Magical Gardens: Cultivating Soil & Spirit

by Patricia Monaghan, John Dromgoole (Foreword)

Plant an Angel Garden, which comes into its own in the moonlight, shining with its own secret radiance ... an Aphrodite's Bower, abundant with flowers and passion, crowded and dense with bloom ... or a Sorcerer's Secret Garden, where in voluptuous privacy you can feel secure enough to envision utter freedom. Myths, meditations and magical rituals are combined with garden plans that honor the old divinities and the old ways.

Genres: Gardening, Magick, Magic, Witchcraft, Occult, Spirituality, Nonfiction

277 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Patricia Monaghan was a poet, a writer, a spiritual activist, and an influential figure in the contemporary women's spirituality movement.

Reviews

[Lilith · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not a very useful book for me, although other people might get a lot more out of it. I did enjoy the stories and folklore, and the garden plans were pretty.
I would say this is more of a beginner level book, and not suitable for anyone who already uses plants in their magical practice. A lot of the plants the author selects for the plans seem chosen more for their clever names than for utility. That's fine if you want a lovely garden to show off, but if you are looking for some deeper folkloric or traditional meaning to your plantings you should look elsewhere.

[Leticia Mooney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this while feeling my way through my local library. I put metaphorical feelers out for garden structures, and boom! There it was.

This is a great little book; at once myth and gardening. It shines a light on gardening as a spiritual adventure. As a bonus, it gives you ideas for how to create different types of garden for different types of spirit/engagement/worship.

Magical gardens indeed.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

You might not want to read this book if you aren't already gardening or at least have land that you can turn into a garden. Monaghan includes suggestions of how to create 13 mythologically- or magically-themed gardens, and it was torture reading through all these wonderful ideas with no way to create any of them myself. (No, apartment-dwellers, this is not one of those books with a plan or two that you can put together on a balcony; although the Fairy Garden might work as a container garden, you really do need a plot of land for most of these designs.)

But the gardens are only the last part of the book. In the first part, the author writes about the spirituality of gardening. She includes meditations on the seasons as they relate to gardens, discussion of gardening techniques, and suggestions for adapting Pagan/Wiccan rituals so that they can be held outside in gardens. I thought this earlier section got a bit too heavily psychological at times, but I liked how it encouraged linking spirituality and gardening and maybe I can even make one or two of her ideas work with my houseplants.

[Danni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written for the Pagan reader who has a moderate size of garden to work on. The author shares personal experiences, rituals, myths, and plant information to walk the magical practitioner through the process of designing and planting gardens for spiritual work. 

The reader should have some basic gardening skills and knowledge, but the garden plans will provide much of the necessary information for getting a garden off to a good start. I think the garden plan section will also provide readers a solid understanding of what questions one should be asking when designing a garden space for magical or ritual use. 

For the green witch or similar spiritual path, the combination of myth and plant lore will enchant their workings with new delight. I know that I found it made for a fun read even when I knew some of the lore being mentioned. 

I do wish the 15th Anniversary Edition had included color photos. It would have been so fascinating to see how these garden plans had grown and established themselves through photos. 

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a updated edition to Her former bestseller "Magical gardens, cultivating soil & spirit." I bought the older edition for my oldest daughter, who is blessed by a very big green thumb.
Now, Her mother (me) is willingly to put a big toe out into the world of Gaia's beauty. I will have (I hope) my beehives living in bliss next spring. They need the necessary flowers to thrive. So, as I continue to be mentored in the Sacred duty of a Beekeeper, I hope to learn the garden & its beautiful flowers.
I bought the new edition, and I am blown away! Such great information, myths & magic! If you a beginner gardener, a seasoned pro, or just like to dream of the garden of your dreams, this book is for you, or a friend.

[Inara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title in German:
Mein magischer Garten

This book shows you how to transform your plain garden into a place of magic. Included are schematic drawings for 16 gardens e.g. a cat garden for the egyptian goddess Bast or a fairy garden. With many tips and practical ideas for gardenening – not only for witches! It describes also rituals and meditations through the seasons of the year to transform your garden into a sacred space. Although I´m only the proud owner of a balcony I love to read in this book and convert some of Patricia´s ideas to my own needs and limited space.

Website of the author: http://www.patricia-monaghan.com/

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would prefer to give this 3 1/2 stars. The book is a really fast read, one which kind of sucks you in and puts you into a dream like state of receptivity. The opening chapters vary in interest but don't get so bad that they put you off; as I said it flows nicely and carries you on. The meat of the book though is the example gardens that she has put together in the second part of the book. I would say that three or four of them appealed greatly to me, with the Aphrodite garden and the Artemis grove being at the top of the list. In fact I am determined to do the former in a corner of the yard this year! Overall a nice book to have on the shelf just for some inspiration alone.

[- The Polybrary - · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason this gets 4 instead of 5 stars is the assumption, for most of the book, that you at least have an acre or so of yard/garden space. There was only 1-2 container gardens, very sad for an apartment dweller like me. The book is worth reading regardless of your space for the inspirational valuee alone.

[Spider Goddess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very enjoyable book with a great deal of information about the role that gardening has had through the ages, and in many different cultures. There are also a number of fun gardening ideas and layouts for one to consider. In all, great fun.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tons of gardening related pagan info, fun book to go through, several interesting plans with a pagan theme. Enjoyed this book.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would like to incorporate some of the ideas into my garden, but honestly,all of the "spirituality" and faux folklore was a bit much.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read about gardening and our connection to the earth. Planning to plant this spring and wanted some ideas and inspiration - came away with some ideology too.

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What girl wouldn't want a magical garden?