Showing posts with label plants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plants. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

The Magical Moon Garden

Many Wiccans and Pagans love to garden, but a lot of people don't realize you can grow plants and flowers that bloom at night. Cultivating a moon garden is a great way to get in touch with nature, and it provides a beautiful and fragrant backdrop for your moonlight rituals in the summer. If you plant these lovelies close to your house, you can open the windows and take advantage of their aromas as you sleep.

Many night-blooming plants are white, and give a luminous appearance in the moonlight. If you plant them in a circle or a crescent shape, when they bloom, you'll have the moon herself right there "as above, so below." There are a number of plants that open at night -- mix them in with silver-foliaged day bloomers.

Night Blooming Plants

  • Moonflower: Yes, it should be painfully obvious, but the Moonflower really does bloom at night. It releases a slightly lemony scent when it opens up, and during the day the white flowers are tightly shut. Some species of this climbing plant, a cousin of the Morning Glory, can get up to eight feet long*. The flowers, when open, are around 5 - 6" in diameter.
  • Evening Primrose: This perennial spreads rapidly, and can cover a lot of ground for you. The pale pinkish-white flowers open at dusk, and release a sweet aroma.
  • Night Phlox: these pretties open up at dusk, and have a fragrance reminiscent of honey or vanilla.
  • Evening Stock: the tiny purple and pink flowers aren't very fancy, but they smell divine when they open at night.
  • Angel's Trumpet: Another vine, this annual spreads like crazy. Its trumpet-shaped, white flowers have a bell-like appearance when open.
  • Night Gladiolus: this plant isn't actually nocturnal, but that's when the creamy yellow flowers smell the strongest -- it's a very spicy scent that's a glorious addition to any night garden.

Day Blooming White and Silver Plants

  • Dusty Millers
  • Silver Thyme
  • Lamb's Ears
  • Mugwort (Artemesia)
  • Silver Sage
  • White vegetables such as Alba eggplants or Baby Boo or Lumina pumpkins

Herbs and Flowers with Lunar Connections

  • Camphor
  • Eucalyptus
  • Gardenia
  • Jasmine
  • Moonwort
  • Sandalwood
  • Willow
  • Water Lily
  • Sleepwort

What to do With Your Moon Garden Plants

When you have plants that have blossomed under the powerful energy of a full moon, the possibilities are just about endless. Harvest the flowers and dry them to use in talismans or charms. Use them to dress a Moon Candle or as part of a purification bath. Include them in incense blends to help enhance your intuition and wisdom.
*Note: Be sure to provide a trellis or other support for climbers like the Moonflower. If they don't have a stable surface to hang onto, they're less likely to fully bloom.


-The Crafty Witch

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Animals As Equals

Since I have made a Facebook page to link my web store and blog I was stunned and somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of people that have reached out to me with questions, comments and just overall communication. I’m thrilled you all are so interested in my blog and work, for that I am making March Q&A month, even though I already have posts lined up feel free to keep the questions coming. Some questions may seem a bit silly but I welcome almost all questions, just not any which may be harassment/offensive to some. Keep it clean.


Today’s Q&A

Do you treat animals as equals? –S.C.
Absolutely. Every aspect of the craft is that you respect nature and all nature has to offer. Nature is you and me, animals, plants, the stars, etc. These are living things and they have a spirit. Many rituals deal with harmony and the healing of nature. Animals are our equals and for those who believe in reincarnation and spirit animals, those aspects play a huge roll in those views.


-The Crafty Witch