Garden Witch's Herbal

by Ellen Dugan

  Each of the following traditional hedgerow plants will feature a description of the leaves and fruits, a bit of folklore, any astrological correspondences, and, of course, the plant’s magickal information as well. Happy spellcasting!

  Featured Hedgerow Plants

  And still the dog rose shines in the hedge.

  John Montague

  alder buckthorn

  Alder Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula ‘Asplenifolia’)

  Also called the glossy buckthorn or the fern-leaf buckthorn, this European variety is an upright, spreading deciduous shrub that usually grows six to twelve feet tall and spreads six to ten feet wide. The buckthorn’s glossy green leaves are quite unusual in that they are extremely narrow with irregular margins; they are often described as “long and lacy.” This shrub resembles a willow and has a weeping effect in its growth characteristics. The fall color of the leaves is yellow. Clusters of tiny white-green flowers appear in the leaf axils in May. The alder buckthorn’s flowers are attractive to bees but are classified as “ornamentally insignificant.” These tiny flowers give way to green drupes (the fruit) that measure about a quarter of an inch in diameter. The fruit starts out green but turns red and finally black over the months of July to September. This shrub is prized for its foliage and is often utilized today as a specimen plant or grown together as a screen. The alder buckthorn is often recommended in the landscape for use as a bird-friendly hedge.

  Magickally, the buckthorn was incorporated into spells for protection, and folklore states that it was also used in full moon charms cast so the Witch could be visited by the elves. Carrying a few buckthorn leaves in a charm bag is also thought to bring you good luck in court. Finally, placing buckthorn branches above your doorways and windows is supposed to render the home spellproof from outside influences. The astrological influence of this hedgerow plant is Saturn; the elemental correspondence is water.

  A Buckthorn Charm Bag for Good Luck

  This hedgerow charm will work best if cast during a waxing moon. As the moon grows fuller, so too will your good luck grow.

  Place the fresh alder buckthorn leaves inside of a green sachet bag or use a six-inch square of green cotton fabric. Put the leaves in the middle, pull up each corner, and tie it closed with a green ribbon for prosperity and luck. Now hold the charm bag in your hands and enchant it with the following verse:

  These fresh green buckthorn leaves will create a charm,

  Bringing good luck in court and causing no harm.

  This good-luck hedgerow spell is spun from the heart,

  For the good of all and with a Green Witch’s art.

  Tuck the charm bag in your pocket, and keep it with you for good luck.

  apple

  Apple (Pyrus malus)

  The apple tree is a tree of the Goddess. In Norse mythology, Freya dispensed golden apples to the gods so they could share in the magickal gifts of this fruit. The Celts believed that the apple tree was a good omen and that it grew in Paradise and was the keeper of all knowledge. The apple was known as the fruit of the gods, the fruit of the underworld. The old rhyme “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” comes from the belief that the apple was a magickal cure-all.

  It is thought that cultivated varieties of the apple were probably introduced to Britain by the Romans. During medieval times, monastic gardens increased the varieties of apple trees by grafting shoots of the trees onto established rootstock. The wild apple is native to Europe and western Asia. It has a short trunk and can grow from twenty to forty feet high. The bark is described as grey, broken, and scaly. The apple may be found growing wild in rural and sub-rural areas, typically wherever humans have lived. The leaves of the apple are classically described as broad, flat, simple, and being of the same size. The apple tree bears clusters of five-petaled white flowers that are blushed with pink. Some modern varieties of apple trees do bear a reddish pink blossom. The blossoming time is typically April through June but will vary widely depending on the particular variety of apple. Apple blossoms represent youth, love, fertility, and enchantment. Also, apple blossoms are the state flower of Arkansas.

  The fruit matures in summer and is larger than that of the crab apple. From a botanical standpoint, the fruit of the apple is called a pome. The fruit of wild apple trees average three and a half inches across, while modern varieties and cultivars measure much larger. The apple was a favorite medieval fruit, and as you would imagine, they were mainly used as a food source, eaten cooked or raw, made into sauces and jams, and included in a variety of dishes.

  Inside the apple is a natural star. Slice an apple crosswise to reveal the star-shaped arrangement of the seeds. The apple fruit is often used in magick and rituals as a natural pentagram. In the language of flowers, the fruit symbolizes healing, preference, and appeal. The apple is sacred to many magickal cultures, and the wood was preferred for magickal wands and staffs. Also, it is good luck to grow an apple tree in the garden, as it marks a sacred space and will attract nature spirits and land elementals. The astrological correspondence of the tree is Venus. It is associated with the element of water.

  The ABC Charm

  According to folklore, if you have a sick plant in the garden, take a “perfect” apple and charm it to restore vitality to the ailing plant. Then, after you have enchanted the apple, dig a hole next to the plant and bury the apple. Legend states that as the buried apple decomposes, the other plant will be restored to health. Try working this charm during a waning moon: as the moon grows smaller, the plant’s illness will diminish. To perform this charm, hold the apple in your hands, and then repeat the verse:

  A is for the apple, so rosy, round, and fair,

  B is for blessing, as I speak it in the air.

  C is for charm, may you restore vitality,

  This spell is spun by the power of three times three.

  Now bury the apple; gently pat and smooth out the ground. Mark the area by drawing a pentagram in the dirt on top of the apple. Pat the soil three times, and then close the spell with these lines:

  This plant-healing apple spell is spun from the heart,

  Worked for the good of all with a Green Witch’s art.

  blackthorn

  Blackthorn or Sloe (Prunus spinosa)

  From a botanical standpoint, the blackthorn is a large shrub or a small tree of the genus Prunus. It is a native plant to Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. The common name, “blackthorn,” comes from the small tree’s dark bark and skin and from the thorns, or spines, that it bears. The blackthorn is covered in white blossoms in early spring and is often the first tree to flower in the wild. The flowers will appear before the leaves, and the leaves are followed by the purple fruit. The blackthorn bears a dark purple fruit called the sloe.

  This bitter, edible fruit is used in jellies, jams, and wines. Today, the sloe is frozen first before cooking or eating to make it more palatable. In the past, it would have been cooked into preserves, and folks would not have eaten it raw. The fruit of the blackthorn was also used to make sloe gin.

  In medieval times, this was a prized “tree” for planting in hedgerows, as the thorns kept sheep and roaming cattle out of gardens. The blackthorn is still a popular plant today for hedging and for cover for game birds. Some forms are grown as ornamental specimens and of course for their flowers and bird-friendly fruits. The blackthorn blossom also draws butterflies and provides a good source of nectar for the birds in the spring.

  In Irish myth, the Lunatishees—the blackthorn faeries—guard blackthorn bushes. This is a healing and a protective plant, and its astrological correspondence is Saturn.

  The Blackthorn Reversal Candle Spell

  If you believe that a spell was cast against you or that negative thoughtforms from an unknown person may be influencing you detrimentally, then this is the spell to help reverse the effects. This c
andle spell is creative and just a bit nasty. (Yes, feel free to twiddle your fingers à la Mr. Burns and purr, “Ah, excellent … ”) In this spell, you will be using the thorns of the blackthorn tree and inserting them into a white, unscented pillar candle.

  This spell would be the most successful if cast in a waning moon phase on a Saturday. We are using the waning moon to diminish the effects of the other caster’s negative spells, while Saturday is the day associated with Saturn and karma, and it’s perfect for spell-busting. As you cast this spell, you will be calling upon the Crone Goddess and asking her to dispense her justice as she sees fit—not as you imagine it but as she deems necessary.

  Take three thorns from the blackthorn tree and carefully insert the first of the three into the candle. As you insert the first thorn, speak the first line of the spell. Then intone the second line of the spell as you put in the second thorn. The third line is repeated as you insert the third thorn in the candle. Finally, light the candle and say the fourth line.

  Here is the spell:

  May this thorn prick your conscience and cause you to regret,

  This thorn will teach you a lesson you’ll never forget.

  The third thorn now breaks all spells that were cast against me,

  The Crone protects her children with the power of three.

  Close the spell with these lines:

  May this spell work out in the best possible way

  With the wisdom of the Crone Goddess, come what may.

  The three thorns and candle will create a reverse

  Keeping me free from harm and any other curse.

  Allow the candle to burn out in a safe place. When finished, dispose of any leftover wax and the thorns neatly and away from your property.

  Garden Witch Tip: Should you be unable to locate a blackthorn tree, you could substitute the thorns from another hedgerow tree or plant such as the hawthorn for this reversal spell. If possible, though, work with the blackthorn.

  wild blackberry

  Wild Blackberry or Bramble

  (Rubus fruticosus)

  The term bramble refers to thorny plants of the genus Rubus of the rose family (Rosaceae). Brambles include blackberries, raspberries, loganberries, and other similar plants. Technically, bramble fruit is the fruit of any plant of the genus Rubus. In the UK, the term bramble typically refers to the blackberry bush only, while in Scotland and the north of England, it refers to both the blackberry bush and its fruit.

  Bramble bushes have a distinctive growth form. They send up long, arching canes that do not flower or set fruit until the second year of growth. Many types of brambles bear edible fruit; there are actually hundreds of microspecies. Most species of brambles have recurved thorns that will dig into clothing and, unfortunately, flesh when a person tries to pull away from them. Brambles usually have trifoliate leaves, which means that the leaves are divided, or grouped, into three leaflets. The blackberry produces a juicy purple-black fruit that is loaded with fiber and vitamin C. The fruits of the blackberry are popular for preserves as well as pies.

  The thorny varieties of this plant are sometimes grown for game cover in hedgerows and occasionally for protection. Most species of the blackberry are important for conserving the local native wildlife habitat. The flowers of the blackberry also are useful, as they attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees.

  Blackberries were typically not grown as a garden plant because they were so plentiful in the wild. Today there are varieties that are very suitable for a home garden—just be sure to keep them under control, as they will spread and are considered to be aggressive. The blackberry had connections with many different gods, including the Celtic goddess Brigid. Their astrological influence is Venus, and the elemental association is water. Magickally, blackberry fruits, flowers, and leaves are used for healing, money, and protection spells. This is considered a favored faerie plant that helped keep humans out of faerie forts and rafts (where they were never supposed to be).

  A Healing Charm with Blackberry

  According to old folk magick, the blackberry leaves were a remedy for minor burns but were thought to be their most powerful when accompanied with a healing charm that was repeated three times. Here is a witchy version of the healing charm; hold your hands directly over the burn, and repeat the charm:

  Three ladies came from the east,

  One brought fire, two brought frost.

  Out, fire, and in, frost,

  In the name of the Maiden, Mother, and Crone.

  Please use your Witch’s common sense and have serious burns treated by a medical professional. Use the healing charm in conjunction with good medical care.

  elderberry

  Elder or Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

  The elder is technically classified as a shrub, and it is part of the honeysuckle family. This shrub produces thicket-forming root runners with many stems and may grow up to ten feet in height. The flowers bloom May through July and are formed in umbrella-shaped clusters that are described as being delicately scented. The tree produces edible fruit that is often made into jellies or wine. Birds and animals also enjoy the elderberry. The elderberry habitat includes fencerows, ditches, and waste places.

  The elder is sacred to many Mother and Crone Goddesses. It was considered to be the ultimate insult to the Goddess to burn the wood of an elder tree. Elder wood was never to be cut from a living tree, nor was it to be burned as firewood, which goes along with the old folk rhyme, “Elder is the Lady’s tree; burn it not, or cursed you’ll be.”

  The elder flowers and wood were used in many types of magick, including protection, removing curses, prosperity, and healing; tucking the berries beneath your pillow is thought to help promote a good night’s sleep, not to mention giving you a purple pillowcase come morning. Another elder charm included bringing bare (fallen) branches indoors and then hanging them up over doorways to ward your home. According to the language of flowers, the elderberry brings gentleness, sympathy, and passion. The elder’s planetary influence is Venus, and the elemental association is water.

  Elderberry Protective Charm

  Gather a bunch of fresh purple elderberries and adorn them with a red satin ribbon. Then hang the little bouquet up in the front window of your home and allow it to dry. This will add another layer of protection to the other shielding and warding spells you already have in place. You may work this spell on a Saturday (Saturn’s day) to tap into the closing energies of the week and the banishing influences of the day. Or you could also work on a Friday, a Venus day, to promote love and peace around your home.

  As you place the bouquet, repeat this protection charm:

  With a red satin ribbon, I hang these berries,

  No evil shall enter, no bad luck will tarry.

  Elder is the Lady’s tree of power,

  Protect my home well in every hour.

  Close the spell with these lines:

  This protective berry spell is spun from the heart,

  Worked for the good of all with a Green Witch’s art.

  common gorse

  Common Gorse (Ulex europaeus)

  Common names include furse and Irish furze. Gorse is an evergreen spiny shrub and common hedging plant that may grow up to fifteen feet in height. It was often used to enclose and to protect livestock from predators. The branches of this plant end in a spine and are covered with green prickly leaves that range from a half inch to two inches in length. The flowers of the gorse are described as showy. They are yellow pealike flowers, about a half-inch long, and they grow in clumps near the tips of its branches and have a coconut scent. The hard seeds are brown, small, and shiny. They are enclosed in half-inch long, hairy seed pods.

  Garden Witch Tip: It is important to note that today, gorse is considered by some to be a noxious weed. Gorse has been identified as a
“major weed of agriculture and forestry” in places such as Hawaii and the West Coast of the United States, New Zealand, Spain, Tasmania, and Australia. So before adding this plant to your gardens, check to make sure it is not considered a threat to your area. It is a very aggressive plant, which is a nice way of saying it spreads, or takes over, very quickly.

  In the old days, it was said that the spines of the plant were sometimes used to hang the wash out to dry, and the thorns kept the laundry from blowing away! If it was planted around the property, gorse was also thought to keep naughty faeries away from the home. Gorse is in bloom almost year-round in Britain, with the heaviest bloom period being in the spring. Gorse makes an excellent cover for birds. In the language of flowers, gorse stands for “engaging affection.” The astrological association for gorse is Mars. Its elemental correspondence is fire. Magickal uses include protection and prosperity. The flowers are utilized in money spells to attract gold.

  Attracting Prosperity with Gorse

  For best results, work this spell on a Mar’s day, a Tuesday, and work in a waxing moon phase for increase. Place a gold-colored pillar candle in a fireproof holder, then arrange gorse blossoms around its base. (Make sure you keep the plant material away from the flame.) Now, take a few moments and visualize practical ways that you can increase your prosperity. When you feel ready, repeat the charm:

  By the power of fire, this spell brings transformation,

  With a little help from gorse and my own inspiration.

  Now bring money and success, in the best possible way,

  With just a touch of hedge magick, this will brighten my day.

  Close the spell with these lines:

  This hedge prosperity spell is spun from the heart,

  Worked for the good of all with a Green Witch’s art.