upon them saying: