Monkshood is one of the more deadly plants in the witch’s garden. It was also one of the plants closely associated with the witch’s flying ointment. A look at this diabolical botanical, and how it differs from its cousin, the legendary wolfsbane.
A Witches' Garden Grimoire
Alchemy in the Witches' garden
A notebook of Witch's garden thoughts, ideas, experiments failed and successful. Since witches are often nocturnal creatures, we also go into moon gardens, and a fair amount of cottage gardening as well.
I cover everything from witches' garden folklore, to the presence of fairies in your garden, as well as day to day issues like layout, planting, sprouting - not altogether successful - as well as the plants themselves.
A collection of tales, potions and spells from a witches' garden
What good is a witches' garden grimoire without some instruction on how they might have been used in the past, or present? Though you should be warned, instructions may come from sources as varied as prestigious universities, to the witchfinder. A good rule of them is if you don't know what you're doing with plants, it's best not to mess with them.
Also included are progress reports to the witch who watches over me and watches my garden grow.
From healing potions to the dark arts, the articles below make for a great introduction to witch's garden plants ... pick an article below
How I became the witch's gardener. Gardening with a history.
Celebrating the Cowslip on May Day morning in the witch’s garden
Cowslip is a witch’s garden plant which s traditionally found by foraging. Know for its connection to May Day, divination and of course faeries, it’s been celebrated in folklore and by Shakespeare, for its connection to love.
Dearest H: The witch’s gardener mucks into spring 2018
Looking at spring in the witch’s garden, planning the coming year and adapting spaces to changing plans. A look at what survived the winter, what seems to be spreading and what didn’t survive the freeze.
From the witch’s garden, Meadowsweet, a love potion as well as a balm for aching hearts
A look at Meadowsweet, a wildflower traditionally thought of as an omen of love. But with any love potion, it works best when love is already present from the start.
Laudanum from the Witch’s Garden: The opiate that drove the romantic poets to enlightenment and insanity
Laudanum, from the opium poppy was a drug of choice for the romantic poets. Many thought it brought them closer to enlightenment, but all too often it left them ravaged by addiction. White price are you willing to pay to know the mind of the gods?
A last look around the moon garden and the witch’s garden before the autumn’s chill does its work
Taking a last look around the witch’s garden and the moon garden before the first fall frosts does its work. What to bring inside, what to pluck and what to say goodbye to. A look at what worked this year and didn’t.
Why a moon garden?
A love letter to my witch and to the night. A moon garden is a haven for those of us who are nocturnal, for those who shy from the sun and beam with the moon. What makes a moon garden so intriguing?
The Witch’s Garden reborn: Taming the feral beast for a new spring
As spring sends new shoots bursting upwards, I’m struck with a sudden urge to rework the witch’s garden. A look at what survived the winter to act as a the base of a new beginning.
Witchy plants coming back in the spring from a hard winter
This was a surprise … Last spring I managed to get hold of three Belladonna plants. Two went directly into the ground, the third into a container. The two in the ground certainly outperformed the container one, but I didn’t have a lot of hope that those two would make it through the cold season. […]
Witchy Garden Experiments: Sewing seeds on the Winter Solstice to avoid cold stratification
One evening I had a friend over for drinks. The friend in question had run afoul of my good graces some time ago, and though I was certain he knew of my displeasure, he acknowledged it not. Now this man, let’s call him Orlando for the purposes of this story, is quite knowledgable about witchy […]
What survived the winter in the witch’s garden?
Relatively speaking it was a nasty winter. It turned cold in November and is still a bit chilly most days in March, as well as dipping down below freezing at night. And tomorrow’s forecast is for rain, freezing rain and snow, So it’s not quite over yet. When the wind chill took us below zero, […]
Starting seeds indoors for a witch’s garden
I think my success in gardening for the past three years (and I’m not about to claim great success mind you, at best about a 75% success rate which was a C when I went to school back), has to do with not knowing anything about it prior to taking it up. Not that I […]
