Plant care is self care

I have somewhat of a green thumb. It’s new. It didn’t always used to be this way

About as long as I could remember I have loved plants, particularly flowers. But a love of something doesn’t always translate into a natural understanding of their care, so alas, For many years I killed just about every plant I’ve ever had...

...and then along came witchcraft

*sprinkle sparkle sounds*

 

It all started about 2 years ago with a humble barrel cactus. “Not this time” I thought determinedly, “not this little guy”

I YouTubed every plant how-to video, marched down to the library and took out every book about cacti and got to learning. Shortly after adopting this prickly little anger ball I stumbled across Wicca and witchcraft. This invoked a heady couple of months remembering my love of nature and something just clicked:

 

I’d never truly been able to care for plants because I’d never really truly cared for myself

 

My home wasn’t in order, neither was my head and heart. After 6 months or so on the pagan path I had decluttered my life of all toxic things, people and behaviours and began the process of healing internally and finding peace. In short it’s hard to remember to water a plant when all your mental energy is very low vibrational and you’re subconsciously repressing misery

 

My cacti collection instead of dying began to grow

 

After achieving moderate success with cacti I moved onto succulents and herbs

They needed a lot of sunlight which wasn’t possible anywhere in my house so I bought them a little sunlight house and they grew too

Suddenly I was gifted plants at every opportunity. An orchid for Christmas:

 

A lemon tree for graduating my CBT course:

(CBT is a Cognitive behavioural therapy course for anxiety and depression)

 

With each plant came research, care and affection. I realised caring for plants was a way of caring for myself. By setting aside a little time to prune and water I was practising my pagan craft

 

My plant projects became bigger and bolder:

Strawberries grown from seed

I began to use flowers dried and real within my spell work and altar space

I brought the study of plants and flowers into my practise

The Victorian secret language of flowers needs a post of its own as the correspondences and inspiration this book gives me are always on the bloody money

Isn’t this vintage florigraphy book to die for?!

 

My next project is particularly ambitious: Growing climbing roses around our front door

To me nothing says cottage witch like roses around a door. I’m very lucky to live in a beautiful home in the countryside and just need my new found superpower to make the image complete. 

 

I doubt I’ll get flowers this year and maybe not even next year until September it’s a patience thing with climbing roses. They require training (attaching to a trellis) it’s the trickiest thing I’ve tried so far. They were particularly reluctant to grow but they have almost exploded as we get into the summer months from tiny twigs in May to basically a bush. I am one proud and patient plant mama

 

So in summary 

From depressed, anxious and self repressed to beaming with positivity and self care. Folks, I present: The Real Life Magick Of Plant Power🌿✨