The Domestic Garden Witch: Living in the Gutter
So maybe you’re a college witch with limited space and money, limited to the one window in your dorm. Or, maybe you’re a witch without extensive backyard space who wants to start up a magical garden. Perhaps you’re a kitchen witch who wants the freshest herbs right at her fingertips.
For many witches, having a garden seems to be a bit of a no-brainer. After all, plants and magic go hand-in-hand. Plus, when thinking of a witch, it’s hard not to think of a cottage in the woods with a little vegetable garden out front. Unfortunately for the majority of us, our cottage in the woods is a tiny flat, and our garden out front is a windowsill with limited space.
This is when it comes time to embrace your craftiness and bring your garden indoors! Not only does it place your garden in a convenient location, it also allows you to freshen the air, recycle what would otherwise harm the earth, and embrace your witchy green thumb!
Get Your Head Out of the Gutter! Now Get Dirty!
Growing up, my family had always been about thinking creatively when it comes to home improvement. After all, my mom’s family used to flip houses, and my dad’s family encourages frugality. After a while, certain projects just happen to crop up where you least expect it.
So it should come as no surprise that eventually it came time to change the rain gutters. By the time Dad was finished, we still had a few extra feet of unused gutter, so Mom decided to put it to good use. I still wish I had taken pictures of her gutter garden! Regardless, it’s a simple project, and if you’re an engineering student, you can easily adapt this same project for PVC or other materials that are used for your university projects!
The concept is fairly easy. Cap off the ends of the gutters, drill drainage holes, lay down a layer of gravel to encourage drainage, add soil, and add plants. Voila! Your very own gutter garden! It’s also a cost effective project, as gutters aren’t overly expensive and can often be picked up or repurposed from other home improvement projects. But the nifty thing here is what these gardens can be used for.
In the home, they can be hung up on the walls for decoration, or they can be hung up in the kitchen to provide an easy-access herb garden. If hung closer to the ground, catnip can be planted for your feline’s drug-induced pleasure. The possibilities are near-endless!
Because rain gutters are designed to run along roof edges, they can be set up in ways where they curve or turn at an angle. Consider ways in which you can wrap the garden around corners or along walls to create a visually stimulating indoor garden!
How Can I Witch This?
As usual with container gardens, think of ways in which you can bring some magic to the container. Correspond your color with intent, or decorate with sigils, symbols, and crystals! In the gravel layer, add a crystal or two to promote growth, health, and prosperity. Select plants that correspond to your intentions, and place the planters strategically in the home.
Rain gutters are particularly useful for a bit of magic, too! How? Well, consider their purpose. The movement of water around the home to avoid stagnation, and the draining away of excess. Use your rain gutter garden to encourage energy movement in the home, draining away negative energy and encouraging a fresh flow of positive intention!
May Your Harvests Always Be Bountiful! )O(
