My Ode to the Sunflower. No one can look at a sunflower, and not think Happy Thoughts. At least, I don't think anyone can. I know I can't. I have been wanting to do a blog on all the different magickal attributes to the flowers in my garden. But going through my pictures, I have SO many pictures of sunflowers, that, they needed their OWN blog spot ;-) So here goes.
What I love most about the Sunflowers in my yard, are that they are of the *Midnight Variety* so I get many different colors. My abhorrence to the color yellow helped me pick out this particular variety. And I am pleased every year at the different colors that come up. I have my favorites, of course. But even the yellow ones, make me smile :)
The Reds are one of my favorite. In Magickal correspondece the Sunflower is Masculine in the element of Fire with the Sun as it's planetary alignment. It welcomes and invites the blessings of the Sun into your gardens, or home. The seeds are eaten by women to promote fertility.
Sunflowers are also great Bee attractions! If you look closely here, you will see the busy bee at work. They also bring the feathery friends in, which, you will see in a later blog post, as I love getting out in the garden and capturing my feathery friends at work too.
Sunflowers can also help boost spells for workings such as gaining affluence, confidence, or grandeur. It can also help you to stand out in a crowd. 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 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. { from Ellen Dugans book Garden Witch's Herbal }
When we moved into the house we live in now, about 7 years ago. There was NO YARD to speak of. In fact there wasn't one blade of grass in the yard at all. The previous owners, had 3 huge black labs that lived in the chain linked fence yard { and it isn't a big yard by any means } so it was barren, rocks, sand, dog poop, that was it. We moved in during February, in March we started raking all the rocks and dog poop up and started tilling in sheep and cow poop. { Hey, some poop is good, some is bad :-/ } On St. Patricks Day that year we planted 3 trees in the yard and started sewing grass seed. I also planted this ONE packet of Midnight Variety Sunflowers, and they have not stopped coming back yet! It is amazing, how they spread...haha! Anyone who has planted these will know. So now every year, I transplant some to different area's of the yard, as well as give them away freely to any neighbor who will take them. I have even had my husband mowing around the certain ones that pop up surprisingly in the yard.
Last year I had so many sunflowers come up in the herb garden that I am thinking I will have to try thinning them out of there this season. While sunflowers ARE considered in the herb variety, they have a tendency to want to take over EVERYTHING. By the end of the season last year, I could barely see the other herbs in my herb garden that WERE flourishing.
While the flowers on my sunflowers do not get as big as say the Dinner Plate variety; the stalks on these still get to be 10 feet tall sometimes. During the Monsoon season which hits about July, I sometimes go out and tie them up so the winds don't break them down. Once they are secure, they really go to town getting big and stretching up to the sun as high as they can.
These are some of my favorite colored ones.
Last Summer I had two of my favorite colored ones growing just outside the fence. Before I could get out and get a picture of them the next day, I found this. Someone else had thought they were beautiful and came along and cut and stole them! lol While my first initial reaction was DANG IT! I then stopped and thought...awww...I certainly hope they are enjoying them as much as I do. Because, as a Garden Witch, I know, that some flowers, were meant to be stolen.
Catnip is always a Witchy favorite, and a must of in any witch's garden. This is my catnip from last year, that I kept indoors all winter. Of course it is our feline friends favorite herbal plant as well. And we have a lot of stray and feral cats in our neighborhood, so keeping catnip in my herb garden has proven to be difficult. They REALLY like catnip.
There is a saying about catnip:
If you set it the cats will eat it
If you sow it, the cats don't know it.
This could be true. But where I live, it is hard to get a lot of herbs growing by sowing seeds, so I have had to use small live plants a lot of times, to get them to take off. When I had catnip growing in my garden, the neighborhood cats flocked to my herb garden and chew my flourishing catnip down to mere nubs. lol They loveddd me, no doubt ;-)
Catnip has many magickal properties to it. It is a great herb to use in love satchets, and when given to your familiar cat, it is said to create a strong psychic bond between you and your familiar.
It is also said to be a great substitute to use in place of other herbs from the mint family, and can also be used medically infused in tea. It has been said to help calm colicky babies, and also to help purify a babies blood.
Sage! I love sage of any kind. I love the smell, the energy, and just everything about it. This particular type of sage is Russian sage, and blooms with purple flowers on top. Makes a great ornamental plant. The leaves and even flowers can be harvested to be used in magickal workings the way other sage can. But I still use the wild desert sage for making sage bundles. This one just isn't as bundle friendly as the others. But I still like it, and think it is a must have in the witch's garden. I do want to get some other sage variety's established in my magickal herb garden eventually. But, I am space limited for the time being. I have this small plot, packed full in the summer.
Here is the Russian sage in full bloom. It blooms fairly early in the spring/summer for this area. One of the reasons, I love this type.
Bee Balm or Bergamot. The Bee's love it, the hummingbirds love it. And the Butterfly's love it. A faery favorite. I just marvel at this plant, as it grows in all it's glory. It's a beautiful addition to the witchy gardens.
The Magickal uses for Bee Balm:
Bee Balm is used in purifying and relaxation spells.
To relax or to get rid of hexes, run hot bathwater over the herb before bathing.
To attract wealth keep Bee Balm leaves in a wallet, purse or pocket
book. Also rub the leaves on hands before an interview or important
meeting.
Affinities with Air and with Mercury.
Medicinally Bee Balm is a good antiseptic, and can be used for insect bites. Also to help ease menstrual cramps if infused into a tea.
When using any herb
for medical purposes, especially when ingested, care should be taken or
advice sought if uncertain as to dosage and usage.
Always consult your doctor before giving a herbal preparation to an infant or child.
Echinacea or cone flower is widely known for it's immune boosting properties to help with the common cold. It is also used in spells to help strengthen the spell or ritual. The flowers of the Echinacea plant are also a faery favorite, as well as a bee and butterfly attractant.
Lambs Ear or Betony is a new addition to my herb garden last year. This year I am hoping to be able to harvest it. It is associated with the element of Fire, and is good for protection.
Horehound is another herb, that I just added last year, and looking forward to watching it grow this spring. In
magick, it is bound to the Earth and to Mercury. It's name is a derivative
of Horus, the Egyptian God of sky and light. It can be burned, used in
sachets, or drunk as a tea for it's magical effects.
Horehound can be used in a sachet carried on the person, and is believed to protect against spells or
sorcery.
As a tea, Horehound is felt by some to increase mental clarity and
strength. Try some on Monday morning.
Burned as an incense, Horehound is believed to honor Horus, the God of sky and
light, and to increase protection from evil forces.
This is a sad picture of the Comfrey I planted last summer. Another newly added herb to the garden. I am hoping it too flourishes this spring. Comfrey has many medicinal purposes. Also known as Black Wort, Bruisewort, Slippery root, to name a few. It has been known to promote the healing of bruises, sprains and broken bones. Magickally worn or carried Comfrey ensures your safety during travels. Tuck some into your suitcase when traveling, to help your items to not get lost. The root is also used in money spells. Associated with the element of water, this is a feminine plant.
Yarrow also known as the Witch's Herb. It can come in many different colors, Yellow is one of the the most common, or white. I like the red best because it helps attract the hummingbirds, and butterflys. That, and yellow and I, have problems with each other, on different levels. I do not have a favorite color, but I really do not care for the color yellow that much. I use to absolutely abhor it, but, I've gotten better over the years, and we can tolerate each other a bit better. But I do avoid it if possible.
Magickally Yarrow has many qualities. Protection from evil being an important one. It can be used in smudge sticks, or worn in amulets. It can be used in dream pillows and all magicks pertaining to the heart. It can also be used as an incense in matters of divining. It can be hung in doorways to prevent evil from entering, and as a protection from curses and hexes.
Wormwood is another great addition to the Witch's garden and another great plant to make smudge sticks out of. It is often burnt to summon spirits. It can also be burned to help aid in opening psychic centers. When these centers are open and receptive communication with those that have 'passed over' is much easier. It is also a great insect repellent and mice hate it.
