Garden Witch's Herbal (26 page)

Even as the snowdrop blooms in the darkest and coldest of days,

Help me to remain strong, focused, and motivated, come what may.

May Cassiel, the archangel of creativity,

Assist me now, and as I will it, so must it be!

Allow the candle to burn out in a safe place on its own.

Ostara

Spring Equinox

Spring, the sweet spring, is the year's pleasant king;
Then blooms each thing, then maids dance in a ring,

thomas nashe

Violet (
Viola odorata
)

Folk names for this fragrant herb include blue violet and sweet violet. The heart-shaped leaf of the violet is an amulet that protects from all evil. Wearing a chaplet of violets is an old way to cure a headache. Violets were often utilized with rose petals and lavender in love-drawing sachets and as a main spell component for romance magick. As these little beauties are a sacred plant of the goddess of love, Venus, she is sure to lend you a hand with your herb magick when the spell ingredients feature the violet.

In the language of flowers, the violet symbolizes modesty and sweetness, while a rarer white violet declares innocence and honesty. Magickal uses are protection, love, and lust. Also, the violet is a classic plant that is used to protect a person from being faerie led or tricked. Its protective qualities make it an ideal plant for working faerie magick. Try gathering the violets into a little posy and tucking it into a small glass or vase. This is thought to appease the nature spirits and the faeries.

On an interesting note, the violet is also the sacred flower of the archangel Sachiel. Sachiel is the archangel of Jupiter. His day is Thursday. Sachiel's energy brings riches and a sense of charity. All financial situations, politics, and material wealth are under his influence, which makes sense since he is aligned to Jupiter and Thursday, that being the classic day to work any prosperity magick.

So here is another bit of information for you to file away. Yes, the traditional magickal correspondences for the violet are Venus and love. However, the violet is a powerful little flower with many uses and associations such as the following little morsel of flower lore. According to tradition, all “blue” flowers are sacred to Aphrodite and Venus. Adding this spring flower to any spell or ritual while invoking the goddesses of love will gather their attention and grant their favors. The classic astrological influence of the violet is the planet Venus, and the elemental correspondence is water.

Dandelion (
Taraxacum officinale
)

Easily identified by its bright yellow flowers, dandelions may be considered weeds by many a homeowner, but in the old days, dandelion greens offered a much-needed edible source and a spring tonic. The flowers can be made into wine, and the leaves—which have lots of vitamin A and C—may even be tossed into a salad. A few of the folk names for dandelion are blowball, lion's tooth, and wild endive. The root of the dandelion will yield a magenta dye.

In the language of flowers, the dandelion is called an oracle of love. It also reminds you that wishes do come true. The magickal properties of this herb include divination, increasing psychic abilities, and granting wishes. Old flower folklore suggests plucking a dandelion's seed head on the night of a full moon, then requesting the aid of the four winds. Make a wish, and blow away the seeds.

This masculine plant is sacred to Hecate. Its astrological influences are Jupiter, and the elemental correspondence is air.

Red Clover (
Trifolium pratense
)

This variety of clover and the following one are common plants that have some similar properties as well as their own unique messages and magick. Clover is a perfect plant to celebrate the spring, green magick, and new beginnings. Tucking the four-leaf clover in your wallet will encourage an increase in your cash. Traditionally, placing a four-leaf clover in your shoe is thought to ensure good luck and ease on your travels; it will also allow you to see the faeries. To do that, you are supposed to stand still for three hours. (Good luck.) All varieties of clover are sacred to the faeries. Wear a crown of clover blossoms and sit out in the garden this spring, and see what they show and teach you. You remember how to make those, don't you? Just about every kid has made clover flower necklaces and crowns at some time. Seems to me a little foolishness this spring will do you wonders. Besides, the faeries will get a good chuckle at you sitting there trying to make it perfect. Don't obsess over it being gorgeous; instead, just relax and enjoy yourself. The clover is a perfect plant to incorporate into your springtime magick.

In the language of flowers, the four-leaf clover announces that “you are mine” and that “you are lucky.” The three-leaf clover is a symbol for the power of three. Those three leaves are also a sacred symbol of the Celtic triple goddess Brigid. While the red clover's flower is typically a reddish color, there are some varieties of red clover that produce pink flowers. These pink-blooming clovers warn you, “Do not trifle with my affections,” while the red clover requests entreaty and asks that you “remain faithful even though we are apart.”

Magickally, the masculine red clover may be utilized in prosperity spells and is used to promote love and a dose of healthy lust. Carrying red clover blossoms on your person was thought to attract a new lover. It also helped you heal after a breakup or a love gone sour. The astrological association for the red clover is the planet Mercury, and the elemental association is air.

White Clover (
Trifolium repens
)

The white clover is a plant that is grown either as a hay crop or as a method of putting nutrients back in the soil as a type of green fertilizer. White clover has pale blossoms, which state in the language of flowers that “I will be faithful.”

Clover foliage is also used to predict the weather. If you find clover with their green leaves closed up tight, that is thought to be a sign of a coming rainstorm. Magickal uses besides the obvious four-leaf good-luck clover are varied and interesting. Scattering the blossoms of the white clover at the four main corners of your home will ward off ghosts and entities. Also, the white clover, with its pale crescent marks on the leaves, is thought to counteract a hex or manipulative magick. The astrological powers are the same as the red clover: the planetary influence is Mercury, and the elemental association is air.

A Silly Springtime Clover Spell for Prosperity

Head out to the yard or park this spring, and gather up a handful of blooming clover. Any moon phase or day of the week will work out fine, just pick out a pretty spring day that you can enjoy. To begin, tie the stems from the clover into a chaplet or necklace, and then sit on the grass like a kid. Take off your shoes and socks, and dig your toes into that new green grass. Feel the gentle spring breeze; now, ask the faeries to bless you with prosperity and generosity this spring. Sure, the following verse is tongue-in-cheek—it's supposed to be silly and make you smile. Repeat the following verse three times:

Here I sit in my crown of clover,

Spring faeries, come and look me over!

If you bless me with good luck and prosperity this year,

I vow to be generous and help others far and near.

Enjoy the pretty spring weather and stay on the grass for a while. When you are ready to go, wear your flower chains home and allow them to dry out. Save them, and use them in other spells and charms.

To hold up your part of the vow to the fae, donate to a charity. How about the American Cancer Society, the Humane Society, or a local animal shelter? They can always use a donation or a volunteer. I have a friend that knits little blankets for a cat shelter and another who knits blankets for babies in the ICU. You could adopt a shelter animal, take good care of it, and give it a loving home. Help out a kid, and purchase something from their fundraiser for their school or sports team. Come on, there are plenty of opportunities out there for a little kindness. Give something back, and the faeries will reward your kindness.

Beltane
May 1

The fairy queen
Bids you increase that loving humour more.

thomas campion

Meadowsweet (
Filipendula ulmaria
)

Folk names for this lovely perennial herb include queen of the meadow, lady of the meadow, trumpet weed, and little queen. This blooming herb is almond-scented with creamy white flowers. This was a popular flower in bridal bouquets, which helped earn the flower another one of its folk names, bridal wort. This was a classic strewing herb in medieval times, for not only were the flowers fragrant, but the foliage had a clean hay scent as well. Meadowsweet was also popular for use in the creation of perfumes, as the oil from the flower buds is sweetly scented. It is also a classic dyeing herb; the flower tops yield a yellow-green dye, the leaves and stems a blue tint, and the roots yield a black dye.

This was a sacred herb in Druidic tradition, and it formed a sort of magickal trio of herbs with vervain and mint. Meadowsweet is popular to work into faerie magick, as the fae value strongly scented flowers and herbs. In magick, the meadowsweet flower is worked into spells, arranged into tussie-mussies, and tucked into sweetly fragranced charm bags and sachets to encourage love and good cheer. Meadowsweet promotes peace and contentment, and it also aids in divination. This herb has the planetary correspondence of Jupiter and the elemental association of air.

Male Fern (
Dryopteris filix-mas
)

There are many varieties of ferns from all over the world; however, I want to focus on a common fern that is considered an herb: the male fern. This species of fern is found growing in shady, damp woodlands and hedges in North America and Eurasia. This is a gorgeous specimen of deciduous fern, and it is described as having elegantly divided green fronds that will unroll from the crown of the rhizome. Actually, the young curled fronds of the male fern can be boiled and used as a vegetable. You will see these referred to occasionally as fiddleheads.

Magickal uses of the male fern include invisibility, faerie magick, protection, healing, lust, and also for encouraging good luck. According to old herb lore, dried fern, when burned indoors in the fireplace or woodstove, will drive away negative spirits and entities, while if the dried fern fronds are burned outdoors, the smoke is thought to encourage rain. The seeds that appear on the underside of the fern fronds are said to grant invisibility. The fern's root, or rhizome, was a popular ingredient in old love spells.

In the language of flowers, the fern symbolizes fascination and a tempestuous passion. The masculine energies of the fern have the planetary correspondence of Mercury and the elemental association of air.

English Daisy (
Bellis perennis
)

This perennial daisy is also known as the lawn daisy. This dainty flower is a native of Europe and Western Asia. It grows up to six inches in height, and the flowers are tiny with white ray florets surrounded by yellow discs. This plant attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies. It is described as being short-lived and is a classic symbol of innocence, youth, and spring.

Magickally, this flower induces loving feelings and fascination. Also, it is a classic herb to use in children's magick; in fact, one of its folk names is bairn wort, which translates to “babies' herb.” In floral vocabularies, the English daisy symbolizes a newborn baby and happiness. The astrological association for the English daisy is Venus, and the elemental correspondence is water.

American Oxeye Daisy (
Chrysanthemum leucanthemum
)

This perennial daisy is much larger in stature than its tiny cousin. The sun-loving oxeye daisy grows up to three feet in height and is a popular flower for gardening and floral arrangements. This particular daisy is sacred to Artemis, Maiden Goddess of the hunt and of the waxing moon. One of the folk names for this flower is rather illuminating: moon daisy. This plant has feminine energies and is considered to be a woman's herb. White daisies are a classic Beltane flower, and legend has it that the daisy, in all its shapes and sizes, is a faerie plant.