|
Garden
Witchery - Magick from the Ground Up ISBN
0-7387-0318-4 Ellen Dugan, practicing witch and Master Gardener (Univ. of Missouri), has written a friendly, readable book that is neither a detailed gardening manual nor a comprehensive Craft guide. Unlike so many other neither-fish-nor-fowl books, though, this general approach to both gardening and witchery works as a lovely introduction to both interests. For the green-thumb gardener with modest Craft skills, there are tables of magickal correspondences for flower colors, goddesses and associated flowers, the nineteenth century “language of flowers”, and the magickal properties of a variety of garden plants and trees. There’s a chapter on astrological timing for garden endeavors and a brief but thorough explanation of gardening according to moon phase and sign. Not up on your faery lore? Garden Witchery includes a chapter introducing faeries and their magickal ways, plants faeries favor and even a faery spell or two, all bound up with personal anecdotes and Dugan family stories. For the seasoned witch, more nimble with a spell than a trowel, Dugan explains hardiness zones, light vs. shade and soil amendment, and gives suggestions for easy to grow magickal trees, flowering plants, ground covers, and shrubs. There are example layouts for many different specialty gardens, from a full sun faery garden to a shady or moonlight garden, from container gardens to a children’s harvest garden. The only part of the book to which this reviewer (also coincidentally a Master Gardener) objected was the author’s use of pesticides. Granted, she does point out that toxins are not normally her first choice. Still, a good witch, not to mention gardener, might have other approaches than just to load her squashes down with Sevin – Integrated Pest Management comes to mind. Interested gardeners can learn about IPM and other more gentle methods of pest control from their county extension agent or at the local library. Garden Witchery includes instructions for making bath salts, charm bags, wreaths and other garden crafts, and a very nice chapter of Sabbat celebrations for families. In keeping with her family-oriented approach, Dugan has a list of poisonous plants. The book includes a generous month-by-month garden journal for the gardener’s notes, sprinkled with quotes and gardening suggestions. Full of good-natured charm combined with practical advice, Garden Witchery would make a fine addition to any magickal person’s bookshelf, regardless of the color of her thumb
|
