Plan a Goddess Garden

Last summer I bought a little cottage in the woods that has a decent sized yard. After three years of renting a house, and two years of apartment living before that, I am SO ready to plant a permanent, long-term garden. I’m already mapping out my raised beds along the fence, with a few nice arches for trellised plants like squashes, cucumbers, and the like. I’ve got cattle wire along my fence to keep the dog contained, but it seems like it might be a good place to add a few grapevines as well. There will be a spot for all the kitchen herbs – and of course, the magical ones – as well as pole beans, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, and garlic. Near the back, I’ll be adding a potting shed and berry bushes, as well as some pawpaws along the rear tree line.

But one of the things I’m really looking forward to is a goddess garden. I’ve got half an acre, half of which is plantable (the other half is a wooded hillside), so a goddess garden will make a lovely addition to that space.

Gardening itself is a magical act. It allows us to take the simplest form of life — a seed — and plant it so that weeks later it will bloom. Plants and magic have been associated for hundreds (if not thousands) of years, so when spring rolls around and you’re planning your seasonal garden, why not set up a special area to dedicate to the goddess (or god) of your tradition?

If you don’t have a big yard to plant, don’t worry. You can still create a special goddess garden using a container. Start by figuring out which goddess you’d like to honor. It’s probably a bad idea to just pick one at random — a better course of action would be to choose one you’ve got some sort of connection to, or that you’ve been interested in learning more about. If your particular tradition honors a certain goddess, or deities of a specific pantheon, that helps make the selection process a little easier.

Next, figure out where the best place is to locate your goddess garden. Are you working with a vibrant, outdoorsy kind of goddess, like Diana? Perhaps she’d appreciate a spot in the sun. Maybe a water goddess, who would feel at home near your pond? Or perhaps you’re connected to a goddess of darkness, who might prefer a shady spot near the tree line? Obviously, you want to choose an are where plants will grow, but it’s also important to try to select an area where the Divine will feel a sense of home.

If you live in a small area such as an apartment, or if you have limited space, you can still plant a goddess garden. Choose a brightly lit spot on your patio and use containers for gardening, or create a tabletop goddess garden with a large planter.

Your next step should be to determine what sort of plants are associated with the goddess you’re honoring. Think of this garden as a sort of living altar space, and plan accordingly. For example, if your garden is to pay tribute to Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, you might fill the space with seeds for vibrant and colorful carnations, hollyhocks, snapdragons and impatiens. A garden for Bast, the Egyptian cat goddess, might include catnip, members of the mint family, lavender, and lilies (for their playful, cat-like energy). If you choose to honor a goddess of the harvest, you might wish to plant fall-blooming plants, like mums or even root vegetables.

Add decorative touches like statuary, crystals, pretty stones, and other garden ornaments that correspond to your goddess’ attributes. Is your goddess a fire deity, like Pele? Add a fire bowl or candle holder. If your goddess is associated with air and wind, perhaps some wind chimes or a flag would be appropriate. Use your imagination, and take a few moments each day to work on your garden and re-connect with the goddess you are honoring.

Not sure what to plant in your goddess garden? Check out my book Herb Magic , for a list of 40 of the most popular magical herbs!

Image by Jen Gallardo (Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) via Flickr