Art in the Garden: A Faerie's Guide to Cottage Garden Colour
The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness has descended over my far flung corner of the world, dear wildflowers. And the cottage garden is a tangle of spent summer blooms and drooping seed heads, nodding gently in the breeze. It is wild and weedy, and all the plants are tinged with burnt orange and caramel now. Rosy pink camellia petals and golden oak leaves flutter to the ground, and the earth breathes a long, deep sigh before settling into her winter slumber.
As the high heat of summer gives way to cool breezes and chill mornings, this little garden goblin can finally get on with the busy work of the season. Weeding, pruning, digging up bulbs and pulling out all the spent summer annuals. It is so satisfying to tidy up the cottage garden, but even on these cool Autumn days, it can be a hot and sweaty job for a wildflower! Phewwf!
I have gathered the cosmos and zinnias I like best, and now I’ll move on to selecting my favourite dahlias of the season, so I’ll know which bulbs to keep for next year, and which ones to give away as gifts. I’m looking at you, Mum!
You may remember the episode where I began planning this new garden at Belladonna Cottage, and how I wanted a colour palette of plum and lavender, apricot, raspberry, and dragon fire orange. I made my selections from pictures in seed catalogues but, it is only now, after a summer spent in observation, that I can truly know the way each individual plant expresses itself, seeing their glorious display of shape and colour in context. The myriad hues and shades, when set against each other, blend and soften, or contrast and pop... and some, of course, clash rather unfortunately. And you can’t really know until you see it all come to life.
Pale pastel and whites flower, for example, lend a sweet, softening effect to their companions in the garden, so I’ll definitely be planting purity white cosmos again, along with whirling butterflies, creamy David Austin roses and white velvet salvias. The same goes for foliage colour, which is why I love to add in silvery saltbush, white sage and lamb’s ears.
I now know, roughly how tall each flower grows, how leafy and sprawling they can be, how large the blooms are, and in particular, the exact shade of their petals. After all, it’s really just another artwork, but this one is made with flowers, instead of paint and paper. I don’t know about you, but I’m really happy with how it all turned out, and I can’t wait to try again next season, with my shortlist of showstoppers.
It’s truly incredible how many seeds are produced from a single plant, which began as a tiny seed itself, just 6 or 7 months earlier. I’m almost certain that Mr. Rose and I could start a whole flower farm from this summer’s cut flower patch alone.
I’m not sure we’ll find a place for all of these beautiful babies come spring, so I might pop a limited number of mixed seed packets up on my online store for Australian garden faeries to enjoy... they’re far too pretty to sit in my potting shed in the dark, and I’d much rather imagine them blooming in cottage gardens across the country, delighting bees and butterflies and inspiring a new generation of green thumbs.
If you’d like to see this episode in full, head on over to ‘The Rambling Rose’…
A Cottage Witch's Gift Guide: The Art of Frugal Hedonism
“No one has ever become poor by giving” – Anne Frank
Summer has arrived here in Australia, and the days are getting warmer and longer in my sleepy little valley. Each morning I wake to the sound of magpies, fairy wrens and bower birds, happily chirping as the first rays of the sun spill out across the mountains. It’s easy to forget the outside world here sometimes, and, to be honest, I prefer to do so... A handful of friends and I, refer to this town as ‘The Shire’ sometimes, and I certainly feel like a harfoot at heart, wandering barefoot in my garden searching for berries, talking to faeries and following dragonflies along forest trails. But, adopting a slower pace and opting out of the modern world, requires some adjustments, and as the holiday season draws near, I’m reminded that one of those is developing the practice of frugal hedonism.
Simply put, it is the art of spending less, while enjoying everything more. Instead of trading your time and energy for money, ending up stressed and exhausted, with very little time to enjoy life, you can take back those precious hours of your life, and get creative with what you already have, rediscovering the incredible amount of free, and low cost, resources around you.
When we begin to recognise that the myth of ‘more’ is not in the best interest of human biology, we can slowly start to say ‘no’ to the cult of consumerism, and ‘yes’ to the abundance of the natural world, and to the generousity of loving, conscious community. We can slow down, heal our tired, tender bodies, and focus on what we truly need to be happy.
With a global recession looming, it seems many of us are tightening our purse strings even more this Christmas and so, I thought I’d share some ideas for delightful handmade gifts that you can make with materials found around the home, in the garden, or at your local thrift store.
A SWEET PET PORTRAIT – My first handmade gift idea, of course, is for the arty witches out there. Whether you are a painter like me, a photographer, or gifted with another creative talent, I thought to myself, what could be more special than a sweet pet portrait!? Pets are our beautiful, furry family, and our loyal familiars, so, I decided to gift one dear friend a painting of her beloved cat Forest. I will share a photo of Forest with my patrons on Patreon, so you can see how I did capturing his likeness.
SCENTED CHARM BAGS – My second thrifty gift idea is for all the skilled seamstress witches! It’s an easy little sewing project whether by hand, or machine. And you know, even my sewing machine and kit are thrifted! Since it’s high summer, the rose goddess garden I shared with you in the last episode is in full bloom, so we’ll be using the petals to create a heavenly scented charm bag. With a pinch of glamour magick. I’ll need to dry these petals first, but don’t worry, I have some dried ones saved up from last season. Now I only took up sewing again recently, and in true rambling rose style, I totally winged it with this pattern: I made quite a few mistakes, which is no surprise when you don’t even measure first! But I promise to write it up perfectly for my Wild Roses on Patreon, so you don’t have that feeling of ridiculousness when you realise it’s all inside out and upside down.
CHOC MINT TRUFFLES – My third homemade gift idea is for the kitchen witches, using any ingredients you have on hand to make a yummy edible gift. Now, I’ve got peppermint growing every which way in my garden this summer, even underneath my steps - let’s give them a quick sweep on the way to the herb garden shall we? I thought I’d use this voracious peppermint, along with some other ingredients in my pantry, to make choc mint truffles. I’ll pop the truffles in gorgeous tin from – you guessed it – the Op Shop! And i think they’ll make a lovely gift.
MINI FAERIE GARDEN – My fourth frugal gift idea is for the green thumbs, the garden fairies that just have a gift with plants, and it all started with a cutting from this beautiful spotted begonia. So, with an old painted pot that I previously repurposed, I thought I’d make a miniature fairy garden with this begonia cutting. With my own gift wrap and some more thrifted ribbon, in a charming bow, this gift cost next to nothing… and I feel like any garden faerie would adore it!
SUGAR SCRUB BARS – My final thrifty gift idea is for the green witches, the lovers of potions and lotions, and it uses another ingredient that’s growing in abundance this summer. Calendula! This magical flower stimulates collagen production, and will make your skin so youthful and bright. Along with some other ingredients in my home apothecary, we’ll be making some luscious sugar scrub bars for radiant, glowing skin. I think they look like the golden sun itself, don’t you? Beaming away in the garden. Once again, this recipe will be shared in detail with my Wild Roses on Patreon later this week, but they are quick and easy to make, and cost next to nothing.
Watch the full episode here…
An Australian Faerie Tale
Once upon a time, in an ancient land of platypus and pink bottlebrush, desert pea and rainbow lorikeet, there lived a quiet little girl, with a big imagination. She loved nothing more than to escape into fantasy realms. Books became portals to fairy kingdoms, where unicorns danced in butterfly meadows and dragons slept in caves of gold & gemstones. She loved books so much, that she began to make her own. With her pencils and crayons, she told tales of enchanted animals and brave little vikings, cities beneath the sea and exotic islands lost in time.
This little girl was born on a day when the veil between the worlds was very thin. Where she lived, it was Samhain, All Hallow’s Eve, a night when spirits walked the earth at midnight, witches danced under the moonlight, and much magic and mischief was afoot. But, on the other side of the world, it was Beltane, a time of flowers and sunshine and merriment, when Queen Flora set all the flowers alight, bursting with colour and joy. Being born in the month of May, she was a child of The Willow tree, sensitive and artistic, deeply connected with nature, and aligned with the emotional energy of the moon.
Her very favourite book was ‘Elves & Fairies’ by a most enchanted Australian Cottage Witch named Ida. Ida was born in the late 1800s, and she was, perhaps, the first of her kind to really ‘see’ the magic of the fae in the Australian bush. She sensed their presence in the fluffy yellow wattle flowers, taking flight on the backs of willy wagtails and kookaburras, and wearing little gumnut hats.
The little girl was so enchanted by Ida and her beautiful illustrations, that she dreamed of becoming an artist too... when she was all grown up. But, as is the way with so many children, the girl grew up and moved to the city, and got lost in grown up ways. She saw that the world of man, of concrete and steel, was often sad, and cold and cruel. And so, her magical pencils began to gather dust as the little flower wilted under artificial lights, the brilliant sunshine far away, and the enchanted forest and her faerie friends forgotten.
But one day, many years later, she returned to the forest. And sure enough... her faerie world was waiting for her, as if not a minute had passed. Upon her return, she heard bells chiming and the soft sound of laughter on the breeze. Wild violets peeked out from underneath leaves, ferns unfurled their delicate fronds, and... a patch of four leaf clovers appeared. Recognising this sign that the fae folk were near, she closed her eyes and asked ‘beloved faeries, please will you give me my name?” She waited a moment, holding her breath, and the answer came sweetly on the breeze – oh, the most beautiful perfume filled the air, and upon her return home, there, gowing wild amongst the blackberry brambles and bottlebrush at her front fence... a rambling rose.
So dear ones, I guess you’re curious to know... do I really believe in faeries? Well, I certainly do... but, not in the way you may think. Let’s make a nice cuppa and have a chat about it, shall we?
Faeries, I believe, are multidimensional beings, in a sense, they exist on many levels. In one way, I believe they exist in our imaginations, in our stories and folklore, indeed, our history and culture. And to my mind, what exists in the imagination, exists. Simple as that. Being a hedgewitch, a clairvoyant, who ‘jumps the hedge’ between worlds, it doesn’t seem at all strange to me to consider that the things I see with my eyes closed, in dreams or otherwise, are as real – sometimes more so, than those I see in my waking world.
But I also believe that they exist, in a form, in what we humans call our reality – I believe they are the spirits of the plants and we can ‘see’ them with our imagination and our intuition. Even communicate with them, if we learn the language of the plants. Each flower, fern and tree has a spirit – it’s very own faerie, that takes flight from time to time, not only on the wings of our imagination, but on those of dragonflies, birds and butterflies, and all the lovely creatures of the air.
Have you ever read the book ‘The Hidden Language of Trees?’. It is a fascinating book that tells of the intricate language that connects these living beings. At one point, when all matter was forming from star stuff, we were one and the same. And I believe we have simply lost the ability to ‘hear’ them... but I also believe, deep down, we know in our DNA this language. Indeed, Biologists, ecologists, foresters, and naturalists all increasingly argue that trees speak, and that humans can learn to hear this language.
When we communicate with plant spirits, when we tend a garden lovingly, or stop to smell a rose, or whisper to a seedling, we are communicating with the fae. At least, that’s what I believe. And the more we open our minds and hearts to this language, the more like the fae, we inevitably become.
You may have guessed by now that I am deeply connected to my inner child, and try to live my life according to the wishes of that little girl with the big imagination. As children, we can see and hear faeries because our minds are still open to the world of magic and wonder. When we see the world through the eyes of a child we see all things with curiosity, and the unknown becomes a secret door to a world of possibility. So, I’m very certain that the faeries LOVE it when we embrace our inner child.
I will share more on ways to connect with the faeries in future episodes of ‘The Rambling Rose’, but I thought it might be nice to start by crafting a spell jar to attract them into your garden, and call in good luck and abundance. You don’t need to have a physical garden for this spell to work, as the garden is simply a metaphor for life. If you tend to your goals with love and intention, and offer your kindness and childlike curiosity to the faeries, you will be blessed with abundance. And you know what? This spell really works! I will share this spell in detail as a printable page for my Patreon supporters, and over on my blog, but for now, you can follow along on my vlog.
Watch the full episode here:
The Earth Spirit Oracle
I’ve just received the first sample of The Earth Spirit Oracle, and I’m absolutely thrilled with the beautiful colours and velvety feel of the cards. This was a dream project for me, and I am so grateful to my beautiful co-author, Melissa Jane Conrad, for inspiring me and collaborating with me to make this dream a reality. As I create each card, I am lovingly imbuing the illustrations with magic, channeled from nature herself. Moving through the seasons, weaving the lessons she teaches me into every new card, I have never felt more connected to my inner child, and my faerie soul. You’ll find themes of folklore and fairytale, ancient wisdom traditions and herbalism, astrology and the tarot, and as you work with the cards, you’ll find a deeper meaning that resonates and blossoms within your own life. I guess you could say that every single card is close to my heart and dearly special to me. As an artist, and a wild, witchy woman, this is the ultimate expression of my creative and intuitive gifts – from my spirit to yours.
“A dreamer, I walked enchanted, and nothing held me back.' ~ Daphne du Maurier
Oracle cards are some of my very favourite intuitive tools. My ancestors used runes to divine knowledge of the past, present and future, and I still use those mysterious ancient stones today, but as an artist and a lover of enchanted things, I simply cannot resist a beautifully illustrated oracle or tarot card. I love to gaze upon the images, letting my imagination run free and my intuition unravel deeper mysteries hidden (consciously or unconsciously) within the art itself. I turn to my many beloved decks for guidance almost daily and love to sit with them and contemplate their meaning as I walk in the forest, meditate, practice yoga or even whilst cooking. Once I open up to their intrinsic magic, I find that the cards act as a portal to inspiration, insights and beautiful synchronicities unfolding in my life. Sometimes, I like to place a card on my desk while I paint, allowing the energy of the card to flow through my hands and into an artwork. After all these years, I still marvel at the uncanny accuracy and perfect timing of my cards. With this deck, I wanted to capture the cheerful, rainbow colours and positive energy of the natural world, as it is seen through the eyes of a child. Because when we step into our inner child, we become a bright light, eyes wide and full of wonder, and so much more open to receive.
It is my dear hope that these oracle cards will gently awaken your intuitive wisdom and inspire the joyful imagination of your inner child. Melissa and I have designed this oracle to provide insight into the present, guidance for the future and a portal into the sublime magic of the natural world. With each card you pull, we encourage you to feel it deeply and unravel the meaning presented to you. We want you to dig your feet deeper into the dirt, feel the path you are on and be reminded that the Earth has your back – and we have hers. The Earth speaks to us in a language we already understand. What is she saying to you? What calls you forward? We created this oracle to pull you into the depths of her soil, beneath the ocean reefs, to the heights of the star strewn atmosphere and to feel the synergy of the trees and wind in your body. You are connected to each bee, bird and wild flower that you see – and you were meant to see them for a reason!
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” ~ Jawaharal Nehru
At the time of writing this blog post, I have just 14 cards left to illustrate, and the deck is due to be published in August 2022. You can pre-order your copy now via my shop, and follow along my journey on Instagram as I share each new card I illustrate. In a following blog post, I will share my sketches and creative process. Each card is sketched in pencil in my notebook first, before I begin the luscious colouring process. I’d be delighted to share my journey with you…