The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Gardening is a natural expression of the Craft. From the Green Witch

who grows magickal plants for spell work and healing to the dedicant

who plants a single plant to honor a deity, people of all ages have

found magick in the plant kingdom. Following are some ideas for

magickally themed gardens.



A MOON GARDEN

What could be nicer than sitting on the front step at night, eating

almond crescent cookies, sipping jasmine tea, and gazing at night-

blooming plants? Plants in this plot would be white like the moon,

bloom at night or be fragrant at night, and some of the plants might

correspond to Moon goddesses:

Evening Primrose

Moonflowers

Nicotiana

Datura (Angel's Trumpet)

Soapwort

Phlox -- the Midnight Candy variety

Plants that release fragrance at night include:

Night gladiolus (gladiolus tristus)

Tuberose

Evening trumpet flower (Carolina Jessamine)

Sweet Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)

Artemis is a moon goddess, and white-ish plants that are sacred to

her are wormwood and white mugwort. She loves all Artemesia --

Silver Mound and Canescens would be especially beautiful here



A FAERY GARDEN

whatever you do to bring life to your garden will bring faeries as

well. First of all, plant plants that attract bees, butterflies, and

hummingbirds. This will also attract the Fae. So put up hummingbird

feeders, bird feeders, bird baths, bird houses, even bat houses.

Small fountains, ponds, Faery statues, or waterfalls are all good.

Here's a short list of plants that attract faeries to your garden:

Common yarrow, Achillea millefolium

New York aster, Aster novi-belgii

Shasta daisy, Chrysanthemum maximum

Western giant hyssop or horsemint, Agastache occidentalis

French lavender, Lavendula dentata

Rosemary, Rosemarinus officinalis

Thyme, Thymus

Fountain butterfly bush, Buddleia alternifolia

Orange-eye butterfly bush, summer lilac, Buddleia davidii

Shrubby cinquefoil, Potentilla fruitiosa

Common garden petunia, Petunia hybrida

Verbenas, vervains, Verbena

Pincushion flowers, Scabiosa caucasica

Cosmos, Cosmos bipinnatus

Common zinnia, Zinnia elegans

They also love the following plants and trees:

foxglove, primrose, Ragwort, cowslips, pansies, bluebells, clover (3-

leaf, not 4-leaf), St. John's wort, hazel, rowan, blackthorn, oak,

willow, elder, birch, alder, apple, ash, and especially toadstools.

For a short ceremony to dedicate the Faery garden, go here.



TAROT GARDEN

This idea has always intrigued me. What do you want to manifest in

your life in the coming year? Prosperity? Fertility? Love? Find cards

in the tarot that represent your desires. Examples would be the

Empress and the Ace of Cups for a wanted pregnancy, or the Lovers,

Ace of Cups, and Eight of Wands for a new relationship. If money is

on your mind, how about the Ace, Ten, and King of Pentacles or

Emperor? Find plants corresponding to the chosen cards. Plant the

seeds and nurture them to harvest. Your goals should be reached by

harvest. If you use the Herbal Tarot, your work is already done --

just plant the plants found on each card.



GOD AND GODDESS GARDEN

Who is your patron god/dess? Find plants sacred to her and dedicate a

section of the garden to that deity. For instance, some of the

flowers sacred to Artemis are mugwort and all artemisias, trefoil,

marigold, and amaranth. Hecate would appreciate aconite, Calla lily,

belladonna, datura, and beautiful poison plants in general. If you

want to steer clear of the poisonous plants, try verbena, borage,

English ivy, chamomile, St. John's wort, bay, angelica, fennel, or

rue.



A SABBAT GARDEN

Include herbs that correspond to each of the eight Sabbats:



Samhain: rosemary, mugwort, rue, calendula, pumpkins, turnips, sage,

wormwood, tarragon, bay, passionflower, garlic, mandrake.



Yule: bayberry, holly, sandalwood, ivy, comfrey, chamomile,

sunflower, myrrh, wintergreen.



Imbolc: heather, sage, chamomile, garlic, rose hips, sunflower,

vervain, violets, wheat, corn, grains, myrrh.



Ostara: lily of the valley, tansy, lavender, marjoram, thyme,

tarragon, lilac, violets, lemon balm, honeysuckle, crocus, daffodil,

jonquil, tulip, broom (Scotch or Iris), meadowsweet, acorn, trefoil

(purple clover), vervain.



Beltane: all-heal, blessed thistle, broom, daffodil, coriander, fern,

fireweed, flax, marjoram, radish, rue, snapdragon, meadowsweet, rose,

woodruff, strawberries, tansy.



Midsummer: vervain, St. John's Wort, heartsease, lavender, sage,

mint, basil, fennel, chive, chervil, tarragon, parsley, rosemary,

thyme, hyssop, honeysuckle, red heather, white heather, rue,

sunflower, fern, mugwort, vervain, meadowsweet.



Lammas: peony, nasturtium, clover, yarrow, heliotrope, boneset,

vervain, Queen Anne's lace, myrtle, rose, sunflower, poppy, milkweed,

garlic, onion, basil, mint, aloe, acacia, meadowsweet, mugwort, hops,

holly, comfrey, marigold.



Mabon: Rue, yarrow, rosemary, marigold, sage, chamomile,

passionflower, rose hips, sunflower, wheat.



Notice many of these herbs can be used for more than one sabbat, so

you could economize on space if you took advantage of that.



SOME MORE IDEAS

Druid Garden -- angelica, blue vervain, bilberry, holly, and lady's

mantle.



Old World Medicinal/Magickal -- aconite, belladonna, datura, henbane,

mandrake, poppy.



Zodiac Garden -- create a round garden designed like an astrological

chart with 12 houses. Insert plants that correspond to the planets in

each house as it relates to your natal chart.



Pentacle Garden -- plant in the form of a pentacle using "the

daylilies named Merry Witch and Wicked Witch, Witch's Thimble and

Moon Witch; and Magic Lilies, whose flowers bolt surprisingly

directly from the ground, to bloom with extravagant fragrance. Plant

the arms of your starry pentacle with light green chamomile around a

filling of darker green mint; then place round clumps of Dianthus

Essex Witch at each point of the star. Surround this whole design

with a circle of green parsley, and densely plant dainty sweet

alyssum as the pentacle's background. Your pentacle is now ready to

shine back at the night's stars-and at you."

--from Magickal Gardens by Patricia Monaghan



Sacred Direction Garden -- plant flowers and herbs sacred to the four

directions in the corresponding corners of your yard. A shrine or

garden altar in the center of the yard would make a beautiful touch.