child-of-avalon

[child-of-avalon]

Gardens of the Witches

Already starting to plan this years garden so I thought I should do a post on Witch Gardens

Moonlight Garden

A garden that blooms in the moonlight, a great place to perform night time rituals, meditations, or to just take a midnight stroll. A garden that is full of magick even after the sun sets. 

Plants to add in your moonlight garden:

Moonflower: (Ipomoea alba) A nocturnal relative of the morning glory. Has fragrant flowers that open at dusk and close by dawn.    

Evening Primrose: (Oenothera biennis) Has beautiful, scented flowers that bloom only at dusk. 

Night Flox: (Zaluzianskya capensis) A sweetly fragranced flower that only unfurls its pinwheeled shaped flowers after dusk. 

Four O’Clock: (Mirabilis jalapa) Its scented flowers bloom at around 4:00pm (hence its name) and do not close up until morning. 

Queen of the Night: (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) A species of cactus whose flowers only open at night. Attracts moths and bats!!!

Night Blooming Jessamine: (Cestrum nocturnum) Strong, sweet scented star shaped flowers that only bloom at night. Attracts moths and bats!!! All parts are toxic, do not ingest!

Angel’s Trumpet: (Brugmansia) Produces a strong scent on warm summer evenings. All parts are toxic, do not ingest!

Evening Stock: (Matthiola longipetala) Produces lots of small blossoms that produce a perfume described as a mix of vanilla, rose, spice, and cloves only after the sun sets.

Ever-Flowering Gladiolus: (Gladiolus tristis) Release a strong almond fragrance after dusk.  

Lilac: (Syringa vulgaris) Although has a perfume during the day, it is said to be a lot stronger after dark. 

Flowering Tobacco: (Nicotiana) Open in the late afternoon and have a fragrance that smells of jasmine. All parts are toxic if ingested!

Summer Snapdragon: (Angelonia angustifolia) Preferably in white, to reflect the moonlight. Has a scent apple-scented foliage. 

Silvermound: (Artemisia schmidtiana) Has thick foliage that will shimmer under the moonlight.

Jack Frost: (Brunnera macrophylla) Hdeart shaped leaves of silver and green, perfect to add more highlights of silver to your moon lit garden. 

Any plant that blooms after dark or has white, lavender, pale pink, pale yellow on it is a perfect addition to your moonlight garden. 

Things to add:

Stepping stones that have the phases of the moon.

Fairy lights

A place to sit

Candles

A small fountain to sing along with the insects and birds of the night

String charms and bells on tree branches for a soft jingling every time a gentle breeze passes. 

Herb Garden

For witches who need a more practical garden for uses of healing, tea crafting, drying, and growing plants used in their practices.

Plants to add to your herb garden:

Anise: Helps to ward of the evil eye, find happiness, and stimulates psychic abilities. 

Basil: Use for anything pertaining with love, exorcism, wealth, sympathy, and protection. Dispels confusion, fears & weakness. Drives off hostile spirits.

Bergamont: Corresponds with money and prosperity. Provides with protection from evil and illness, improves memory, stops interference, and promotes restful sleep.

Borage: Corresponds with courage and psychic powers. 

Cat Nip: Is sacred to the Goddess Bast. Brings forth beauty, happiness, good luck, and good spirits.

Chamomile: Corresponds with love, healing, and sleep. Is known to reduce stress.

Chervil: Brings a sense of the higher self, placing you in touch with your divine, immortal spirit.

Coriander: Corresponds with love, health, immortality, and protection.

Dill: Corresponds with money, protection, luck and lust. 

Lemon Balm: Corresponds with love, success, healing, and psychic/spiritual development. 

Marjoram: Used to cleanse, purify, and to dispel negative energy.  

Mint: Promotes energy, communication and vitality.

Oregano: Corresponds with joy, strength, vitality, and added energy 

Parsley: Calms and protects the home.

Rosemary: Protects, cleanses, purifies, and aids memory. 

Sage: Used for self purification and dealing with grief and loss.

Thyme: Attracts loyalty, affection, and the good opinion of others.

Things to add:

A place to dry herbs

A place to compost any herb scraps

Rocks

A place to leave offerings before you harvest

Bee Garden

Make yourself a sanctuary to watch bees frolic and thrive

Plants to add to your bee garden:

Bee balm

Lavender

Crocus

Snow Drop

Wildflowers/Any native species

Catmint

Borage

Anise hyssop

Heliotrope

Sunflower

Oregano

Yarrow

Coneflower

Black eyed susan

Asters

Goldenrod

Foxglove

Marigold

Pansies

Sweet peas

Nasturtiums

Things to add:

Bee houses

Bee waterers/bee baths

Bee feeders

A place for offerings to the bees

Some other ideas for your garden:

Hummingbird garden

Medicinal garden

A garden whose plants and decorations represent/correspond with your practice.

Butterfly Garden

Faerie Garden 

The options are endless! I hope this gives you some ideas for this years garden.

Happy planting!

==Moonlight Academy==

[child-of-avalon]

The Opal mist   -     Robert Zakanitch

American, b.1935-

gouache on paper, 45,7 x 61 cm.  18 x 24 in.

[child-of-avalon]

[child-of-avalon]

Ivan Kupala (St. John/Midsummer) motifs in Slavic embroidery with examples in my own work (I also use this piece in my Mother’s Night celebrations, pictured above.)

Patterns here

[child-of-avalon]

On such a day, I want to post something mystical! This month was so busy for me, so I have to leave various witchy ideas for the future!

But I wanted to share the illustration about Ivana Kupala with you for a long time! So I’ll dilute the tape with pumpkins for you a little🎃🎃🎃

In my amateur opinion, Ukrainian Ivana Kupala and Halloween have a number of common features, although they differ in the type of celebration) These days are united only by evil spirits that come out everywhere at night

Well, and maybe candles nor in pumpkins, nor in wreaths How do you like this illustration? Do you feel any similarity between these holidays, or is it just me?

/

В такий день хочеться щось викласти містичне!

Цей місяць у мене був як ніколи насичений, тому лишу різні відьомські ідеї на майбутнє!

А от ілюстрацією про Івана Купала я давно хотіла з вами поділитися! Тож розбавлю вам трохи стрічку з гарбузиками🎃🎃🎃

На мій аматорський погляд, українське Івана Купала і Геловін мають низку спільних рис, хоч і за типом святкування вони відрізняються) Об'єднують ці дні тільки нечисть, яка виходить скрізь вночі

Ну і свічечки, що в гарбузах, що в віночках

Як вам така ілюстрація? А ви відчуваєте якусь подібність цих свят, чи це тільки у мене так?

[child-of-avalon]

slavic mythology: kupala (kupalo, ivan's day)

"Ivan Kupala (Ivan's Day, Ivanshchyna, Ivan Kupala, Kupala) is a folk holiday of the Eastern Slavs, celebrated on June 24 (July 7), dedicated, according to researchers, to the summer solstice and the highest flowering of nature. In time and name it coincides with the Christian holiday of the Nativity of John the Baptist, from which it takes its name: since John's name is the Baptist, it literally translates from Greek as a swimmer, a submerger in water.

The night before the holiday surpasses Ivan Kupala Day itself in its ritual content."

[child-of-avalon]

«Karahod» (Roundelay), 1922 – Michaił Filipovič

[child-of-avalon]

30 ideas to do for Kupala Night (june 20-24) as a solitary (slavic) pagan

1. Make a sacred space decorated specifically for Kupala Night. Use water and fire imagery. Decorate it with some periwinkle, oak and birch branches, summer plants and flowers.

2. Make a wreath with some of those plants.

3. Dance, learn to dance or do some traditional dance!

4. Listen to music! Especially summer vibes music.

5. Go outside, take a walk, forage some stuff, don't take a lot, just what you need.

6. Do summer cleaning in your house.

7. Cook something for Kupala night. Thinking, dumplings, porridge, onions, garlic, cow and goat cheese, milk, homemade vegetable soup, chicken meat.

8. Give offerings to Vesna, even tho she is associated with the spring season, she is still very powerful in the summer season!

9. Drink wine, vodka, rakija, if you are an adult. 10. Alternatively, drink some cold juice. Summer nights can be very hot.

11. Make a protective amulet for your door. Either for your bedroom or house door.

12. Light a candle. A scented candle or ordinary candle.

13. Give offerings to Dajbog. It's summer solstice after all.

14. If you are into divination, do a reading of any kind!

15. Plant flowers!

16. Dress in summer colors and vibes.

17. Do a protection ritual from malevolent spirits.

18. Do something for protection from malevolent spirits, they usually awaken that night a lot, according to multiple sources i saw.

19. Make floral oil mixtures.

20. Offer something to Jarilo. He is the god of fire, amongst other things.

21. Pray to the gods for prosperity and happiness.

22. Decorate anything with flowers and floral imagery.

23. If you are a magic practitioner, invoke the element of fire and do a ritual with the energy.

24. Write a prayer, hymn, or a poem for Kupala Night.

25. Rest, take a day off.

26. Make something with colors yellow, red, and blue. (To symbolize the Sun, fire and water)

27. Do a small ritual in your backyard.

28. Make jam, or any preserves for the winter.

29. Do something with seasonal fruits like strawberries, cherries, etc!

30. Make a journal/planner for the things you wish to achieve until the autumn season!

[child-of-avalon]

Noc Kupały 2025

[child-of-avalon]

Noc Kupały" by Natalia Noszczynska

[child-of-avalon]

Happy Kupala night to all my slavic friends!

This one-day customary event is linked with the summer solstice celebrations. It’s the festival of fire and water, sun and moon, abundance and fertility, happiness and joy.

Kupala Night is a pagan holiday celebrated in the Christian region. In the past it was a pagan rite which was later accepted into the Orthodox Christian calendar. Kupala derives its name from the Slavic word which means bathing. The celebrations are held on the banks of rivers, always near water. They start in the evening and end late at night. The holiday is dedicated to water which was believed to purify soul and body and render beauty, love, youth, health and luck.

[child-of-avalon]

Oleg Mikhailovich Gurenkov — Ivan Kupala Night (oil, canvas, 2022)

[child-of-avalon]

Palinocka 2025

[child-of-avalon]

Litha / The Summer Solstice

Derived from the Anglo-Saxon word for 'sun', it is a pagan festival that celebrates the summer solstice on or around the 21st of June. It marks the longest day of the year and the beginning of the summer season. In ancient times, this date was more flexible and depended on the solar calendar used by different cultures.

Throughout history, Litha has been celebrated by various nomadic tribes, Europeans, and Native American cultures. The druids would celebrate the festival by building massive bonfires that could be seen for vast distances, and many pagans today continue this tradition at Midsummer celebrations.

Key aspects and symbols of Litha include:

Fire Festivals: Bonfires were and still are lit to symbolise the Sun's power and to encourage its growth and strength.

Fertility and Abundance: As the harvest festival of the year, Litha celebrates the fertility of the earth and the abundance of crops and natural surroundings.

Location: In the Northern Hemisphere, Litha is usually celebrated outdoors, in nature spots like forests, meadows, and beaches.

Activities: Celebrations often involve feasting, drinking, music, dancing, sports, rituals, and orgies.

Mythology: Litha is associated with the union of the Goddess and the God, representing fertility, love, and passion. In some mythologies, it celebrates the marriage of the Goddess and the God

After Litha, the days start to grow shorter, signaling a modern Litha celebrations often have a carnival-like atmosphere, with parades, music festivals, art exhibitions, and picnics. The festival also marks a time for reflecting on the bounty of the season and giving thanks for the abundant harvests. In some cultures, it was customary to decorate houses with flowers, garlands, and greenery to celebrate the fertility of the land. The Midsummer celebrations would continue into the night with bonfires, dancing, and feasting, concluding with a mock wedding ceremony to symbolize the union of the Goddess and the God.

This festivity was historically considered an important pause of the year, a time of leisure, pleasure, and a break from strenuous work. It was a time when all people could rest from their labours and indulge in the abundance of the season. The celebrations would last for days, sometimes even weeks, giving all a chance to participate in the festivities. Today, while the focus of Litha celebrations may be more condensed, the spirit of joy, gratitude, and revelry in the abundance of the season remains at the heart of the festival. Truly, Litha encapsulates the essence of summer, embodying the vitality, vigour and joy of the season at its peak.

Crystals:

Citrine: Promotes joy, positivity, and abundance, aligning with the sun's energy and the abundance of the season.

Sunstone: Represents the sun and its life-giving power, enhancing vitality and leadership.

Carnelian: Boosts courage, motivation, and creativity, encouraging action and passion.

Tiger's Eye: Offers protection and grounding, helping one stay connected to the earth during this vibrant time.

Herbs:

Rosemary: A potent herb for cleansing, purification, and warding off negative energies, rosemary also represents protection. 

Sage: Sage is a powerful herb for wisdom, protection, and energetic cleansing.

St. John's Wort: This herb's bright yellow flowers open around the summer solstice, mirroring the sun's light and warmth. This herb is associated with protection, divination, dreams, and the sun's energy.

Yarrow: Yarrow is linked to courage, strength, and protection, and is also known for its healing properties.

Mugwort: Mugwort is connected to dreams, divination, intuition, and psychic abilities

Thyme: Thyme is associated with love, purification, healing and psychic intuition.

Flowers:

Chamomile: Known for its calming and relaxing properties, Chamomile is also linked to healing, solar energy and protection. If you can't find Chamomile, use Daisies instead.

Lavender: This fragrant herb is associated with love, purification, peace and spiritual connection. It can be used to promote relaxation and enhance spiritual rituals.

Sunflowers: Sunflowers, with their large, radiant faces, symbolise the sun itself, as well as happiness, wishes and fertility.

Calendula: Often used to represent the sun's energy, calendula's bright, sunny appearance makes it a natural fit for Litha celebrations.

Animals:

Honeybees and Butterflies: These insects are active pollinators and play a vital role in the health and abundance of plants, mirroring the life-giving force of Litha.

Stags: In some traditions, stags, with their antlers, represent the sun's power and the connection to the wild and natural world

Ladybugs: Their appearance during the summer solstice is seen as a positive omen and a sign of the season's abundance

If you don't have the chance to make a big Litha altar, you could make an "Altar in a Glass/Jar" instead! :D Check out mine:

[child-of-avalon]

THE SABBATS

[child-of-avalon]

Pays Basque, France

[child-of-avalon]

Andrei Tarkovski

Instant light series

Polaroid