Enchanted Plants

From fairy tales to your garden, Enchanted Plants is a treasure trove of the lore and magic in the kingdom of plants. Take a walk through mystical, magical, and folkloric gardens and discover the plants and flowers that have captured our hearts and minds for centuries. Will you dare to pick a golden apple or seize the perfect rose? Will you sneak through the gilded gates of the poison garden where plants both alluring and life-saving intertwine? From the baneful bog to the garden gate, plant lover and lover of the bizarre Varla Ventura brings together forgotten lore of plants for the ultimate romp through a botanical wonderland, including excerpts from fairy tales and a lively discussion of each plant's legendary magical and medicinal properties. Don't forget your scissors. Enchanted Plants is arranged by general environment: cultivated plants and edibles; toxic plants; meadowlands; the woods; marshes and swamps; and tropical plants. Each chapter contains a cultivated selection of plants with additional information, including botanical name, common names, folklore, ethnobotanical properties, magical and occult properties, and modern usage if applicable.