The Witches Garden

Posted on by Miriam

“Old Witch Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow, with moss and good vibes, a vision inside, that’s how a magical garden grows.”

Not all witches have warts, wear black hats and boil children for dinner. In fact just 15 minutes from the green hills and cold clear water of the Mitta River where we’re camped at Jack Swasbrick Reserve itakes you to a magical world. Barely out of the car, we’re greeted by a wagging tale and smoochy eyes of the resident dog of The Witches Garden.

GARDEN HISTORY

“There is no magic when one no longer believes”.

The Witches Garden was created from a vision and a belief . It’s located on the Mitta-Dartmouth Road in Mitta Mitta and boasts the largest collection of medicinal plants in Australia and it’s dedicated to preserving their history and folklore. But it was the story of how it was created that captivated me and I was keen to meet the woman behind the story.

It was 1984 when Felicity (who didn’t want to be photographed) and Lew bought the property. They’d been travelling Australia in their camper trailer and only married a week when they found the place. Back then it was just a cow paddock with an old farm house on it. But Felicity’s mind could envision how it could be, with curved paths, big trees and steeped gardens, she pictured fountains and rose beds, even a lake and a bridge. She began to draw it out. In her mind she could see it all.

You’ve always had the power, my dear. You just had to learn it for yourself.” The Wizard of Oz

Slowly it came to life but Felicity was a painter, not a gardener and she discovered by accident that some plants could be toxic. So she started researching them in depth and how they were used in the past.

With husband Lew fully behind her and with excavators and earth moving equipment at hand her visions slowly morphed into reality.. She says “Lew is an amazing fellow and is responsible for building many of the garden features.

Over the years he welded Monet’s bridge in place and built the witch’s cottage, “as a folly for our children when they were little.” Out back is a collection of medicinal plants where you can learn how plants were used for healing in the past. The life size dragon within the forest looks straight out of a fairy tale.

Over the years Felicity’s knowledge grew and their bare land slowly turned into her pictured visions. Her painting ambitions were put aside as Felicity devoted herself to learning all about plants and gardens.

From The Witches Garden’s List of Plants and Medicinal Uses she writes:

“Violets; pretty purple, pink or white flowers in winter with a lovely scent. Flowers sometimes used as decoration on cakes. The leaves and stems can be made into a tea which can be drunk by people suffering mouth, throat or stomach cancer.

At the age of 84 my father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and after drinking violet tea for 3 weeks the tumour dissapeared. A plant worthy of further research in this area.”

When their kids came along the garden became a family project. Years later, when the kids all moved out, they took in backpackers who help to maintain the garden even today.

THE MAGIC OF NOW

Now (after being greeted by the family dog) you can visit the gallery where Felicity paints (complete with a tree in the middle of it), you can buy a unique plant from the nursery and you can brave the witches cottage. It costs only ten dollars per person to enter the garden. As the sun dapples on the water you can sit by the lake and cross the Monet bridge, In Autumn I’m told it’s covered in purple wisteria. Explore the veggie garden and say hello to Stick the Tawny Frogmouth.

Amble through clipped hedges, into the poplars and down to the river and marvel at the incredible dragon within the forest. Down the grand staircase on the lush lawn is where Felicity’s daughter was married. What they’ve created is extraordinary.

The Witches Garden is four acres of fertile soil, where anything could grow, a garden filled to the brim with life, colour and healing plants.

Being under a great tree is like being in a green cathedral.

Explore it’s meandering paths and find gardens within gardens. Celtic witches were healers and this garden romances the tradition of knowing which plants are food, medicine and poison. It’s a place to discover mystery and magic.

The energy stirs the soul. It brings out my own inner witch.

WITCHY WISDOM

“ In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they’re still beautiful. (Alice Walker)

Walking through the garden and connecting to the beautiful energy from the trees reminds me how important it is to do something every day that grounds us, centres us and connects us to our self.

At heart we are all powerful, beautiful, and capable of changing the world with our bare hands.” — Dianne Sylvan

Connect with Your Body and Mind

The Now is full of everything and nothing, all at the same time. You can discover and you can forget and you can relax all at the same time.

Whether it’s a stroll through nature, drawing, listening to music or simply pausing, wherever you are, find what it is that feeds your soul and brings you joy. Your joy will radiate like light out to others.

Lately I can’t seem to walk past a flowering bush without bending to savour its perfume, noticing the insects 🐝 and all the small details that we often miss when we rush.

Speak What You Want

Felicity’s drawing of the Tawny Frogmouth

Words are spells. Not just for witches.

Lao Tzu once said,
“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”

Words are so powerful. We are so powerful and we have to let go of the judgement of others and ourself and all the negative self talk. Speak out loud only what you want to manifest into existence.

Focus your thoughts on what you do want. I stumble at times keeping this practice but it’s ongoing.

Wake up earlier

Wake up earlier. The hours between 4am and 7am are revered in every religion as magical. I’ve been (unintentionally) waking up at 4am; so I put my headset on and and listen to guided meditations, Sometimes I simply lie there and listen to my breathing.

You breathe more than you do anything else in the world and most people aren’t even aware they’re breathing short and shallow. Relax and observe how you breath. Is it slow, quiet, inhales and exhales through the nose?

Another reason to wake up early is to catch a new sunrise. They’re completely free.

Embrace your weirdness

The Tawny Frogmouth is the master of disguise

I read something recently that really resonated. “Everything popular is wrong. You have to be insane to be normal today. Go all in on what makes you weird.”

“You’ve evolved to require sun, play, connection, meat, fresh air, movement, sleep, love. Get these things daily.”

I don’t follow what’s popular and I try and get my daily quota of the above so I guess that makes me weird. Who wants to join me in embracing our weirdness?

Make Space

Selling our house, sorting years of stuff and boxing up our belongings was the ultimate declutter. Obviously not everyone needs to purge to that extent but maybe a little clearing is needed. When was the last time you sorted cupboards or gone through your wardrobe?

It’s a great feeling letting go, keeping things simple and allowing in new energies.

Walk your own Path

Remember that the path you’re on is yours and yours alone. There is not one path. There is not even the right path. There’s only YOUR path, so walk it with courage and conviction. And have FUN along the way.

Believe in miracles, believe in the power of imagination and believe in your own magic.

I hope you’ve enjoyed walking with me.

Sending love and light

We’re all born a witch. We’re all born into magic. It’s taken from us as we grow up. Madeleine L’Engle
Plant seeds of love wherever you go and watch how life transforms around you.

53 thoughts on “The Witches Garden”

  2. what a magical place Miriam, reminds me of a place near the WA border. A sweet store that evoked magical feelings on a smaller but just as pretty scale! Thanks for sharing your delights 🙂

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  7. I love the power of an idea. A dream. Great post, showing how if you take that first step into something crazy, there can be a lot of magic to follow. You’ve got this spirit as well, so it is great to have you introduce the magic of Witches Garden and the mind behind it. Cheers to an incredible ’23 ahead.

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    1. Thanks so much Randall. And yes, the power of intention is amazing. I was captivated by how she held this vision so strongly. She could see it all before it eventuated, so inspiring! Have an incredible year yourself my friend.

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  10. What a great garden! And I do agree that most of what is popular today makes no sense at all. I think we need to all follow our own hearts and do what we think best. And if that makes me weird, then so be it!

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  13. Ooh my Goodness, Miriam!!! What a magical place! I fell in love with it immediately and my heart yearns for the sun and my magic in my own gardens. Years ago when we built our home in the late 80’s, I put aside 3/4 of our acreage and dedicated it to Mother. I remember walking the entire perimeter envisioning a bird sanctuary. Now mind you, there was naught but a scattering of trees but mostly weeds and bush. From seemingly out of nowhere bushes grew, trees grew, and today we honestly do have a bird sanctuary. It took me 3 years to entice Baltimore Orioles (they are VERY particular!) but in the end they came and they come every single year. In fact, the branch they selected has grown straight and long just for them as the Orioles communicated to the tree their specifications. I kid you not. I should do a post on that and include the link I have to a book I am reading about the secret life of trees written by a German botanist.

    Anyways, your pictures are out of this world magical!! I am in awe of this woman and her husband for what they envisioned and created. Good on them!!! They have their hearts in the right place all right for charging only $10. Thank you SOOOO much for sharing this. What an inspiration you are by bringing us this true story to show how when we put our Minds to it, we can create anything!

    And as for you waking early, I do too every day and in the Spring even earlier. I LOVE watching the sunrise! What a way to start the day!!! I do love you, my dear Oz friend. You rock!! xoxox

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    1. Amy, why am I not surprised that you created a bird oasis from your visions, right there on your acreage. It seems that you’ve been in tune with Mother for a very long time. Sooo wonderful and very special about the Orioles, I hope you can eventually do a post on them.

      So happy you enjoyed my post. This couple truly are an inspiration and such a great example of what can be created when we believe. I simply had to share their story. Happy early rising my friend, life is indeed beautiful. Sending you lots of love and big hugs. You rock too! xxx

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      1. I shall make a note so that I do a post when the Orioles return about this tree and the amazing communication between it and these birds. Inspiration is contagious to those of us ready to create. I know myself how I deliberately seek ways to be inspired to keep my creative juices alive. xoxoxo

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  16. Your magical post resonated, Miriam! Some of the beautiful photos took me down the street to our own local park and echoed a beautiful day spent in a botanical garden in Mexico, quoting one of my favourite author’s was icing on the cake!

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  18. Oh my goodness Miriam… I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I read your post and saw those wonderful images… So true, what Felicity did creating her future vision within her mind, seeing it completed and there behold it manifests for generations to explore her vision of her beautiful garden..
    What a delight to walk with you Miriam, and that Owl drawing WOW… what talent she had as an artist….
    I must remember to look up the properties of Violets .

    Loved the trees, and the sun shining through.. and your wizard of oz quote.. 🙂 May we each learn the art of Magic Manifesting our Wonderful New Earth into being…
    You dear Miriam, just showed us a glimpse of our possibilities.
    May we use our Thoughts, Words and Spells- wisely.. 🙂 ❤

    So loved this…. Sending Mega Hugs on your travels Miriam.. ❤ my heart leaps with joy for you both.. ❤ ❤ ❤

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    1. Sue, I knew that you as a gardener and nature lover would particularly appreciate my post and Felicity’s vision and beautiful garden. It was such a joy to walk through and experience and it truly made me believe in the power of intention and visualisation. So glad you enjoyed this. Thank you for your wonderful words and your hugs my friend. Sending hugs and much love back your way, ❤️ xx

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  19. What a delightful post, Miriam. There is always magic if you choose to believe, and I am glad you believe in magic too. Such a magical place with a lovely history, and Felicity and Lew sound like really down to earth people. The witch’s cottage and Monet’s bridge are one of a kind. I really like how you shared some ways on how to stay grounded. I love that you said embrace your weirdness as that is something I’ve grown into – not one to follow the crowd but one to follow my path and heart.

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    1. Good for you Mabel. That’s the only way to be, although sometimes it takes a while to be comfortable with that. Thanks for your lovely comment. Keep following your heart my friend. Life’s too short to do otherwise!

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