Garden Witch's Herbal (3 page)

Clarity

This defines the perimeter of the garden and the use of pathways. Where does your magickal garden begin? Where does it lead, and where does it end? The clever use of a clearly defined entrance, or threshold, into the garden makes it special and welcomes you in. A good garden threshold area is like a welcoming embrace. The threshold into a garden is an
in-between place that is full of possibilities and enchantment. In fact, a gate can be a symbol of a spiritual doorway, or passage, that separates one reality, or one world, from the next.

Once inside the garden, you should be drawn along a pathway to its heart; the heart of the garden is a place you feel compelled to approach. It's fascinating and irresistible. Also, the heart of the garden defines its use. This is where your magickal intentions are centered and visitors' attentions will be focused.

Complexity

In the simplest of terms, this is
variety
. You can achieve this with the magick of color. (Color in the garden will be discussed in detail in our next section.) Now, it's true that color shouldn't be so overwhelming that the eye can't rest. However, keep in mind that even in a shady hosta garden, for example, there are dozens of varieties and different shades of green available, and all those hues of green can harmonize with each other beautifully—anything from lime green to blue green to white stripes and edges and yellow hues. Play on that, use your imagination, and see what you can create. Look at the pattern of the foliage and the texture of leaf and flower. Pay attention to patterns and any symbolism that may be meaningful to you.

Mystery

Give your Witch's garden something that will inspire curiosity. Here, you balance what is known with what is unexpected. The garden should captivate you and lure you in, in some subtle way—that tantalizing promise of
more
. For example, a path that turns the corner into an unexpected surprise. A hidden water feature that you can hear but have to search to find. Wind chimes hanging from a tall tree that sing out in a breeze. A statue of a goddess or faerie tucked into a shady nook or grotto. A small, secret place to leave offerings to the elementals and faeries of the garden. Mystery is vital in a magickal garden, because that feeling of stumbling upon a secret garden is such a delicious one. Use your imagination, and see what you can do to add some mystery and magick to your garden.

Refuge

Refuge is best described as a feeling of welcome relaxation and reflection; in other words, a place where you can “sit a spell.” Your garden should include a place to sit and to relax. This can be as simple as a concrete or wooden bench, a tire swing, a boulder, a glider, or a curvy metal chair. Wherever you choose to make your refuge, offer some type of seating, and make the area special. In my garden, this area is under the rose arbor. Tucked under there is a small bistro table and chair set. It's shady and private, and when the roses bloom in May, it is filled wall-to-wall with hot pink roses. Incorporating a resting place in your magickal garden offers you a chance to relax, contemplate, and enjoy—and perhaps creates a serene spot to even work a spell or two.

Color Magick in the Garden

Green is the fresh emblem of well-founded hopes.
In blue, the spirit can wander, but in green it can rest.

mary webb,
the joy of spring

Working successfully with color in the garden is one of the more important lessons that I have taught to Master Gardener interns over the years, and it is necessary knowledge for budding landscape and magickal garden designers too. That being said, you'll need to ask yourself a few questions before deciding on your color scheme. Do you prefer a subtle blending of colors that complement each other, or do you prefer contrasting colors? Magickal gardeners can certainly apply these basic principles when they choose the colors of their plants and create absolutely charming effects. Do you have a favorite color that you'd like to dominate in the garden all year, or would you like to see diverse colors all working together?

If you think color is not important in the garden, think again. The clever use of color can set the mood and make a space seem larger or even cozier. Color can warm up a shady spot or cool down a sunny one. Color is often used to create a specific atmosphere in the garden. It can draw attention to a particular feature, create an impression of spaciousness, or help make a large area seem cozier. The trick is to learn what colors harmonize, or work well together, and how to identify them. Here are a few color schemes for you to consider.

Complementary Colors

You remember your complementary colors from elementary school, don't you? These are pairs of colors that are directly opposite from each other on the color wheel. They are the tried and true color combinations such as red and green, blue and orange, and yellow and purple.

Analogous Colors

Also called “harmonious colors,” these are colors that are next to each other on the color wheel—e.g., the warm tones of yellow, yellow orange, and orange, or the cooler hues of blue violet, violet, and red violet. An analogous color combination of lavender, blue, and cool pink appeals to many people and is a lovely way to get a flower bed to flow together and create a sense of unity.

Complementary Colors:
colors that are opposite each other on the wheel (e.g., red and green)

Analogous Colors:
colors that are close to each other
on the wheel (e.g., yellow,
yellow orange, and orange)

Triadic Colors

These color combinations result from drawing an equilateral triangle inside the color wheel, such as red, yellow, and blue, or green, violet, and orange.

Monochromatic Colors

These are sometimes referred to as “single-color gardens.” This is the simplest kind of color scheme and one of the easiest for novice gardeners to work with. This type of color scheme is built on varying shades of one basic color—for example, the lighter and darker shades of red, such as medium pink, pale pink, purple, and reddish purple. These types of single-color gardens give a sense of openness and space to even the smallest of gardens.

It also can really make a shady garden pop. Imagine an all-white garden tucked in a shady spot. You could turn it into a moon goddess garden, if you wanted. Imagine how gorgeous a creamy white hydrangea, white-edged hostas, and white impatiens would be. Each would play well off the other and show to their best advantage, since with a monochromatic garden, the plant's form and texture will take center stage.

Neutral Colors

These are the blending colors in the garden: grey, silver, and white. True green may also be used as a neutral feature in the garden. These neutral colors tone down the effects of sharply contrasting or clashing colors that may seem harsh to the eye if placed next to each other. Want an example? Let's say you have orange nasturtiums and purple pansies side by side; they will clash. Tuck in some silver dusty miller, and it will soften the look so that it won't seem so visually jarring.

Bright Colors

The warm, vibrant colors of red, hot orange, and bright yellow draw attention to themselves and make large areas seem smaller and cozier. They create the illusion of warmth, invoke the element of fire, and cast a festive atmosphere.

Dark Colors

Dark colors such as purples and blues will create an impression of more space. These are soothing, calming colors that invoke the element of water. Plus they will weave the illusion of coolness in hot, full-sun-exposure gardens, no matter what the temperature.

Pastel Colors

These soft shades of white, pale yellow, and pink will stand out in twilight gardens and shady areas. You may employ these colors to invoke the element of air. Also keep in mind that these colors will light up during twilight and are good color choices if the evening hours are the ones you are most able to enjoy in the garden. Consider pastels if you are planning a witchy nighttime garden.

Seasonal and Multi-Season Color

Part of the fun of choosing colors for your magickal garden is deciding when those colors will appear. Remember to choose plants for all of the seasons—choose plants for spring, summer, and the fall months, and try to plan for a little bit of winter interest too. This way, your garden shifts seamlessly from one season to the next.

Your Magickal Garden's
Style, Structure, and Space

More things grow in the garden than the gardener knows.

spanish proverb

Now we move along to our next decision: finding your style and deciding what is best suited for your own enchanted garden space. At this point, you have to follow your heart (and, of course, indulge in your own magickal personality). The best style of garden for you is always the one you prefer. No, I'm not being overly simplistic here; it's true. It might be a mixture of styles—formal, cottage, woodland, or Oriental—but hey, the sky's the limit!

Still not sure where to begin? Try looking through some books on garden design, and then go visit a public garden and see what style tugs at your heart. Reading about garden styles isn't enough. You must go out and experience the gardens in person. Feel the texture of the leaves, see the colors of the blossoms, and smell their fragrances. Get your senses involved; they will lead you in the right direction.

Perhaps you have a hankering to try an Oriental approach, with bamboo, rounded pebbles, pine trees, and simple water features. Maybe you are crazy for cottage style, with blooming herbs, perennials, and vegetables all growing jumbled together. What about a mysterious and shady garden with lots of perennial ferns, hostas, and impatiens for color?

Some magickal folks go for the structured and proper look of a formal knot garden or an Elizabethan sun dial garden full of herbs. There are those of us who get pleasure from the more formal setting—just for fun. It's so traditional and precise. My formal herb beds even have a neat row of boxwood hedges outside of their fence that I just adore. I suppose it's because all my other beds are cottage style, so wild and unstructured.

And if you are wondering, no, the styles don't clash. They are simply different, and I might add that they are located in separate parts of the yard. After strolling through all the cottage gardens, the formal one really jumps out at you, beckoning visitors for a closer look. And this is exactly what I was going for. I use the entire yard—both front, sides, and back—and successfully blend several styles together.

Which brings us to the consideration of space. I do realize that not everyone has a large, open area in which to plant. Your garden bed options may be limited due to a lack of space or restricted to flower beds that are already established—and that's okay, too. I know many gardeners, both magickal and mundane, who happily tend their herbs and plants in small raised beds. Typically these are created in a rectangular or square shape and built with landscaping timbers or stone. For gardeners who have disabilities, who are older, or who have problems bending over and kneeling, or simply have the challenge of gardening in a limited space, these simple square raised beds are the most practical way to go.