The only thing still fighting the winter blues in the Upon Reflection Garden is the Heather. In its honour here are some facts about this plant and its thousands of literary and mythological references.
– In Celtic mythology, the Heather plant was associated with regeneration, the passage of death into new life
– The scent of fresh Heather is said to be beneficial for headaches, heart complaints and nervous disorders.
– White Heather has long been considered lucky, a tradition which some use to their advantage by gathering and selling it.
– Heather is burnt on its own to conjure spirits and with ferns to bring rain.
– Lying on a bed of Heather is said to induce psychic powers and otherworld experiences.
– Burning Heather is seen as a way to prepare the way for the new to begin; for instance when moving into a new house.
– The Planet associated with Heather is Venus, the element is water and the Zodiac sign is Gemini
– Its powers are associated with granting protection, making rain, and bringing Luck
– Heather has also long been used by the wiccan faith to conjure ghosts.
– In the Ogham alphabet, heather is U, Ura, and represents midsummer.
If you know of any uses we’ve missed, comment below and let me know.