New Herbs and Plants!

Today we went to visit our friend Dana, who had offered to dig up some of her garden excess for me. I came home with a tub full of new plants and herbs. I'm so excited to get them in the garden, but have been reading up on them to determine where they need to go.

This is what she gave me: Figwort, Datura, Elecampane, Feverfew, ground Ivy, Woodruff, Valerian, and White Horehound.

Figwort is in the snapdragon family. It needs dry to medium soil, full sun to part shade. Its magical attributes include health and protection. I think I will add it to my existing herb garden.

Datura, aka Jimson Weed, and is poisonous. It requires a dry, sunny area. Elton has already planted it in our back garden area, near a sagebrush. Its magical associations are in communing with birds, hexbreaking, and protection. It is associated with Saturn, and is feminine.

Elecampane is also known as "horse heal." It prefers good, loamy soil, damp but well-drained. This plant has antiseptic properties and has been shown to kill bacteria such as MRSA. Magically, it is used for love and is said to attract fairies. I plan to put in in the front yard somewhere.

Feverfew likes full sun, and needs to be cut back in the fall lest it go wild. It is said to help with migraines and fever, hence its name. It is magically believed to provide protection and to banish unwanted influences. Its planet is Venus, its element is water. It will go in my herb garden.

Ground Ivy concerns me a bit. I'm not sure if I will use it or not, since it is considered a weed and I'm not sure I want it to take over any areas. I suspect I may already have some, and I have spent a lot of digging time trying to get rid of it. It does have medicinal uses, but it does have divination and luck associations. An old folk spell is to place the herb around a yellow candle on a Tuesday, and burn it, and you will learn who is working magic against you. If I plant it, it will probably be in the front yard, but we shall see.

Woodruff likes partial to full shade, and moist, rich soil. I may put it in the front yard, since it gets much less sun than the back. Its medicinal properties include use as a calmative, diuretic, and antispasmodic. Magically, it aids in seduction, romance, and love. It is used to effect change and to attain clarity. This must definitely go in the front yard.

Valerian is also known as garden heliotrope. It prefers fertile, weed-free soil and is a heavy nitrogen feeder. It is used widely for its sedative effects. In magic, it has associations with love, sleep, protection, hexing, and protects against lightning strikes. When powdered, it can be used as a substitute for graveyard dust. It is feminine and Venus is its planetary association. I haven't decided for sure where to plant this.

White Horehound likes sun and well-drained soil. It is good to plant near tomatoes and is a good bee plant. Its leaves and flowering tops are used for wound healing, and it repels flies. The magical uses include being carried to guard against sorcery and fascination, and to be scattered as an exorcism. It is a plant of Mercury, and Horus is its deity. The herb garden will be its destination.