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Notes from the Apothecary: Clematis
Clematis is known as a climbing plant that produces glorious, beautiful blooms in summer. In fact, there are so many types of clematis, many of which bloom in spring and some even in early autumn. Some have petite, pretty flowers, while others produce huge discs of colour. Some grow extremely fast, while others are more ponderous, ideal for small pots in limited space. Like humans, clematis plants embody diversity. Let’s take a closer look. The Kitchen Garden If you’re looking for a tasty addition to a practical kitchen garden, veer away from clematis. Every part of this plant is toxic, and you should encourage children and pets to stay away…
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Book Review — Plant Energy Medicine: The Guiding Voice and Healing Vibration of 58 Plants by Rhonda PallasDowney and Sandi O’Connor
Book Review — Plant Energy Medicine: The Guiding Voice and Healing Vibration of 58 Plants by Rhonda PallasDowney and Sandi O’Connor Publisher: Healing Arts Press, a division of Inner Traditions International 320 Pages Release Date: July 8, 2025 I feel like I’m super lucky to get to review some amazing books, particularly ones about nature, plants, herbalism, and other “green” magic-associated topics. This volume, which promises to explore a whopping 58 plants, is, unsurprisingly, very enticing to me. The book starts with some beautifully moving song lyrics by Kate Watters, and a foreword by Rosemary Gladstar, of the Science and Art of Herbalism course. The introduction explores synchronicity and the…
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Book Review — The Divine Nature of Plants: A Medical Intuitive’s Guide to Plant Spirit Medicine by Laura Aversano
Publisher: Destiny Books, a division of Inner Traditions 288 Pages Release Date: July 8, 2025 Content warning: This book contains extensive writing about mediumship, aka, speaking to the dead, including deceased children. If you’re a regular Pagan Pages reader, you know I love plants. I write the column Notes from the Apothecary and love to explore the ways we use plants as medicine, food, and magical companions for all sorts of everyday aspects of life. That respect for plant medicine comes from a scientific viewpoint, for example, looking at the folklore medicine of plants or what Mrs Grieve wrote in her Modern Herbal, and seeing how modern research now backs…
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Notes from the Apothecary: Bistort
Until the end of August, possibly a little beyond depending on the weather, you may find the bristly, bottlebrush-like flowers of bistort growing everywhere from meadows to roadside hedgerows and verges. Although the bistort we have in the UK and that found in the US are slightly different, they’re all part of the same family: Polygonaceae, under the genus Bistorta. Here in the UK, I always think of the flower as little pink or purple cleaning brushes. The North American variant tends to be a bit paler and fluffier looking — I hope I get to see some with my own eyes someday. The Kitchen Garden The Wildlife Trust reports…
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Book Review-Healing Plants of Renaissance Florence : The Development of Herbal Medicine in Florence by Angela Paine
Book Review Healing Plants of Renaissance Florence: The Development of Herbal Medicine in Florence By Angela Paine Publisher: Moon Books 296 Page E-Book Release Date: January 1st, 2025 Healing Plants of Renaissance Florence by Angela Paine is a fascinating exploration of the foundations and history of herbalism in renaissance Florence, as well as its applications that are known to be accurate. The information within is not only interesting for those with an interest in medicinal herbalism, and its history and development, but also those seeking to find potential homeopathic and natural remedies to everyday things like flatulence, stomach ache, cold & cough, fever and other issues. The herbs contained within this…
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Book Review – The Magic of Seeds by Clare Gogerty, Illustrated by Prudence Rogers
Book Review The Magic of Seeds: The Nature-Lover’s Guide to Growing Garden Flowers and Herbs From Seed by Clare Gogerty, Illustrated by Prudence Rogers Publisher: David & Charles 144 Pages Release Date: March 28, 2023 Regular Pagan Pages visitors will know that my love of plants is no secret. So, getting the chance to review any flora-related book is a win, in my opinion. This volume from Clare Gogerty with superb illustrations by Prudence Rogers is a gem, both a riveting read and a useful reference book. The Magic of Seeds is about growing your own plants for magical and practical purposes — after all, most magic is a pretty…
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Book Review-The Silver Branch and the Otherworld: Forest Magic with Plant and Fungi Allies by Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue
Book Review The Silver Branch and the Otherworld: Forest Magic with Plant and Fungi Allies By Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue Publisher: Bear & Company 265 page paperback Release Date: July 16th, 2024 The Silver Branch and the Otherworld: Forest Magic with Plant and Fungi Allies is a book filled with the wisdom of O’Donoghue’s Irish Celtic ancestry, weaving the use of entheogens like Mushrooms and Cannabis into a cohesive, animistic practice infused with witchcraft. The Silver Branch and the Otherworld starts off by covering basic theory and philosophy of O’Donoghue’s practices, even giving Wheel of the Year Rituals for the 4 Sabbats of Beltaine, Lughnassád, Samhain and Imbolc. O’Donoghue then moves the reader into…
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Book Review & Interview – Green Witchcraft: Discover how to use Herbs, Flowers, Woods, Crystals, and Essential Oils to Naturally Heal, Increase Abundance, and Align Yourself with the Magic of Mother Earth by Madeline Silvy
Book Review Green Witchcraft: Discover How to use Herbs, Flowers, Woods, Crystals, and Essential Oils to Naturally Heal, Increase Abundance, and Align Yourself with the Magic of Mother Earth by Madeline Silvy Publisher: Self-Published 233 Pages Release Date: September 12, 2023 Some books feel like a conversation and visit from an old friend, one that you enjoy very much. Green Witchcraft by Madeline Silvy brought the comfort and companionship of sisterhood to my heart and home. Being brought up in a family of all men, it took me a while to discover the beauty and truth spoken, Women need Women. Green Witchcraft delivered the fulfillment of that…
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Book Review – Icelandic Plant Magic: Folk Herbalism of the North by Albert Björn
Book Review Icelandic Plant Magic: Folk Herbalism of the North by Albert Björn Publisher: Crossed Crow Books Pages: 306 Rerelease Date: June 27, 2023 There are, without a doubt, plenty of books out there on magical herbalism or green witchery. However, this is the first I have spotted specifically singling out the herbs of Iceland in a magical context. As the author notes, while the mysterious-seeming country of Iceland offers many folk tales and hidden beings, the plants of the island aren’t usually picked out as a point of interest. Albert Björn Shiell has neatly corrected that oversight with this animistic, practical, and beautiful book. This book is laid…
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Book Review – Culpeper’s Complete Herbal by Nicholas Culpeper, Annotated by Dr. J.J. Pursell
Book Review Culpeper’s Complete Herbal By Nicholas Culpeper Annotated by J.J. Pursell Publisher: Andrews McMeel Pages: 384 Rerelease Date: October 2022 Nicholas Culpeper was an extraordinary figure of the 17th century. Frustrated with the lack of medicine and treatment available to those with no money, Culpeper, a fairly well-to-do gentleman, abandoned his studies at Cambridge University and went to become an apprentice at a London-based apothecary. From there, he set up his own pharmacy and went on to publish “The Complete Herbal” in 1652/53. This was despite twice being accused of witchcraft, tried, and acquitted. Culpeper went against the grain and didn’t let the authorities dissuade…
