Jupiterkitty ~ Faeries

A FAIRYTALE GARDEN

Want to add some magic to your garden? Why not attract faeries by planting their favorite trees, flowers and herbs? There is no better way to attract faeries then through the tending of a garden.
Caring for a garden with love creates a connection and relationship to Nature and her inherent wisdom and inspiration that is conducive to our sense of sanctuary and well being. It is an act of natural magic that even the city dweller can create by planting window boxes with magically imbued plants. Faery and magical garden lore of bygone times such as the Victorian era provides a wealth of information for summoning these spirits to your garden.

A Little Bit of Lore About Faeries

• Faeries are curious about humans and are ready to love them but they can be tricksters as they are also afraid and distrustful of us and angry for the way we treat the Earth they take care of. To placate them, we must align ourselves with the ways of Nature and love everything that lives in our gardens both beautiful and not so beautiful. We must try to see the essence of the spirit in the flowers.

• There is always a main angel of the garden. The fae that tend to all living things in your garden are under her direction. Speak to her and invoke her presence each time you are in your garden. This blesses your garden and yourself.

• Nurture feelings of wonder, reverence and love for every detail of your garden. Once you truly feel the magic of opening your heart to the faeries, they will make themselves known to you. Sometimes they will speak to you, giving wise counsel and revealing secrets of the life of your garden.

• Faeries in the garden are often disguised as dragonflies or wrens.

• All cats have faery sight by nature. If you see your cat alert to something in the garden you cannot see, it is most likely a faery.

• As a habit, faeries usually travel in small bands. They change residence four times a year and this occurs on four pagan fire festivals: Imbolc, Beltane, Lugnassad and Samhain.

• Faeries may be dwelling nearby if you spot mushrooms growing in a circle. This is evidence of boundary markers of faery rings which are frenzied circle dances of intoxicated faeries.

• The best time to see faeries is at dusk on Midsummer eve(the Midsummer Solstice/on or around June 21st). A wash of marigold applied to the eyelids will help gain faery sight. Don't do more than look or you may be lured and sucked into the seductiveness of the Otherworld!

• Weeds are considered wild herbs. Don't clear them away when they are in bloom as the fae that live in them will be extremely upset! Marigolds will discourage sprouting of weed growth and foxglove keeps weeds and disease at bay.

Attracting Faeries

The best way to attract them is to plant a faery garden with their favorites through the centuries and tend to it with love and care. Create a garden that encourages all life :

• Set out birdhouses, birdbaths (float flower blossoms), bird feeders and bat houses.

• Grow plants and flowers that are attractive to bees and butterflies. The fae are attracted to where they are.

• Create a small fountain, waterfall or fishpond (fishponds attract all sorts of wildlife)to attract faeries and water sprites. Anything that reflects light or is colorful and moving will attract the gnomes and elves.

• Leave an area of your garden a bit wild and uncultivated. Dedicating it to the faeries will make them feel very welcome.

• Don't remove mushrooms or fungus from your garden as the faeries regard these as delicacies.

Creating Shelter for Faeries

Providing shelter for the fae is fun and easy. An abandoned bird house can be converted into a faery hut (much like an eccentric dollhouse!) You can hang little lace curtains, throw down a tiny rug of velvet....be creative! Entice them with offerings left in a little basket. Fae are partial to ground ginger, barley and cake icings and anything that glitters. Although you will not see the offerings disappear as fae are of the spirit world and only extract the spirit essence of objects and leave the physical shell behind, replenish offerings regularly. You can also leave thyme, three leaf clover, primrose and Hawthorne(sacred to faeries). Foxglove, moss, flowers and spiderwebs provide a wide variety of clothing options for them.

Check out the links below for listings of magical plants that'll have those faeries flying in!

Magical Flowers
Magical Herbs
Magical Trees