Gardening with the Faeries

This past weekend I started working in my garden, preparing it for a new season of growth.

It has been a year or so since I really worked closely with the faeries and nature spirits in tending and enhancing a garden. It was great to re-connect!

During the past few weeks, as I've had time to work on yard, it's been all about clearing the space - physically and energetically. Shrubs edging the yard on two sides had to be severely trimmed. Not the 'hack it down by 2 feet' type of trimming...this was more the 'climb behind and under the canopy, hand trim out all the dead wood and thin the congested areas' type of trimming. Specific, methodical. This is how my faeries like me to work.

All the clinging, strangling type vines had to be completely cleared, roots and all, out of the shrubs and off the fence. All of it, every stem, even the dead ones. Dead leaves that have collected underneath had to be raked out and removed. Weeds pulled. When they ask for a clearing - they aren't kidding!

Next came trimming back the crepe myrtles - these twin trees have never ben trimmed, but they were starting to compete with the live oaks for air space.

Sunday morning I was instructed to be out back at sunrise, with cornmeal, sage and cedar. I sprinkled these on every bush, tree and plant, and on the grass, sending blessings and gratitude to all for their presence and friendship in my life. Next I took my Tibetan tingas (bells) and cleared the entire space with their sweet sound. I discovered certain areas of the yard that did not clear,sounded strange and knew there was something odd energetically going on there. I got out my dowsing rods and started tracking the anomolies.

What I discovered was a vortex of energy emanating from the edge of the garden. It was lovely. I stood in its center and lost track of time. I felt my body gently spiral in a circle, around and around as the vortex turned around me. Nearly two years I've been here and only now am I finally connecting at a much deeper level with my natural companions. I've spent entirely too much time indoors painting these past months!

As I returned to the bigger task at hand, I was instructed to use manure this year to enhance the soil, rather than worm castings. I borrowed a friend's SUV to pick up some bags at Lowe's and found I had turned into WalMart instead. Sure enough the manure there was almost 60 cents cheaper per bag. I love how the faeries are so practical and economical! Made me smile. I am not much of a WalMart kind of shopper. I had enough dealing with them in my old corporate days, but in this case, it was all good. I later ended up at Lowe's for a few other items.

I turned the soil of the whole garden, removing many roots from neighboring trees, shrubs and weeds. This too, is classic faerie fussiness. New or newly revitalized gardens must have all the roots out out out! I turned in the manure and raked it smooth. The volunteer impatiens that survived the freezes earlier this year were saved and placed in a new hanging basket, to create a bowl of beautiful color in the weeks and months to come.

Afterwards, the faeries had me journal all the things they like and don't like. How they like to interact and so forth. I think a little book or e-book may be forthcoming to those of you who would like to experience the honor, joy and pleasure of creating your own faerie garden. I was also asked to offer my coaching services to help you get started. (I asked if the faeries in my yard would be teachers for others, and the reluctantly said yes, but that it would be much, much better if people got usedto working with the faeries in their own yards and spaces. Who can argue with that logic?)

We've been having a cold snap for the last few days, and so have curtailed any further progress (except for cleaning gutters) for the moment. I learned that the garden I've been preparing is to be used for heirloom vegetables this year. That should be fun. I haven't done vegetables since I lived up north!

Also, garden art will be an important element to the overall space. When I moved here, there was already some pieces in the garden...not really my taste but it was clear that the residents liked them. I was given several faerie gifts as I was working this past weekend...one being a conch shell that had been completely buried in the soil for some time. I found it in the same place where I had planted flowers the past two years...! Now this might sound a little blase, but my family ALWAYS had a conch shell. My mother used to call us kids home from the neighbors house when dinner was ready.

I also get very excited and happy when I am gifted a feather. When a feather shows up for me it is like receiving a love letter, or a pat on the back from my angels, guides, Spirit to encourage me or let me know I am on the right track. Saturday I found TWO blue jay feathers. And Blue Jay has always been a special bird for me. I raised one from a pup when I was a kid... taught it to fly and everything. And, blue jay is the symbol for Archangel Michael, one of my beloved mentors.

So, all in all, a happy time playing in the garden, discovering, and laying a solid foundation for a beautiful, bountiful year to come! More later....

Ahneeka