Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs

Author: Scott Cunningham

Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide

Published: 2012-04-08

Total Pages: 387

ISBN-13: 0738717134

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Expanded and revised, this comprehensive guide features magical uses of over 400 herbs and plants from all parts of the world. With over 500,000 copies in print, this reference book is a must for all who perform natural magic. It features illustrations for easy identification of every herb, in addition to common names, use, and rulership.


Dictionary of Plant Lore

Dictionary of Plant Lore

Author: D.C. Watts

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2007-05-02

Total Pages: 482

ISBN-13: 0080546021

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Knowledge of plant names can give insight into largely forgotten beliefs. For example, the common red poppy is known as "Blind Man" due to an old superstitious belief that if the poppy were put to the eyes it would cause blindness. Many plant names derived from superstition, folk lore, or primal beliefs. Other names are purely descriptive and can serve to explain the meaning of the botanical name. For example, Beauty-Berry is the name given to the American shrub that belongs to the genus Callicarpa. Callicarpa is Greek for beautiful fruit. Still other names come from literary sources providing rich detail of the transmission of words through the ages.Conceived as part of the author's wider interest in plant and tree lore and ethnobotanical studies, this fully revised edition of Elsevier's Dictionary of Plant Names and Their Origins contains over 30,000 vernacular and literary English names of plants. Wild and cultivated plants alike are identified by the botanical name. Further detail provides a brief account of the meaning of the name and detailed commentary on common usage.* Includes color images * Inclusive of all Latin terms with vernacular derivatives * The most comprehensive guide for plant scientists, linguists, botanists, and historians


Old Wives' Lore for Gardeners

Old Wives' Lore for Gardeners

Author: Maureen Boland

Publisher: Trafalgar Square Publishing

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781854794093

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Did you know that banana skins, laid just below the surface of the soil, have long been said to be beneficial for roses, and that horticulturists now approve the practice? Or that mulching strawberries with pine needles will improve their flavor? Or that hollyhocks thrive on beer? Maureen and Bridget Boland have been collecting garden wisdom for many years, both from "old wives" and from books ancient and modern. In this charming little volume, they pass on the best of their store of useful and curious information. It will be seized upon with delight by all gardeners who are not afraid of finding a sprinkling of superstition mingled with much good sense.


Gardener's Folklore

Gardener's Folklore

Author: Margaret Baker

Publisher: David and Charles

Published: 2024-03-19

Total Pages: 190

ISBN-13: 1446312658

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Ever wondered if there's any truth behind planting by the moon? Or why wassailing is still a common folk practice in some parts of the world? In Gardener's Folklore, the record of these practices is unveiled, with plenty of tips and tricks to try in your own 21st century garden for blooming bushes and plentiful potatoes. First published in 1976, Gardener's Folklore collects the little bits of magic and myth to be found in the gardens of Britain and North America. Compiled from letters sent by gardeners to the author Margaret Baker, it unravels and documents the mysterious sayings and scraps of knowledge that are passed down through generations, while exploring the science of the time that backed up - or in some cases, didn't - the claims that were made. This delightfully written book shows just what people have believed and still believe will help their plants to grow. The observance of lunar and astrological conditions when planting, ways of encouraging fruit-bearing and discouraging pests, beliefs about the effects of climate and calendar, spells, the influence for good and bad of certain plants, the links between owners and trees - these are only a few of the aspects of gardening lore that are discussed. Gleaned from the people who grew up with them, they have much to say about our rural origins as well as having, here and there, implications for our future. Capturing the knowledge that old-time gardeners used to have remarkable successes, the ancient secrets of a happy healthy garden are shared for a new generation of green-fingered plant-lovers.