Bud, Blossom & Leaf: The Magical Herb Gardener's Handbook [Paperback]

As "winter thaw" turns to spring verdure, spiritual gardeners begin sharpening their tools. In Bud, Blossom, & Leaf: The Magical Herb Gardener's Handbook, Dorothy Morrison (In Praise of the Crone) digs through the spiritual side of gardening, offering 125 invocations, rituals, recipes and spells to help readers connect with the spirit of their bit of earth. Morrison's good humor and practical tips make this an entertaining ode to springtime.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

"* "Herbs can bring us more relaxation than a session with a massage therapist, more energy than a pound of chocolate, and lift our spirits higher than the most prescribed mood-elevator on the medical market." - author Dorothy Morrison"

Walk down the garden path as you've never done before with this magical guide to herbs and lore * From the bestselling author of Everyday Magic - over 4,000 UK copies sold * Includes 125 spells, invocations, rituals and recipes, and shows how to plant and grow a magical herb garden indoors or out * Explains how to predict the weather, and explores magical garden themes, garden shapes, and planting ideas * Offers recipes for cullnary, cosmetic and first-aid use In one single volume, everthing you need to know about herbs, both the mundane and the magical. Do you want to know how to tend them with hydroponic magic? Use them to clean your home? Or brew them into fine wines fit for the Gods? This book not only answers these questions, but takes you on a magical journey down the garden path.

Originally from Texas, Dorothy Morrison now lives the magical life in Maine with her family. Dorothy is a member of the Pagan Poets Society and a charter member of M.A.G.I.C., a magical writers and artists organization. Dorothy is a Wiccan High Priestess of the Georgian Tradition, and has been an avid practitioner of the ancient arts for more than twenty years. She founded the Coven of the Crystal Garden in 1986, and spent many years teaching the Craft of Wicca to students both in the United States and in Australia. A former state championship archer and bow hunter, Dorothys current interests include Tarot work, magical herbalism, stonework, and computer networking.Dorothys work has been published in many journals and magazines, including Circle Network News, SageWoman, and Crone Chronicles. She is the author of the acclaimed Everyday Magic, Magical Needlework, In Praise of the Crone, Yule, Bud, Blossom & Leaf: The Magical Herb Gardeners Handbook, The Craft, and The Craft Companion, among other works..

Waiting for seeds to mature is much like waiting for a kettle to boil-it just doesn't seem to happen while you're watching. If your patience is running thin, turn your attention to another area of the gardening process-that of magical tool collection.

Tools of the Trade Gardening-like every other form of ritual magic-requires a unique tool set. What you need depends on the type of garden you have in mind and how much money you want to spend. Unless you're planning to set up individual outdoor gardens year 'round, for example, you may not really need to buy a tiller; they're expensive, and you can probably get by with renting one once or twice a year. Other items are necessities, though. For your convenience, lists of bare essentials for indoor and outdoor gardening are listed below.

Indoor Tool List: Gardening shears or scissors, hand-held claw, hand-held shovel, watering can or pitcher, wide assortment of pots, windsock (to hang outside a nearby window).

Outdoor Tool List: Garden rake, garden shears or scissors, garden spade, hoe, watering can (for fertilizing), water hose, windsock.

If you already have these tools locked away in a shed somewhere, don't run out and buy new ones. Whether magical gardening tools are new or used doesn't make any difference here. What does matter is that you treat them just like your other magical tools. Cleanse them, consecrate them, and store them away carefully. Give them the respect they deserve, and they will serve you with as much power as any wand or athame in your possession.

Rather than blessing garden tools individually, try consecrating them all at once. It not only takes less time, but unites the tools as a team and lets them know they need to work together for successful magic.

Tool Consecration On a sunny day (during the period of New to Full Moon), gather the tools and take them to your garden spot. Place them in the center of the area, then tie the tools together with a length of green ribbon or yarn. Say something like: You are a team now-I bind you as one To complete every task that soon must be done Work well together and lighten the load Of birthing and tending this garden abode Sit down and get comfortable. Then hold the tools in your lap or lay your hands on them, saying: Tools of the Earth, Tools Who create Become now tools who exacerbate The magic I'll perform within This plot of Earth that I'll soon tend

Lick your finger and rub a little saliva on the ribbon. Say: I bless you with Water

Blow on the tools and say: I bless you with Air

Gather a few grains of dirt from the spot (house dust will do if your gardening spot is indoors) and sprinkle it over the tools. Say: I bless you with Earth

Expose the tools to the heat of the Sun (or an indoor lamp) for a few seconds and say: And Sunshine fair

Kiss the tools or hug them to your body and say: My magical tools, you've now become As I will, so be it done Leave the tools tied together and store them in a safe place until it's time to use them. Marking the Outdoor Garden Area

Geometrically shaped gardens aren't difficult to mark. All you need is a tape measure, a couple of stakes, and some string to plot out perfectly straight edges. Round gardens and those with curving shapes are a different matter, but with a little practice and the following technique, you can create any shape you want in no time flat.

Place a stick or dowel in the middle of the area and push it firmly into the ground. Tie a piece of string around the stick, then, holding the string, walk away from the center until you reach the desired outside perimeter. Tie the other end of the string to a bottle of carpenter's chalk. Pull slightly against the string to tighten it, then turn the bottle upside down and walk slowly in a circular motion around the space. The chalk will leave its mark on the area, and you'll know exactly where to dig or till.

Note: If grass is a problem or you don't want to till the garden right away, fill a plastic squeeze bottle with white vinegar and use it in place of the chalk. This will kill the grass and weeds along the boundary line in a matter of days.

Turning, Tilling, and Playing in the Dirt I've always liked to play in the dirt. There's just something very comforting about it. No matter what sort of mess creeps into your life, digging in the dirt seems to whisk it all away. It has a way of bringing instant peace of mind during even the worst kinds of trouble. It's one of the reasons so many gardeners enjoy the initial preparations as much as the actual planting.

Garden preparations also give you a chance to wake the Earth and play a major role in the creative process. This makes the time you spend working the soil perfect for increasing the magical power held in the garden spot. Some folks like to do this with chants. Others like to sing. For this reason, appropriate chants are listed below with each preparatory step. If you'd rather put them to music, try the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb."

Preparing the garden area isn't difficult. All it takes is a little time, a little effort, and careful adherence to the three simple steps listed below. Before you know it,...(Continues)