Garden Witch's Herbal (27 page)

In the language of flowers, the oxeye daisy symbolizes purity, simplicity, and patience, and is used to signify affection. It may also be used in divination. The classic “he loves me, he loves me not” charm is typically worked with a daisy. Magickally, the oxeye daisy is worked into faerie magick, love and romance spells, and spells for children and happiness. The magickal correspondences for the oxeye daisy are the planet Venus and the element of water.

A Goddess Blessing for Children

Here is a good spell to work with your children. For best results, work the spell during a waxing moon. As the moon grows fuller, so will the Lady's blessing increase upon your child. If you'd like to work the spell as soon as possible, you can always work on a Monday, no matter what the lunar phase, for Mondays are sacred to the moon and all of her magick.

Gather a few daisies. These may be picked from your own garden or purchased from the local florist—whichever is the easiest and most practical way for you to procure the flowers. Now gather the flowers together, trim the stems to a workable length, and bind them together loosely with a white ribbon. Tuck the flower stems into a sturdy little vase or cup filled with water, and set them in a prominent spot in the child's room.

Bless the flowers by holding the child's hands above the flowers and repeating the charm three times. Note that this is worded either for an older child to work the spell all by themselves or for an adult to work the spell for a young child.

By the light of the Lady's waxing crescent moon,

Artemis, hear my call, and grant me now/this child a boon.

Please bless and protect me/them through all of my/their days,

May I/they come to know your magick in wonderful ways.

By the fascination of flowers and the charm of daisies,

May my request be granted with the power of three times three.

Allow the daisies to remain in their vase until the flowers begin to fade. Once they do, remove the ribbon, and then return the flowers to nature neatly by adding them to your compost pile or putting the faded flowers with your other yard waste. Save the ribbon as a token of the Goddess's favor and affection.

Midsummer
Summer Solstice

Merry Margaret,
As midsummer flower,
Gentle as falcon
Or hawk of the tower.

john skelton

Vervain (
Verbena officinalis
)

Vervain is a plant with power and magickal versatility; some folk names include enchanter's plant and holy wort. Vervain is a hardy perennial plant with small, pale pink- and lilac- colored flowers that bloom midsummer. It is the herb most often used to “make spells go,” as vervain gives magick a little extra kick and punch and speeds up the outcome of your spellwork. It will nicely complement any type of spellwork—love, protection, vision questing, purification, prosperity, turning your rival into your ally, bestowing peace, healing, and granting a good night's sleep.

In the language of flowers, this feminine herb speaks of granting good luck and making wishes come true—perhaps because of this, vervain is considered to be an excellent herb for a bride to carry in her bouquet. In the older language of flowers, the definition of the blooming vervain is just one word: Witchcraft.

Other quick herb magick tips include tucking a sprig of vervain into your wallet; it's thought to help you hold on to your cash. If you grow vervain in your Witch's garden, it will bring prosperity to your whole house. Lastly, if the blossoms are hung in the bedroom, they promote conjugal bliss and pleasant dreams. The planetary correspondence is Venus. The elemental association is Earth.

A Vervain Charm for Prosperity

A good time to work this spell would be during a waxing moon. As the moon grows fuller, so will your cash increase. If you do not have the option of waiting for the waxing moon, then work your prosperity spells on a Thursday. Thursday is associated with the planet Jupiter and the magickal influences of prosperity, financial gain, and health.

To begin, take a fresh sprig of vervain (you could use dried if that's all you can find), and hold the herb in your hands. Close your eyes, and visualize that the herb is surrounded with a bright green light. It pulses with positive energy, and your hands will probably start to feel warmer. Clearly see that this herbal charm will bring prosperity and cash in the best possible way, straight into your hands. Then tuck the herb in your purse or wallet, and repeat the following charm three times:

As I tuck a sprig of vervain into my purse or pocket,

Money will always be found, so they say, right in my wallet.

I empower this herb of Venus to grant me prosperity,

Bound by the element of earth and the power of three time three.

Cinquefoil (
Potentilia reptans
)

This herb is also called five-finger grass, as the shape of the leaves look like little hands. Wearing a sprig of cinquefoil is very protective and will bestow articulacy upon the wearer. Magickally, cinquefoil increases cash, strengthens the bond between mother and child, and it can also cleanse you of any negativity. But what this herb is most famous for is that it can break any spells cast on or against you, whether you feel this is a serious problem from an unethical caster, an overzealous lover who is dabbling, or someone who is trying to persuade you to be their friend. In this last scenario, you would feel tugged or pulled toward another person that you previously disliked or were very distrustful of. Now you notice these new feelings out of the blue, and when such a switch is out of character for you, there might be manipulative magick afoot. If you begin to suspect that someone else's magick is at work and it is influencing your actions, then this is the masculine herb to work with for both speedy and excellent results.

According to some floral languages, cinquefoil symbolizes a loving relationship between mother and daughter, which is interesting, as traditional magickal correspondences list this as an herb aligned with masculine energies. Its astrological correspondence is Jupiter, and the elemental association is fire.

St. John's Wort (
Hypericum perforatum
)

Folk names for this herb include “the leaf of the blessed” and Tipton's weed. This perennial herb has woody stems and grows up to three feet in height. The five-petaled, golden yellow flowers bloom midsummer and yield yellow and red dyes. Some sources claim that the plant is toxic and may harm livestock if eaten in large doses, while other herbal reference guides warn that it may cause contact dermatitis (skin rash). This perennial is aggressive and can take over a garden in a few years, so plant it in a spot where it can go crazy or be prepared to keep it under control by thinning it out every other year.

If St. John's wort is gathered on the day of the summer solstice, it is thought to be doubly powerful, granting the powers of invincibility and making you seem irresistible to others. Flower folklore also states that it will help improve your mood and ward off depression. If the stems of this herb are bundled together with a red string or ribbon and hung inside the home, it is thought to protect your home from lightning and from negative entities or ghosts.

Another simple herbal spell calls for the blossoms and leaves of the herb to be placed under your pillow before you turn in for the night. If you do, it is thought to grant visions of your future spouse.

The folklore about this plant is fascinating. The plant's botanical name,
Hypericum
, is derived from a Greek term meaning “over an apparition,” which links into the belief that the herb was so intolerable to evil spirits that a mere hint of the fragrance of the plant would cause them to fly away. This also explains the custom of bundling the herb with a red ribbon and then hanging it up in your home on Midsummer's day.

In the language of flowers, this magickal herb declares that you are a prophet, and it also symbolizes protection and superstition. A masculine herb that has long been associated with Midsummer as it blossoms right at that time, St. John's wort has myriad other magickal uses too. This herb may be worked into spells for faerie magick, protection from malevolent faeries, healing, protection, potency, love, joy, and divination. Its astrological association is the sun, and the elemental correspondence is fire.

Lughnasadh
August 1

If August passes flowerless,
and the frosts come,
will I have learned to rejoice enough
in the sober wonder
of green healthy leaves?

denise levertov

Sunflower (
Helianthus annus
)

The sunflower is indeed classified as an herb, as the seeds are edible. This fast-growing and stately flower comes in myriad varieties, colors, and heights these days. The stems are typically thick, tall, and hairy. The sunflower produces heart-shaped leaves, and typically its blooming time is late summer. The sunflower is easy to start from seeds and is a very popular garden plant for sunny gardens—especially children's magickal gardens. The sunflower is a plant of the Americas and was utilized in Aztec rituals and perhaps worn by priestesses to denote their rank. Also, the sunflower is thought to be a favored plant by the garden faeries.

According to flower folklore, sleeping with a sunflower beneath your pillow will tell you the truth in any matter. In florigraphy, the sunflower symbolizes haughtiness and ostentation. Other definitions declare that this bright solar flower says you have lofty but pure goals.

Magickally, the sunflower is used to symbolize fame, riches, and royalty. Growing the tall flowers in your sunny gardens is thought to bring success and good fortune to the gardener of the home. As you would expect, the masculine energies of sunflowers carry the planetary association of the sun, for the head of the flower turns toward the sun and follows it during the day. Its elemental correspondence is fire.

Hollyhock (
Althea rosea
)

What is an old-fashioned Witch's garden without the stately hollyhock? There are over sixty varieties of these plants, which are classified as biennials. If you are unfamiliar with the term, a biennial is a plant that grows vegetatively the first year and then is fruiting or dormant the second year. Hollyhocks thrive in full sun and are drought-resistant plants. They can grow up to six feet in height and come in single- and double-blooming varieties. They come in a rainbow of colors: white, red, burgundy, dark purple, yellow, and many shades of pink, from the palest blush to a deep rose. I love these old-fashioned flowers and have yellow hollyhocks planted next to my arbor.

The flowers of the hollyhock are at their peak in July and August, thus making it a perfect flower for Lughnasadh. In the language of flowers, the hollyhock symbolizes fertility and abundance. It also says that “You have inspired me to achieve great things.” A white blooming hollyhock indicates female ambition.

Magickally, hollyhock flowers will attract prosperity, success, and wealth. These are a favorite faerie plant, and if you plant hollyhocks by the entrance of your garden, the plant's lucky energies will bless your home with prosperity all year long. The faeries are thought to favor white and pink hollyhocks most of all; supposedly they like to use the hollyhock petals for dresses. The hollyhock's astrological influence is the planet Venus, and it is considered to be a feminine plant. The suggested elemental correspondence is water.

Calendula (
Calendula officinalis
)

Folk names for calendula include pot marigold, summer's bride, and marygold. This tender perennial can grow up to twenty-eight inches in height and is not to be confused with the French marigold. The calendula bears tall, orange-yellow flowers that resemble daisies, and their leaves are paddle shaped. The petals of the pot marigold may be tucked into a charm bag and taken into court to help grant a favorable outcome of the proceedings. Sprinkling the golden calendula petals under the bed will make your dreams come true.