Hello my fellow Catholic witches! So while I was looking through stuff to do for May, I came across Mary Gardens and I thought they sounded like something full of potential witchery.
What is a Mary Garden?
A Mary garden is a garden dedicated to Mary. It is full of plants relating to Mary and her son, Jesus. They also contain a statue of Mary and sometimes have benches and candles for prayer. Some people also add plants relating to other saints. Sometimes they are dedicated to a certain aspect of Mary (such as Our Lady of Sorrows). They can be as big as a park or as small as a flower pot.
Plants for a Mary Garden
Relating to Jesus
Grapes- His blood
Wheat- His Body
Hyssop- Used at the Crucifixion
Begonia- Heart of Jesus
Geranium- Heart of Jesus
St. John’s Wort- Jesus’ Blood
Snapdragons- the Child Jesus’ shoes
Passion flowers- Christ’s Passion (the stamens and pistils look like the nails and the crown of thorns)
Red Roses- Christ’s Passion (as the crown of thorns and the five petals are Christ’s five wounds)
Plants with thorns- the crown of thorns
Dogwood- the Crucifixion
Relating to Mary
All flowers are associated with Mary but here are some that have more specific associations.
Roses- The Marian flower. Said to be found in her tomb, and appear in most of her apparitions. Used during May Crowning. Their colors symbolize her as follows:
White – Mary’s Purity
Red- Mary’s Sorrow
Gold- Mary’s Glory
Lilies- Said to be found in her tomb and given to her by the angel Gabriel at the Annunciation
Forget-Me-Nots- Our Lady’s Eyes
Baby’s Breath- Our Lady’s Veil
Bachelor’s Buttons- Our Lady’s Crown
Bleeding Hearts- Mary’s Heart pierced by swords
Iris- the swords that pierced Mary’s Heart
Marigolds- Mary’s gold
Violets- Our Lady’s Modesty
Lavender- one legend says this plant got its scent when Mary laid Jesus’ clothes out to dry on it
Lily-of-the-Valley- Said to have grown from Mary’s tears as she stood at the foot of the cross
Damask Roses- the roses Our Lady of Guadalupe told St. Juan Diego to gather
English Daisy- Mary’s Love
Maidenhair Fern- Mary’s Hair
Field Bindweed- Our Lady’s Cup (from a German legend that Mary freed a wine seller’s cart after giving her a drink. Because he did not have a cup, Our Lady used the flower of Field Bindweed instead)
Morning Glory- Our Lady’s Cloak
Hawthorn- traditionally used during May Crowning
Honeysuckle- Our Lady’s fingers or Our Lady’s stick
Hydrangea- Ave Maria
Jasmine- Mary
Larkspur- Mary’s tears
Moonflower- Our Lady of the Night
Primrose- Mary’s candlestick
Juniper- Our Lady’s Shelter, said to have hidden the Holy Family during the flight to Egypt
Snowdrops- used at Candlemas
Sweet Alyssum- Blessed by Mary
Tulip- Mary’s Prayer
Water lily- Our Lady of the Lake or Stella Marius
Parsley- Our Lady’s Little Vine
Sage- Mary’s shawl
Thyme- Mary’s humility
Fennel- Our Lady’s Fennel
Spearmint- Mary’s mint
Horehound- Mother-of -God’s tea
Dandelion- Mary’s bitter sorrow
Catnip- Mary’s nettle
Valerien- Our Lady’s Needlework
Chamomile- Maiden’s weed
Other plants
These relate to saints or to God.
Columbine- the Holy Spirit (because they look like doves)
St John’s Wort- Named after one of the many St. Johns
Chicory- the Heavenly way
Coriander- St. John’s head
Dill- Devil away
Tarragon- Named for St. Martha’s dragon
Shamrock- St. Patrick
Lilies- St. Joseph’s staff
Peony- Pentecost Rose
Nasturtium- St. Joseph’s flower
Tritium- the Holy Trinity
Ivy- Where God has Walked
Hollyhock- St. Joseph’s staff
Gladiolus- 12 Apostles
Grape Hyacinth- St. Joseph’s bells
Basil- St. Anthony of Padua
Cosmos- St. Michael’s flower
Aster- Michaelmas daisies
Chrysanthemum- All Saint’s flower
Cherry- used on St. Barbara’s feast day
Pussy willow- used on Ash Wednesday
Palm- used in Palm Sunday
Pansies- the Holy Trinity
Blackberries- last gathered on Michaelmas
What does this have to do with witchcraft?
Well, many of these plants are commonly used in witchcraft. They can be used to call upon a certain saint for help (doing a protection spell, use Cosmos- St. Michael’s flower). Or they can be used based on their association (Maidenhair fern for beauty spells because it’s associated with Mary’s hair).
bennu rising 