The Weed Garden
You notice, as you walk into the weed garden, that most of the plants here are very common plants that have gotten the title "weed".
You see, to the right, a patch of daisies. Did you know that daisies should be worn on Midsummer's for luck and blessings? Decorate the house with them on Midsummer's Day to win the favor of faeries and bring luck to the home.
The bright, cheerful yellow blossomes of dandelions catch your eye as you walk by them. Young leaves of dandelion (they must be young, because later in the season they grow too bitter) are used for food, and dandelions are also made into dandelion tea. Dandelions are for divination, wishes, and calling spirits.
Ferns are a powerful protectant, and it is said that they protect any house that contains them.
Blackberries in any form are useful to cure diarrhea.
Juniper grows here, too. The berries can be used to make a mild diuretic.
Nettle, drunk in tea form, will ease asthma, and a piece of cloth soaked in nettle juice or infusion will check a nosebleed.
A tea of Alpine Strawberry is good for bleeding gums and sore mouths, while the leaves added to a bath will ease aching leg muscles.
Broom, though poisonous, does add color to a garden with its bright orange-yellow blossoms. If you are performing rituals outside, you can sprinkle the cirlce with broom to purify the space. You can also burn broom during divination and prior to meditation to clear your mind. Broom is great for aiding in psychic powers, but it smells pretty bad.
You see sneezewort alongside the path. Powdered sneezewort is used to make a sneezing powder.
Goldenrods attract northern checkerspot and rockslide checkerspot butterflies, as well as being useful in divination.
Milkweed also attracts butterflies-mainly monarchs and queen butterflies.
Raspberry grows by the path. Along with the delicious berries, a tea can be made from the leaves which is especially beneficial to expectant mothers. One of my favorite summer recipes is to wash the berries, then freeze them and later snack on them.
Growing busily beside the path is Witch Hazel, whose extract soothes sunburns, reduces swelling of swollen or tired eyes, and can be used as a face splash for oily skin.
That is the end of the weed garden. Maybe something will sprout here in the future. Time to go back.
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/7039/AshlinGG.html
Moonie
***
A compress with catnip tea will help a headache if placed on the forhead. Make a pink sachet and fill it with catnip to draw love to you. Catnip is good for cat magic, too--feed your cat catnip to aid a psychic bond.
Peppermint tea will help stomachaches and improve psychic powers. The tea also helps to induce sleep and visions.
Rosemary has many uses; youth, healing, love, lust, longetivity, purification, mental powers, protection, sleep, exorcism, and when burned as an incense, removes negativity and purifies. Traditionally, a sprig was woven into a bride's headdress, as it was associated with fidelity. It was called "Dew of the Sea" in older recipes.
Lemon Verbena is overlooked in many magickal grimoires, but some find that lemon verbena is an excellent substitute for dragon's blood. It is less expensive and easier to locate that Dragon's Blood, and you can use it in teas either to add strength or to aid in psychic pursuits. This herb can be used in love spells and for purification. It works quite nicely in a tea form, mixed with other herbs, for clairvoyance.
Hmm...Sage is next along the path, useful for healing, purifying, wishes, longetivity, protection, and wealth.
You see also Yarrow, also known as Milfoil, a medicinal plant that can be used for purification, love spells, and courage. Hold some in your hands to stop fear and give you courage when you are afraid.
Basil is used in wealth and prosperity rituals. Keep basil in your pockets to attract money into them. (Sweet basil is also a nice touch in cooking.)
Coriander is often used in love spells, you note as you walk by.
Dill pops up ahead. Make a pouch of dill and hang it over your door for protection.
Fennel tea is very healing, and is gentle enough for babies. A breastfeeding mother can drink the tea to give it to her baby via the milk.
You notice Mugwort, a very protective herb that also is good for psychic powers. Use a mugwort infusion to wash magic mirrors and crystal balls. Put mugwort in your shoe on long journeys to prevent fatigue. Mugwort has some medicinal uses, but it does contain a chemical that can be poisonous if it is taken for too long a period of time, so have some caution when using it.
Onions are used for healing and protection. Non-magical herbalists recommend using fresh cut onion to draw the pain out of an injury.
You note in passing Thyme, which can be burned as a purifying incense. It is thought to inspire courage if worn. Inhale the scent to renew energy and for refreshment.
Vervain has many uses. It is used for love, protection, purification, peace, money, youth, chastity, sleep, and healing. The power of vevain is that it is ruled by earth, meaning that any magickal working vervain is added to will root it both in the mind of the witch and in the energy flow. Vervain is used to "make the spell go." You can sprinkle it in all four directions of your circle, because it may aid in drawing the energy of the elements. It was once called Enchanter's Plant.
The last herb in the garden is Anise, used for protection. A pillow stuffed with anise seeds is supposed to guard against nightmares.
You are at the end of the garden-time to turn back. Perhaps more things will grow here in time.
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/7039/AshlinGF.html
Moonie
***
The Flower Garden
"I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight."
--from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
As you walk into the flower garden, you see that many of the lovely flowers are in bloom--like Lavendar, a flower widely used in aromotherapy and herbalism. A lavendar bath can relive stress and soothe tired muscles. Because of its elegant fragrance and delicate taste, lavender has a long history of being used in love sachets and teas. Lavender has a delicate taste, and makes a nice morning tea. The herb is used in sachts for love, peace of mind, sleep and happiness. Those who have trouble sleeping should either place a sachet of lavender under the pillow or a few drops of the essential oil on their sheets. Lavender can also be placed in the bath water in induce relaxation and relieve tension. A word to the wise: don't drink this tea if you plan a night of romance. This herb causes people to lose sexual drive, and therefore helps preserve chastity.
You also see a patch of Clover. If you find a four-leaved clover, you can make a wish, as well as gain the power to see faeries dancing in their rings. Caution: if you unknowingly carry a four-leaved clover, it gives the fey power to enchant you! Clover is for protection, money, love, fidelity, exorcism, and success.
A group of rosebushes, all colors of the rainbow, blossom beautifully in this garden; remember, rosehips are an excellent source of vitamin C, so you might want to add rose hip tea to your daily diet. Rose is also associated with divination.
Did you know that cowslip is a hiding-place for frightened faeries?
"I must go seek some dewdrops here
And hang a pearl in every cow-slip's ear
In their gold coats, spots you see;
Those be rubies, fairy favours,
In those freckles live their savours."
--Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
Cowslip is for healing, youth, and treasure finding.
Primroses! With their four heart-shaped petals, they're really quite nice-looking flowers, and primroses in the garden will attract faeries. They were called Password in some of the older texts that referred to "spells".
Chamomile is an invaluable flower to have on hand; chamomile tea is soothing and relaxing. Chamomile has traditionally been used in potions and teas to induce sleep and restfulness. It is also used for purification, and sprinkled around the house will keep bad energy from invading the residents. However, chamomile is excellent for attracting money. The reason: chamomile is peaceful, and prosperity reigns where there is peace.
Carrying poppy flowers in a sachet aids in bringing money to the carrier, and burning poppy (mixed with chamomile and lavender) aids in inducing peaceful sleep.
Mullein is very protective--keep the leaf in your pocket to protect you. Other protectiver flowers include hyssop, peony, rose geranium, and snapdragon. In medieval times, it was sometimes called Candlewick Plant.
Carnations are used in love spells and in healing.
Bluebells are for luck and truth.
Jasmine has been used in love sachets and poppets. If you burn jasmine in the bedroom, it causes prophetic dreams. In conjunciton with a clairvoyance tea it works quite well. Smell the flowers just efore bedtime to sleep well.
The Flowers
All the names I know from verse:
Gardener's garters, Shepherd's purse,
Bachelor's buttons, Lady's smock,
And the Lady Hollyhock.
Fairy places, fairy things,
Fairy woods where the wild bee stings,
Tiny trees for tiny dames--
These must all be fairy names!
Tiny woods below whose boughs
Shady fairies weave a house;
Tiny tree-tops, rose or thyme,
Where the braver fairies climb!
Fair are grown-up people's trees,
But the fairest woods are these;
Where if I were not so tall,
I should live for good and all.
--Robert Louis Stevenson
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/7039/AshlinGE.html
Moonie
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