Magic gardens

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 02 May 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

baba-prague	02 May 2003
I wonder if anyone can help with a query? A friend of mine runs her own small and interesting site about gardens and gardening. She also grows unusual seeds. She is thinking of researching "magic gardens" and asked me if I know of anywhere she can begin. It's a great idea, but not something I know a lot about. I suggested that she look at Niki de Saint Phalle's Tarot Garden: http://www.nikidesaintphalle.com/entrance.html but does anyone here have any other ideas? Books, websites, gardens you have vaguely heard of, gardens where magic plants grow, anything really? By the way, if she writes the articles I'll put a link to it back here of course. Thanks! Karen

zorya	02 May 2003
i grow magickal herbs and write an herbal column for an on-line magazine. a few of the books i use are; 'magical herbalism' by scott cunningham 'wicca garden' by gerina dunwich 'herbs for magic and ritual' by teresa moorey 'the green witch herbal' by barbara griggs 'green witchcraft, folk magic, fairy lore, and herb craft' by ann moura (aoumiel)

Diana	02 May 2003
The Findhorn Garden is probably the most famous in the world. And the most incredible.

Astraea	02 May 2003
There's also Perelandra, which is modeled along the same lines as Findhorn, but not a clone. The web address is http://www.perelandra-ltd.com/AB1473/index.cfm?&did=8

baba-prague	03 May 2003
I'm passing all of these on. Many thanks indeed. Zorya, please will you let me know the URL of your column. I'd be very interested in reading it. (though right now I only have a tiny terrace - but I used to garden a lot and hopefully I'll have a garden again before too long). Best wishes, Karen I had forgotten about Findhorn. How could I have forgotten? It's funny how things just slip into memory and away. Thanks for the reminder.

firemaiden	03 May 2003
I had a "magic garden" once. I was subletting a basement apartment from a very old couple who hadn't tended their garden (or house) in decades. Though the decrepitude in the house was unnerving, (no right angles anywhere) in the garden it was miraculous. Climbing roses had ascended to the very tops of the redwoods and in spring, their blooms cascaded down from the sky like pink bridal veils !! Wysteria wrapped and coiled itself around everything like a terrorist, I left my window open one night, and the green tendril that beckoned at my window in the evening had shot clear across the room by morning! The footsteps I heard at night under my window were those of a fawn, there were also skunk, raccoon, and possum. I never had to worry about the mosquitos drilling near my head, the great spiders in every corner silenced them in a heartbeat. One afternoon, I thought to take a sunbath in a clearing surrounded by the wild fragrant growth all around, and was just coming to relax when I heard an angry thumping and snorting. Imagine my disbelief, opening my eyes, to see a fully antlered buck half emerging from the thicket, angrily pawing the ground and staring at me, snorting in no uncertain terms "GET OUT OF MY GARDEN". There was no to be no argument. I got up and fled! What made it so magical?? The having-once-been a tended garden, coupled with decades of wild abandon, nature taking her own back, yet benefitting from man's interference (tall redwoods in bridal veils of roses...)

jmd	04 May 2003
Ahhh... the magic of experiencing magic in the magic of gardens! They can form some of the most memorable spiritually significant experiences! There are two gardens I can think off which have been specifically transformed by human hands which can only be described as those of artists and deep aspirants, and both quite close by. Of course, in many ways, the magic of the wild cannot be surpassed. National parks, deserts, high mountain peeks, all seem to qualify. But for local human altered ones situated near Melbourne, the first is Bruno's Gallery in Marysville - which has, incidentally, a few direct Tarot images and sculpures (namely the Hermit and the Hanged Man). For a commercial site, see this site from a tourist tour company. Otherwise, click here, on the left click the 'search', then select 'Marysville' instead of 'All regions', and simply type "bruno's" under 'Keywords'. Bruno does not, as yet, have his own website. Also locally, and far better known, is Ricketts Sanctuary. On the Victorian Parks site, and in the 'Go directly to a park' menu, select William Ricketts Sanctuary (listed alphabetically). William Ricketts died a while back. When he was still alive, the sanctuary had quite an atmosphere about it, which is now, in my view, still special but quite minor in comparison. My brother has also written a book about the sanctuary, which I believe is currently with the publishers... I'll post the details when I have them.

Red Emma	07 May 2003
Wednesday evening As I was reading everyone's descriptions of a magic garden, I wondered how one defines the term, magic garden. Does one use the plants for magic or spell work, or if it's the effect of a special place on one's "awe meter." Like Fire Maiden's rose covered red woods? I remember one Sunday morning when I was in my early teens, sitting on the bank of a stream in the Washington Cascade Mountains. I was surrounded by giant Douglas firs, and various mountain greenery. If I sat very still, birds would quit worrying about me and go on with their songs and their daily lives. Being a Baptist, I was feeling quite guilty about not being in church, then it occurred to me that I felt more in touch with God in that green and beautiful place, than I ever had in the church building. That was kind of magical, but so, too, are the herbs I grow in my yard, and use for cooking, and medicine. Kind of. I'm not a certified herbalist. More of a dilatante (that's sure not spelled right). But I love them, and they rate pretty high on my awe meter. I guess I also use them for spell work, in a way, since I use the sage for smudging, and other herbs in appropriate ways for sacred circles. That kind of thing. Goddess Bless

DeLani	08 May 2003
Yes, it is important to know if you mean plants for magical use, or the whole garden is magical. I would say for the first type, use common ritual herbs - sage, lavendar, roses, mugwort, etc. For a magical space, that would be the design of the garden (right?), so it would be in the shape of a circle or a pentagram, or a labrynth, with an altar in the middle, facing east or north (is that what you mean?). I look forward to seeing one, anyway!

Red Emma	08 May 2003
Zorya, could I have the link, also, to the on-line magazine you write an herb column for. I'd really like to see it. Red Emma

baba-prague	10 May 2003
These replies are great - and my friend passes on her thanks (by the way her web site is: http://www.karisgarden.com/ I don't really know what in particular she meant by "magic garden". She has been interested in the whole idea of this for some time and I think she is just generally researching, so all ideas - whether of existing gardens that are considered magical or ways of making a magic garden - are of interest to her. I must say that I've become more and more interested in this myself as I've read this thread. Currently I don't have a garden (only a little bare terrace) and I miss it. I think it's time to get some tubs and begin. So to add my story, I think the most magic garden I've been in for a long time is the one at Lednice in Moravia. It surrounds a huge old chateau that is now very run-down, but the garden is looked after by a local agricultural college and it's incredible - there is topiary, baroque statues, a lake, a Chinese pavilion, a minaret, nightingales (really), old twisted Chinese willows - and it is all virtually empty of people and sort of cared for but run a little wild. It reminded me of the illustrations in a children's book I read years ago. These photos get across some of the feeling, though they don't do it justice: http://www.lednice.cz/Cze/Turistika/foto.asp?id=499 http://www.lednice.cz/Cze/Turistika/foto.asp?id=580 http://www.lednice.cz/Cze/Turistika/foto.asp?id=478 http://www.lednice.cz/Cze/Turistika/foto.asp?id=483 http://www.lednice.cz/Cze/Turistika/foto.asp?id=482 http://www.lednice.cz/Cze/Turistika/foto.asp?id=497 http://www.lednice.cz/Cze/Turistika/foto.asp?id=627 One day I'd like to do some tarot cards based on some of this. It really is magical :-) Karen

zorya	10 May 2003
baba prague and red emma, i have a little confession :| i hated the article i wrote for the april/may issue, so i was putting off giving you the link :laugh: so here's the link to the february issue ;) http://www.saskworld.com/bodymindspirit/edition11/15_column_victoria.htm the june article turned out pretty well, so be sure to visit again then!

baba-prague	11 May 2003
Nice article! Now I'm wondering where to get rose petals... I'm definitely going to do the rose-petal honey, lovely idea :-)

divinerguy	11 May 2003
Don't forget the Herbal Tarot as a resource. There's another Tarot deck out there that herb based, but I can't think of the name.

baba-prague	11 May 2003
Thanks - good one that I had completely forgotten about. I've never seen it just heard about it - do you happen to know if it's well done? Ahoj from Prague!

zorya	11 May 2003
this is a link to some pictures of the herbal tarot, here at aeclectic; http://www.aeclectic.net/herbal/index.html here's a link to tarotgarden. type herbal in the search box. http://www.tarotgarden.com/database/dbsearchengine.php?search_type=blob&pageenter=0 baba prague, glad you liked the article! you can use the petals from any roses, as long as they haven't been sprayed. as a rule of thumb, the better smelling the rose the tastier, so old fashioned roses are usually the best. when you pull off the petals, be sure to cut off the white, bottom part, as it tends to be bitter. i am personally interested in knowing what plants are considered magical, sacred or powerful in your area, baba-prague?

Red Emma	11 May 2003
I've been studying herbs for a very long time, and feel a remarkable affinity with them. Therefore, when I heard about the Herbal Tarot I couldn't resist. I was disappointed in the art work. It's kind of flat, and although the illustrations are accurate and straight forward, they lack a certain kind of mystery that I seem to prefer in decks. Also, the LWB is only a very simple herbal, and doesn't talk much -- if anything -- about the meanings of cards. For me it has been a very straight forward deck, and one I can count on time after time as some of my more glamorous decks get persnickety and decide to take a vacation. It's kind of like having good, wholesome brown bread always available. While a cinnamon roll might be more desirable, you know you can count on the brown bread to fully nurture your body and soul. Goddess Bless.

The Magic gardens thread was originally posted on 02 May 2003 in the Spirituality board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Spirituality, or read more archived threads.