Garden Magic

Garden Magic

Garden superstition probably goes back to a time immemorial.Here are some things I learned from my Scottish mother-in-law.

First,to ensure the fairy kingdom is happy, one should make sure that the garden is enclosed.Each corner should also have a protective tree, so choose apple and mountain ash for this purpose. The first tree, you see is a traditional luck-bringer and the second one keeps witches away.

Another tree one should make room for is an oak,as this acts as a ligtning deflector. Furthermore,if you place an acorn on your windowsill,it will also protect you again evil spirits.

When it comes to planting flowers in borders and containers, I would follow my mother-in-law's color tips closely. White flowers are thought to be clean and pure and can therefore be safely included,as can red and pink ones which are supposed to bring passion and romance to the household. Red carnations were always to be found in her borders,simply because they preserve the human body and help keep away nightmares. But you must never mix red and white flowers in a bunch,she warned,as this would most definitely bring misfortune.

Although some say yellow flowers are a symbol of sickness and should not be planted because they will anger the fairy kingdom,my mother-in-law believed yellow is associated with the sun and so must be planted in the sunniest part of the garden away from the other flowers. She had a fondness for yellow and made sure one part of her garden was full of asters,honeysuckles and yellow roses.