Create a witchy container garden filled with herbs and flowers - like rosemary, lavender, baby's breath, lemon balm, and black pansies - that are not only fragrant and beautiful, but also used for their protective properties.
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The 90s teen in me has never gotten over "witchy" things (it's not a phase, mom). Watching movies like The Craft and Practical Magic, and growing up watching shows like Sabrina, The Teenage Witch and Charmed definitely influenced the woman I've become. Some of those witchy practices I've learned never left me. I still clutch my crystals, wash my doors on the first of the month, and throw salt over my shoulder.
It's even trickled into the way I've gardened. This year, I decided to create a container garden for our front steps using a combination of flowers and herbs that are used for their cleansing and protective properties - "Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck, and fall in love whenever you can." Along with plants that hold spiritual meanings, I also included flowers that round out the witchy, goth vibe.
While I used specific plants that would grow well in this area and planted with intention, I was still able to use the "thriller, spiller, filler" technique. The "thrillers" add height, the "spiller" cascades over the side of the planter, and the "filler" fills in space.
- Rosemary: Rosemary is one of the most popular herbs used for protection and cleansing negative energy. It's aromatic and grows upright making it a nice "thriller."
- Lavender: Lavender is another fragrant herb used for protection and cleansing. It's available in many different varieties, like the Spanish lavender I used for this planter. It's also a pollinator magnet and makes a nice "thriller" in planters.
- Gypsy White Baby's Breath: While baby's breath is typically used in bouquets as a sign of innocence and peace, it's also believed to symbolize protection. Its airy appearance adds a soft touch to container gardens. It's a pretty "spiller" that will cascade over the side of planters.
- Lemon Balm: Lemon balm is in the mint family, but has a wonderfully bright lemon scent. It makes a nice herbal tea and is also used spiritually for protection and positive energy. It can act like a "filler" or "spiller" in planters. Because it's in the mint family, it can spread vigorously so you may need to snip it back to maintain it.
- Black pansies: The last thing I added to my planter was black pansies to round out the witchy vibe. Depending on how hot it is this summer, they may need to be switched out for black petunias at some point. In the meantime, they were the perfect addition to this container garden.
The final touch was adding a small gnome garden stake. Gnomes are traditionally considered protectors of the home and also represent good luck and fortune.
How to Create a Witchy Container GArden
Any black or dark planter would work well for this container garden, but I used a tall black urn planter that stays on our front steps all year round. The planter has a classic look that fits our home and also works for the witchy style of this plant arrangement.
Our urn planter was already filled with potting soil. But to add some extra nutrients, I mixed in some all-purpose fertilizer and earthworm castings. Then, I planned where each plant would sit in the planter.
First, I added the Spanish lavender. It was the tallest plant I had so I wanted it to sit in a spot where it could stand tall without overpowering the other plants.
Next, I added the rosemary. While the plant is still small, rosemary can get tall and bushy. I planted it next to the lavender leaving enough space between the plants for growth.
The lemon balm was added next to the rosemary. Because lemon balm can spread quickly, I made sure to leave enough space between plants.
The baby's breath was planted next. I planted it close to the edge of the planter so it'll spill out nicely.
I planted the black pansy right in the middle to break up the herbs and add some drama and contrast.
The final touch was adding a decorative garden stake. I chose this little gnome, but a celestial garden stake or a windchime garden stake would look nice, too.
These are only a few herbs used for their protective properties. Other protective herbs include rue, sage, thyme, mint, bay laurel, and basil. Make sure to research light requirements and other care tips before planting. Plant these herbs and flowers with intention, visualizing how you would like to use them, as well as how you'd like them to grow and thrive in your yard.
Did you make this Witchy Flower Container Garden project? Share it on social media using the hashtag #holokahome. Don’t forget to tag me @holokahome!
