HERB PROFILE ~ Lemon Balm

 Hello again my herbal friends,

I hope you are all keeping well and ready to do a mini-deep-dive into another herb with me - this time it is the wonderfully scented LEMON BALM....

Lemon Balm drying on my patio.

BOTANIC NAME: Melissa officinalis.
AKA: Honeybee
GENDER: Feminine (Cold)
ELEMENT: Water
DEITY: Artemis, Diana, Hecate
PLANET: Jupiter (and sometimes Venus & Moon)
CRYSTAL: Citrine

Lemon Balm is noted for it's calming affect on the brain, but also for helping the mind stay focused.

FOLKLORE: Lemon Balm was used to keep the sacred honeybees cultivated at the Temple of Artemis happy and returning home... hence the name Honeybee..

ALLERGIES: If you have issues with the mint family of plants, then I would give this one a miss too..

MEDICINAL USES:
Lemon Balm is good for stomach issues, it soothes away tension - which forms in the gut.  Can be used in a tea, tincture and decoction to take internally - or an oil infusion to use topically.
Lemon balm is good for shingles / chicken pox / herpes 2 zoster viruses.  It is used as a mild nervine, which helps you to relax and is also good for hormone support.
It has anti-inflammatory properties, so it is good for upper respiratory infections and sore throats.

WITCHCRAFT USES:
Lemon balm is used in spells and rituals which are focused on emotional healing, purification and attracting positivity.
It is a herb of Love, Light and Renewal.
It is said to keep evil away, ushers in health and love, boosts memory and interaction with the spirit world.

Lemon balm can be dried and used in herbal sachets/pillows, in incense blends, in bath bombs or just loose leaf for any ritual that you wan to enhance in a positive way.

As always I have put it in my plant grimoire

LEMON BALM TINCTURE:

Requirements:
1 Jar with a plastic lid
100% proof Vodka
Lemon Balm (fresh or dried)
Chopstick or a knife

Method :
Cut up the lemon balm and fill the jar 3/4 of the way up (you can push it down a bit to get more in there).
Fill with Vodka to around 1/2 inch (1 cm) from the top of the jar.
Remove any air bubbles with the chopstick (or knife) and make sure that the plant material is under the fluid - top up if necessary.
Put the lid on and label your tincture with the name and the date.
Place in a dark cupboard for 8 weeks.
Shake twice a day for a week.
Shake 1 - 2 times a week after that.

After 8 weeks, strain and store into a dark glass bottle (hopefully one with a dropper).

Dosage:
ADULT: 1-5 drops in a glass of water each day (start slow until you can tolerate it)
Increase to a full dropper nearer to winter to keep your immune system healthy.
CHILD: 1-2 drops in a glass of water each day.

GARDENING:

Lemon balm likes full sun with plenty of water (but very good drainage - she doesn't like soggy feet..) Can be grown in partial shade too.
Make sure you grow it in a pot because being of the mint family, it will spread 
throughout your garden very quickly - unless of course, that is what you want.

Loves a good feed in Spring and Summer, and the bees love it when it flowers.

I hope you enjoyed that mini-deep-dive into the lovely
lemon balm - join me again next time as I take another mini-deep-dive into either
a herb, flower or tree that is in my garden.

Until then, stay safe - take care & many blessings to you.

Annette )O( xxx

Herbal Profile - BASIL

 Hello dear friends and welcome back to my blog.

This week we are looking at the wonderful herb ~ BASIL ~ a herb that has been a mainstay herb in everyone's pantry since the dawn of using herbs (you thought I was going to say time then didn't you hahaha).

I remember long ago having it in the herb & spice rack in the pantry, using it for Italian dishes that my family loves, never really knowing all the benefits it has - and boy, has it got heaps of benefits.

So grab a cup of tea, coffee or whatever your poison is - and join me for another mini-deep-dive into the lusciously smelling B A S I L.

Basil from my garden Summer 2025

BOTANIC NAME ~ Ocimum basilicum

AKA ~ American dittany, Alabahaca, St Joseph's Wort, sweet Basil, Witches' herb, our herb.

GENDER ~ Male (Hot)

ELEMENT ~ Air & Fire

DEITY ~ Krishna, Vishnu, Erzulie

PLANET ~ Mars

CRYSTAL ~ Green Jade

NOTED ~ Basil's fresh scent stirs fidelity in love and opens the heart to forgiveness.  Basil is revered for it's Divine essence.

FOLKLORE ~ Used as a funeral herb in ancient Egypt. 
It was hung for protection from bad luck in the middle ages. 
It was used as an aphrodisiac in Italy. 
Referred to as the "witches' Herb" it was once used to detect witches (now all of us use it 😳 hahaha).. It was said that the ancient Greeks would burn the herb whilst speaking the name of a suspected witch out loud - if the Basil crackled in the flames, the person mentioned was confirmed to be a witch!!

USES ~ It is very beneficial for your health in that it improves digestion, has a calming affect and strengthens the immune system.  It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial aspects.  It also helps balance blood sugar, good for mental clarity and wonderful for health heart.
Can be used in many culinary dishes, and also can be made into a tea.
You can also use it as pest control in your garden.

ALLERGIES ~ Whilst uncommon for there to be an issue with Basil, it has been rarely known to cause mild to severe reactions in those who are allergic to the mint family of plants.  Oral itching/swelling, digestive issues and sometimes even anaphylaxis - so if you are one of those unfortunate people - I would keep away from ingesting this herb, or even putting it on your skin.

IN THE GARDEN ~ Basil prefers well drained soil which is rich in organic matter and likes to grow in full sun, however it can tolerate part shade as well.  It prefers to grow in moist soil, but not waterlogged.
It grows best in warm conditions (ie, summer) and is very sensitive to the cold.
It can be grown from seed, seedling from the nursery, or even cuttings.
To encourage the growth of your plant (to make it bushier) snip off or pinch off the leaves regularly.
Use a liquid fertiliser like Seasol (which is a seaweed fertiliser sold here in Australia) every 2 - 3 weeks in the early growing period.

WITCHCRAFT USES ~ Used in spells, sachets, spell jars, incense mixes, bath mixes to do with Love, abundance, Luck and success, purification, protection and exorcism.  Dry the leaves and powder them to use with the essential oil in anointing working candles.

A card from the Green Witches Deck of 
Magical Herbalism

Used in floor washes to add purification and protection when you wash your floor.                                                                               

Use Basil in a money bowl to attract wealth.

It is said that witches drank 1/2 a cup of Basil Juice before flying off into the air!!!

My entry into my little book

Do you use Basil?  If so, how do you use it and do you find it beneficial?

Let me know in the comments below....

Thank you for being with me today and looking at this fabulous herb.

Until next time, take care ☺️

Blessings to you all,

Annette )O( xxx

Herbal Profile ~ Flower Power ~ ROSE

 Hello to all seekers of plant knowledge,

I hope you are all keeping well ~ it's summer here in Australia, and I must admit that I do not do well in the heat.  So instead of being outside in the garden, I am under a fan in my office doing this blog instead.

Today I bring to you a mini-deep-dive into the most beautifully romantic flower in all of history - the ROSE.  I know that some people absolutely love roses - whether they be in their garden, or gifted 30 long stemmed red roses from a loved one - and some people hate them completely.

I have 6 rose bushes growing in my garden, ranging from light pink, dark pink, red & white, lilac and orange.

                                    ROSE

BOTANIC NAME ~ Rosa spp / Rosa Rugosa

AKA ~ Dog rose, Rosie, Rosetta

GENDER ~ Female (Cold)

DEITY ~ Venus, Isis, Eros, Cupid, Adonis, Aphrodite, Demeter

PLANET ~ Venus

CRYSTAL ~ Amazonite

NOTED ~ Roses are noted for use in enticing a lover.  It's intoxicating scent is good for enhancing the mood and is used in stress relief.

FOLKLORE ~ Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, was seen as the creator of the rose.  Adonis her lover was mortally wounded by a boar while hunting.  She hastened to his side, and from the mixture of his blood and her tears grew the most fragrant red rose.

USES ~ Roses have a calming affect, they are anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic and antispasmodic.  Rose tea can be a good digestive aid and immune support.

Rose water can be used in sweets and deserts (as can the petals themselves).  The rosehips are high in Vitamin C and can be made into a syrup to keep your immune system functioning. Used in weddings to line the path of the bride's walk to the altar.

ALLERGIES ~ Roses are pretty much allergy free, some people can get hey fever from the pollen, and some people can get contact dermatitis when handling the plant.

WITCHCRAFT USES ~ Rose is used in spells and sachets to do with love, healing, conciliation restoration and self-love.
Petals can be used in attraction spells.
The thorns can be used in banishing spells, as they are potent guardians against negativity.

The oil can be used in salves/balms and has a nurturing aspect for the skin.
The dried petals can be used in herbal incense mixes, and used to clear negativity away before ritual.

My little book of herbal info

With a little flip up bit :)

DECODING A ROSES COLOUR ~

  BLUE: desire, mystery

  GREEN: abundance, peace

  IVORY: charm, elegance, thoughtfulness

  ORANGE: desire, enthusiasm.  

   PEACH: gratitude.              

  PINK:  admiration, gratitude, thanks

  PURPLE-DEEP : celebration, splendour

  PURPLE-LILAC: enchantment, love at first sight

  RED: love and passion

  WHITE: purity, remembrance, youth

  WHITE & RED: union

  YELLOW: friendship, joy

I must admit that I love roses, they were my Father's favourite flower.  He used to grow them in every garden that we had - either in England, or here in Australia.

I remember him taking pride in his rose bushes, attending to their every need, pruning them, sorting out issues like black spot (though in those days he used chemical sprays, which I try not to use today).  He would research as much as he could (didn't have internet in those days), and he would make notes in a diary of what he did and how it turned out.  I would love to have those diaries now - I don't know what ever happened to them, which is a shame.

So there you have it - a compact version of the Rose.  I hope it encourages you to delve a little deeper into this luxurious, wonderfully scented plant.

Do you have roses growing in your garden?

What do you like about them? (or dislike about them).

Let me know in the comments below.

Thank you for reading this far - have a lovely week ahead and I am sending you many blessings my friend.

Until next time,
Annette )O( xxx

Herbal Profile ~ Flower Power ~ Calendula

 Hello my plant loving and mighty magical buddies,

I thought I would start the HERBAL new year off with a flower this time, even though us herbalists use it as a very revered herb.

I have grown these in my garden for years and use the flowers quite regularly in oils, balms and mixed into herbal teas and incenses - they are superb little flowers for skin irritations (hence I use them in salves and balms) plus the bees just love them.  They always remind me of summer with their bright colours.  So let's do a mini-deep-dive into the majestic

            CALENDULA                       

Orange Calendula from my garden 2025

 

BOTANIC NAME ~ Calendula Officinalis.
AKA ~ Common Marigold, Pot Marigold, Gold bloom, Holligold, Mary bud, Marygold, summer's bride, spousa solis, bride of the sun.

GENDER ~ Male (Hot)

ELEMENT ~ Fire
DEITY ~ Apollo, Brigid, Freya, Ra, Virgin Mary.

PLANET ~ Sun

CRYSTAL ~ Citrine.

FOLKLORE ~ Ancient Egyptians used Calendula to rejuvenate their skin from the harsh Egyptian sun.  In India, garlands have Calendula mixed in them for weddings and religious rituals and ceremonies.

NOTED ~ Calendula is noted for it's soothing properties, especially if used in salves or balms.  Bathing in a Calendula infusion is thought to give one a healthy, sunny glow that would draw attention and respect from one's community.

USES ~ Add fresh flowers to salad greens to promote good health and strengthen the immune system.  Calendula is anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and is good for pain relief... BUT BE WARNED... over consumption will cause issues with your tummy...
Can be used in herbal tea blends.

ALLERGIES ~ If you are allergic to ragweed, daisies, chrysanthemums, marigolds or any plants related to the Asteraceae or Compositae species ~ best avoid this one as well....

Another from my garden..

  IN THE GARDEN ~ Plant Calendula or Marigold (which has the same properties) in between your vegetables to protect them from unwanted pests.  They are a beautiful start to any summer garden as they are as bright as the sun and come in many different shades of orange, yellow, apricot and cream - some even have pink tinges... However, they do self seed prolifically so it is best to trim the flower heads once they are spent - this promotes more flowers and stops the seeds from going everywhere (unless that is what you want).

 

My little book of Herbal Notes....

WITCHCRAFT USES ~

Place a flower beneath your head at night (maybe in the pillowcase) to induce prophetic / clairvoyant dreams.

Can be added to love sachets.

Place a pot of Calendula outside your front door to repel enemies from entering your home

Used to influence legal matters - brighten your lapel with one to attract good outcomes.

Can be used (dried) in incense blends for protection from evil.

HARVESTING ~ Calendula or Marigold should be harvested at noon when the sun is high in the sky and the morning dew has had time to evaporate.

I like to dry mine naturally over a few weeks to make sure there is no moisture left - then I store them in a glass jar until I get to use them.                       

SO there you have it, my mini-deep-dive into the beautifully sunny Calendula.

Do you like this flower?

Do you use it, or just have the flowers placed in a vase within your home to bring the sunshine in?

Let me know in the comments....

Until next time, have a lovely week ahead.  Catch you with another mini-deep-dive next week...I'm thinking ROSES....🌹

Blessing to you all,
Annette )O( xxx

Hello and Happy New Year 2026

Hello my lovely Green Guru's, Magical Folk and Mystical Creatures,

I hope you had a wonderful end to the 2025 year, and that your start of 2026 has been so far - Bloody FABULOUS.

It's been a hot minute since I put finger to keyboard and had a catch up chat (in writing) with you all so I thought it was about time I did, especially seeing this is my first post of 2026.

Not to be a total downer - but...... (WARNING: My miseries are following)

Our end of 2025 was a bit of a fizzle as none of us were feeling well or in the mood for Christmas/New Year celebrations - even my Litha celebrations were rather lame - I did manage to make a twisted loaf in celebration, which we all enjoyed - but that was about it....

I even missed the Full Moon on 3rd January - so nothing was done for that either...

I have not been well at all, always sad and exhausted (go to bed tired, not having a good night's sleep, waking up more exhausted than you went to bed).

My stomach has felt very bloated and inflamed and my IBS has flared up which makes you feel like your body is toxic.  You just hurt all the time.

I must admit I have eaten WAY TOO MUCH chocolate (Maybe I should join Chocoholics Anonymous.......    Hello - My name is Annette and I am a Chocoholic...   it's been 4 hours since my last chocolate...   hahaha), which no doubt has caused most of my stomach issues. So hence my weight has gone up to a whopping 73.2 kilos.... which for my height, is bad for my back.... and my self image is at an all time low as nothing looks good on me and everything feels wrong.

I had a week off work for my birthday and all I did was rest - and I still felt exhausted when I went back to work.  I wondered if this is what 65 years old looks like - a permanently exhausted pigeon.

2025 was a bit of a hard year for me - physically, emotionally, spiritually, work wise and health wise as well.  It was kind of a bad year for all the family really ~ Paul got very sick in August with his Heart, and he has taken precedence over everything else, as he is the most important person in my life and I don't want to lose him.  Caetlyn who had laser eye surgery a few years ago is getting cataracts in both eyes again and will need surgery to remove them, she also suffered with sinus issues for the last 6 months and finally went to the doctor to get something for it.  Poor Mavis hasn't been for an actual walk since we all got unwell, she is very difficult to walk at the best of times as she wants to attack everything and is like a bull at a gate, pulling on the lead - we haven't been able to break her of those habits yet.  We try to play with her to keep her happy.

My garden is a mess.  All the things I tried to grow have either been eaten by birds or rats, or have died in the heat because I have not had the energy to do anything about it.  My work life is very stressful as we negotiate systems that do not work well together with the demands of the people both in and outside of the organisation.  I have not had any time (or energy) to do any witchcraft or work on my spiritual side either, and I have not had the time (or inclination)  to exercise. And whilst my house doesn't smell, housework has taken a backseat - everywhere could use a good dust, but that will come in time...

The summer heat is making me miserable too as it is too hot for me to go outside and garden, I can do it for around 10 minutes and then I start to feel nauseous and giddy.... I can't wait for Autumn.

I feel like a hollowed out husk, out of energy, out of the will to do anything about it, ready to be blown away by the next windy day.

SO after all that whinging I hear you say "Well, what are you going to do about it?"..

I dunno - maybe moan, whinge and complain more??? (LOL).

For the last month I have been off of all my socials as well - no Blogspot, no Instagram and no YouTube, and I must say - I have thoroughly enjoyed it... I am thinking of getting rid of Instagram as I went on there yesterday to see if I had missed anything and found myself feeling very depressed after 15 minutes....

I have tried to put together a video for my YouTube channel - but I can't seem to get enthused about it - I know there is another channel on there that wants to collaborate with me this year, but I don't know if I have the "right stuff" to see that through.  My channel hasn't got many followers - after 2 years I only have 74 followers, hardly any views on my videos and I don't get very many comments at all - I have to wonder if all that hard work is really worth it, do I really have anything worth saying - or more importantly, are people even interested in what I have to say - do I need to come up with a new angle? 

I don't know - I guess I am questioning everything at the moment...

I do know one thing that is going to make me immensely happy this year - RETIREMENT...

YES - I will be retiring from work on 30th June 2026... I have worked since 1976, and I think 50 years is long enough to dedicate to working and paying taxes in this life, I want to see if I can enjoy the time I have left on this beautiful earth before it's my time to pop off...

I am SO looking forward to that I can tell you (retiring - not popping off).

Hmmm well - Looking back on this travesty of a blog I must try to do something to get myself in a better place - any suggestions?

I don't know if any of you lovely readers have been in this situation before - or are going through the same or a similar thing right now... let me know in the comments below.

I know I DO want to feel better, I know I HAVE to sort out my priorities especially for where my health is concerned - it's just a daunting task when you are too tired to get enthused! Anxiety hits a new high when you feel overburdened and overwhelmed with the things life throws at you.

Sorry about all this - I basically had to get this off my chest so I can start to heal, I think acknowledging your faults and/or issues is the first step to going in a positive direction - then the only way is UP.

Anyhoo - thank you for sticking with me and listening to me whinge... I promise this will be the last time for a long while and normal blogging will return next week with herbal and flower profiles (which I have been working on).

I DO hope you are all doing well, that you are happy, healthy and kicking life in the balls.

Until next time,

Many blessings to you all....

Annette )O( xxx

Gloomy's Garden & Witchery ~ End of year 2025 ~ Chat 'n' Stuff

Hello again,

Just thought I would post my last video of the year (2025) on my YouTube channel, of your viewing pleasure...

I hope you enjoy it 😊 

I will be taking a break from all socials over the next 3-4 weeks, so I hope you have a wonderful Christmas if you celebrate it, a Magnificent Midsummer celebration for those of you who celebrate that, and a very Happy & Safe New Year too.

See you in 2026 my loves.

Blessings to you all

Annette )O( xxx

Herbal profile ~ Lavender

 Hello my lovelies,

Well I am sneaking in one more Herbal profile into my last day of my week off, especially for you - this time it is the wonderfully scent filled, calming LAVENDER... I will be working with this beautiful plant in the coming week.

BOTANIC NAME ~ Lavendula officinale / L vera

AKA ~ Spike, Elf leaf, Lavender angustifolia, English lavender, French lavender.

GENDER ~ Male (Hot).

ELEMENT ~ Air & Water.

PLANET ~ Mercury.

DEITY ~ Artemis, Hecate, Isis, Freya, Hermes, Quan-Yin, Virgin Mary.

CRYSTAL ~ Moonstone.

NOTED ~  For its sense of calm, it also conjures happiness and can transport the mind to a sunny mediterranean type field all abloom.  Lavender's message is of Loyalty.                                                               

FOLKLORE ~ At one time Lavender was carried with Rosemary to preserve chastity.  Many a young girl's "Hope Chest" had little sachets of Lavender amongst the linens, to keep them fresh until the young lady was married.  Lavender was also used during the War when surgical supplies were scarce, for cleansing and purification.

USES ~ Can be used in baths, bath bombs, oils and salves.  Good for healing of the skin.  It is a relaxant, calming, sleep inducing, antibacterial plant - can be used in tea mixes for pain relief.  Often used to enhance tranquility. Also used as a disinfectant to purify and cleanse areas within the home.

You can also use the flowers in baking - steep the flowers in milk and add it to baked goods.

WITCHCRAFT USES ~ Used for Protection, purification and Love.

Thrown onto a Midsummer fire by Witches as a sacrifice to the ancient Gods.

Lavender is a frequent addition to healing sachets, and especially bath mixtures and added to incense to cause sleep.

Carry the herb to visualise ghosts.

Used in purification sachets, incenses and spell bags.

Used widely to attract men for sexual favours!!!

Can be added to smoke blends to enhance the meditative state.

And YES - I did add a couple of pages to my book:

I even added a little secret panel, which lifts to reveal a pressed lavender plant.

GARDENERS ~ Lavender likes a chalky alkaline soil, so use plenty of dolomite or lime mixed into the soil  - work one or two handfuls into the soil just under the roots as well, plus sprinkle it through the topsoil as well, forking it in slightly.  They also need plenty of water plus good drainage.  Trim the flowers to encourage the plant to get bushy and produce more flowers.  If planting in the soil, just watch out because it can go feral and spread.  

Can be kept in a pot, but will need constant care:

I hope you enjoyed this little deep-dive into the life of Lavender ~ there is still many, many things to learn about this plant, this is just what I have come to learn in a couple of days. 

Thanks for reading and until next time ~ take care of yourselves and those you love ❤️ 🧡 🫶 🥰 

Blessings to you all,

Annette )O( xxx

Herbal Profile - SAGE

 Hello my lovelies,

I hope you are all enjoying this Herbal Profile series this week whilst I am on holidays ~ I hope it gives you an insight into what I have been doing over the past few weeks ~ getting to know herbs and flowers that I have growing in my garden.  This is going to be the last one for the week, as it is a herb that I am working with whilst on holidays.  Today I bring you the wonderfully wise SAGE.

BOTANIC NAME ~ Salvia Officinalis / Salvia spp.

AKA ~ Common Sage, Garden Sage.

GENDER ~ Male (Hot).

PLANET ~ Jupiter & Moon.

DEITY ~ Jupiter, Venus, Artemis, Diana, Huggeia.

CRYSTAL ~ Clear Quartz.

NOTED ~ For its wisdom - hence the saying "wise old sage". Sage is well named coming from the Latin salvere, to save.

Used by Native American Indians in smudging ceremonies.

FOLKLORE ~ The Chinese drank sage tea as often as possible, and their records show how high a value was placed on the health giving properties - 4lb of china tea was exchanged for 1lb of sage by the merchants of the time.

Sage was used in the Middle Ages to treat many maladies including fevers, liver disease and epilepsy.  It was a common belief that sage strengthened one's memory.

USES ~ Sage can be used for any culinary purpose and is usually mixed with Rosemary and Thyme to be put on meats, pies, baked goods etc.  In a tea, it improves digestion, supports cognitive function and helps with anxiety.

WITCHCRAFT USES ~ Sage is used for Protection, Purification, Wisdom, Longevity & Health, and Prosperity.

Add to healing and prosperity sachets, incenses and amulets.

Sage is used to cleanse a magical space via burning the herb.

It is used to ease grief from the loss of a loved one.

Burn a black candle that has been dressed with sage essential oil for cleansing negative energies from your home.

White Sage was the most common sage used by Witches for these purposes, but due to the unethical over harvesting of white sage, it has now become very hard to get and very expensive.  I have had mine for years and use it sparingly (see picture to the right) I find normal garden sage is just as powerful.

Yes - I did another entry into my little book too...

(My writing is not getting any neater LOL)

GARDENERS ~ Sage needs an alkaline soil, so put plenty of dolomite into the soil and throughout the topsoil when planting.  Sage loves hot sun and dryness so it will give you a sturdy little bush in no time.  She doesn't like wet feet - so make sure drainage is excellent.  She can be a bit like a spoilt child at times and can turn up toes overnight without any apparent reason if the weather or the soil condition is not to her liking.  Talk to her gently, whisper how lovely she is, keep an eye on her needs, and she will love you back.

So this ends my week of blogs on Herbal Profiles.  I will be doing more as I do them, just not all in one week hahaha.... I hope you have enjoyed this brief interlude into the flowers and herbs in my garden and what they are used for.

Until next time, please take care (especially as we are in the Silly Season...),

Blessings to you all.

Annette )O( xxx

Herbal Profile ~ YARROW

 Hello again for the fourth time this week (can you tell I am on holidays???).  

Today I am bringing you another herbal profile - this is another plant that I have growing in my garden, and I am currently drying - it is YARROW.

BOTANIC NAME ~ Achillea millefolium

AKA ~ Herbal Militaris, The Soldier's herb, Seven year's love, sanguinary, thousand seal, woundwort, stench weed, ladies mantle, milfoil, field hops and many, many more..

GENDER ~ Female (cold).

ELEMENT ~ Water.

PLANET ~ Mars & Venus.

DEITY ~ Achilles, Venus, Quan-Yin.

CRYSTAL ~ Bloodstone.

NOTED ~ For its healing properties both internally and externally.  It is a herb of peace and friendship.

FOLKLORE ~ It was used on battlefields during times of war and conflict to stop wounds from bleeding out.  The Druids used yarrow stems to divine the weather for each coming season, and according to the ancient writings, they were more accurate than those of our satellite pictures today. Used by Chiron the Centaur to cure the heel wound of Achilles

USES ~ Internally it has a calming affect and can also increase perspiration.  Yarrow tea can be taken to relieve all bodily weaknesses caused by infectious diseases like colds and flu, or any other prolonged debilitating illness, it is often mixed with other herbs to speed up its work.  Externally it is an antiseptic and speeds up wound healing.  Can be used in oils and salves for a healing balm.  Great for men who cut themselves shaving - just go out to the herb garden, grab some Yarrow leaf and press it firmly against the spot - the bleeding will stop.

WITCHCRAFT USES ~ It is used in workings for Healing, Courage, Friendship, Psychic abilities, Hex breaking, Love, Clairvoyance, Exorcism and keeping negative energies at bay.

Used in Love sachets and marriage charms.

If worn as an amulet it will ward off negativity.

A tea of Yarrow drunk before divination will enhance one's powers of perception.

Can be added to incense blends to keep evil at bay.

FOR GARDENERS ~ it is a great thing to mix Yarrow and Comfrey into your compost bin to speed up the compost activation.  All you need is a few leaves chopped up and mixed in to your compost.  Yarrow will also enhance the flavour, strength and health of any other herb gown near it (but beware - it spreads like the mint family does, so be careful where you put it in your garden).  I have a white variety (as seen in these pictures) growing by my Sage and WOW - that sage (& Yarrow) is potent..  I would love to find the pink or red variety to grow as well - but I haven't seen any for sale yet.

YES - I did another entry into my little book of Mischief,

even has a little secret addition:

Yarrow pressed onto the page from my garden..

Yarrow has to be one of my favourites in the garden, not only is it handy to have, but it looks pretty with its feathery leaves and stems of flowers in the spring and summer.

So there you have it - a run down on the wonderful YARROW.

Join me next time when I will be looking into another herb from my witches garden.

Until then, take care of yourself and those you love,

Blessings to you all.

Annette )O( xxx

Herbal Profiles ~ ROSEMARY

 Hello there you mighty bunch of lovely people,

Today I am doing a herb profile on ROSEMARY....

BOTANIC NAME ~ Rosemarinus officinalis

AKA ~ Dew of the sea, Sea dew, Rosmaris, Rosemarine, Rosemarie, Guardrobe, Libanotis.

GENDER ~ Male (Hot).

ELEMENT ~ Fire.

PLANET ~ Sun.

DEITY ~ Jupiter & Hecate.

CRYSTAL ~ Aventurine.

NOTED ~ For remembrance, for it's unique taste and smell, as a "clear all" for your health.

FOLKLORE ~ Rosemary evokes sweet remembrance, and is often used at funerals, also ANZAC day parades (Australia) to remember those who fell in the wars.  It is believed that it grows where the sea can be seen, where the righteous abide, or where a woman rules the house.

USES ~ Rosemary is an all purpose herb which can be used in all sorts of culinary dishes from seasoning meats, to adding to bread, stews, soups and seasonings.  It makes a wonderful tonic and is great for both hair and skin.  Using a Rosemary toner will tighten up your skin and heal it of any acne nor skin irritations.  Rosemary can be made into an oil and put into salves, skin creams, soaps, shampoos and conditioners.  The parts used are the leaves ~ dried, powdered and fresh.

WITCHCRAFT USES ~ Can be used to cleanse your work or ritual area.

(Smoke stick like in the picture here -------->)

It is used for purification, love, protection, to improve the intellectual aspects.

Add to all purification workings, bath sachets, love incenses, protection incenses.

Wear a sprig of Rosemary to aid memory, use in Sea rituals or in sachets to ensure sage passage whilst travelling.

Use Rosemary soap to wash hands before a ritual.

Burn a Rosemary & Juniper mix as a healing/recuperation aid.

Use in baths to sooth the body.

Drink Rosemary Tea to help your liver function, and open up the mind for meditation.

Again here is what I wrote in my book with my scruffy writing LOL (Hopefully one day my writing will be neat and tidy....but don't hold your breath haha).

Rosemary is very easy to grow and is always a handy herb to have on hand.  I have two plants growing, one in my front garden, and one in a pot out in my back garden - it grows well in either the ground or a pot, so it's easy to grow if you don't have a yard, or if you live in an apartment- just grow some on your window sill or balcony if you have one.  It loves a good prune every now and again, but be sure to only take about a quarter of the plant so as not to kill it.  It also loves a good soak of SEASOL fertiliser every now and again.

AND as always, please consult your medical practitioner before you use ANY herbal remedy as they may have contraindications to any medications you may be taking.

I hope you enjoyed this little delve into Rosemary.

Let me know in the comments below how you use Rosemary - what is your favourite thing to do with it (be it culinary or Witchy..)

Until next time, please take care of yourselves and each other.

Blessings to you all,

Annette )O( xxx