As many of you know my life has been devoted to understanding the fabric and mystery of nature while trying to grasp living within that framework. Decades ago I discovered, at least for myself, that this appropriate mode of behavior was not a theoretical model of a futuristic possibility but could be found in our … Continue Reading
"Myths are the dreams of extraordinary dreamers… You are living a myth, a myth that has been handed down to you for safekeeping. You cannot be the recipient of this myth unless you are irreproachable. If you are not, the myth will simply move away from you." Florinda Donner, Being-In-Dreaming
Making Prayers with Dirt
When I was three years old my father prepared a garden and invited me to help him plant it. By then I had been already captivated by all things Earth for probably two years. During the chill of winter I played in the coal pile in our basement; in summer I dug up worms and … Continue Reading
1. Spirit Gardens: Ecology and Magic
We have been taught to think in compartments so dumping ecology and magic into the garden box is a challenge to introduce. A healthy garden requires building a habitat from scratch. The soil has to have the right particles, structure, and pH for a collection of plants to thrive. And that collection can’t be a … Continue Reading
2. Habitats
Decades ago when I began my life’s work I was convinced that every ecosystem in which a people evolved or settled was complete for their needs of food, clothing, shelter, medicine and spirituality; even the least diverse, the acidic habitats didn’t disappoint me. In my work I assigned each plant to a specific habitat. Please … Continue Reading
3. Property Key
The gardens presented in this blog are samples of how gardens can be created by habitat and include the 30 ritual properties discussed in the group Thou Nature Art My Goddess. Of course you can make plant substitutes. In Miscellanea Magica you can find a somewhat tedious ‘Index by Habitat’ that lists the species from … Continue Reading
4. Gardens for Acidic Woods and Mountains
Garden I 1. Hypericum 2. Oxalis 3. Teucrium 4. Hypericum 5. Lobelia 6. Stellaria 7. Alchemilla 8. Stachys 9. Pyrola 10. Corydalis 11. Scutellaria 12. Luzula 13. Teucrium 14. Maianthemum 15. Viola 16. Digitalis 17. Lonicera 18. Pyrola 19. Lobelia 20. Lonicera 21. Stachys 22. Corydalis 23. Sedum 24. Stachys 25. Viola 26. Sedum 27. … Continue Reading
5. A Garden for an Acidic Bog or Moor
1. Polystichum 2. Phegopteris 3. Alisma 4. Pedicularis 5. Mentha 6. Asplenium 7. Pleopeltis 8. Epilobium 9. Andromeda 10. Matteuccia 11. Dryopteris 12. Botrychium 13. Oxalis 14. Typha 15. Drosera 16. Athyrium 17. Galium 18. Blechnum 19. Cystopteris 20. Polypodium 21. Pinguicula 22. Myrica 23. Teucrium 24. Eriophorum 25. Juncus 26. Rhamnus 27. Narthecium 28. … Continue Reading
6. A Garden for an Acidic Heathland Setting
1. Lathyrus 2. Achillea ptarmica 3. Jasione 4. Pedicularis 5. Mentha 6. Centaurium 7. Hieracium 8. Polygala 9. Andromeda 10. Matteuccia 11. Dryopteris 12. Botrychium 13. Oxalis 14. Molinia 15. Antennaria 16. Carum 17. Ulex 18. Rumex 19. Cystopteris 20. Anagallis 21. Agrostis 22. Myrica 23. Teucrium 24. Eriophorum 25. Genista 26. Rhamnus 27. Calluna … Continue Reading
7. Gardens for Alkaline Woods and Mountains
Garden I 1. Acer 2. Ulmus 3. Fagus 4. Carpinus 5. Prunus 6. Sambucus 7. Tilia 8. Juniperus 9. Fraxinus 10. Euonymus 11. Alnus 12. Corylus 13. Buxus 14. Daphne 15. Ribes 16. Taxus 17. Ruscus 18. Sanicula 19. Saponaria 20. Prunella 21. Vinca 22. Viburnum 23. Polyganum 24. Verbascum 25. Humulus 26. Paris 27. … Continue Reading
8. A Garden for an Alkaline Fen or Marshy Meadow
1. Urtica 2. Sanguisorba 3. Barbarea 4. Dipsacus 5. Valeriana 6. Aconitum 7. Veronica 8. Ludwigia 9. Sagittaria 10. Nymphaea alba 11. Fritillaria 12. Pulicaria 13. Chelidonium 14. Petasites 15. Caltha 16. Symphytum 17. Nasturtium 18. Limosella 19. Stratiotes 20. Ranunculus 21. Equisetum 22. Butomus 23. Hippuris 24. Phalaris 25. Filipendula 26. Nymphoides 27. Geum … Continue Reading
9. Gardens for Alkaline Grassland Settings
Garden I 1. Erysimum 2. Poterium 3. Daucus 4. Galega 5. Laserpitium 6. Carlina 7. Centaurea 8. Fumaria 9. Lepidium 10. Iberis 11. Carex 12. Knautia 13. Chelidonium 14. Festuca 15. Onobrychis 16. Melilotus 17. Narcissus 18. Thlaspi 19. Bellis 20. Melissa 21. Vicia 22. Setaria 23. Phleum 24. Heracleum 25. Matricaria 26. Onopordum 27. … Continue Reading
10. Gardens for Alkaline Coastal Settings
Garden I 1. Carduus 2. Koeleria 3. Crithmum 4. Atriplex 5. Apium 6. Asperula 7. Limonium 8. Valerianella 9. Elymus 10. Lavatera 11. Crepis 12. Silybum 13. Gentiana 14. Allium 15. Cerastium 16. Erodium 17. Anchusa 18. Campanula 19. Anthyllis 20. Ononis 21. Euphorbia 22. Convolvulus 23. Echium 24. Leontodon 25. Lactuca 26. Primula 27. … Continue Reading