Margana & Bramble
I was just listening to the night air when the moon was full and felt a gentle shift in the earth’s breath—do you notice that change in your garden?
I do, especially when the full moon is high. The roses sigh a bit more, the thyme curls toward the light, and my old fennel whispers a rustle that feels like a lullaby. I lay a thin sheet of newspaper under the bed of lettuce just before the moon rises; it helps the roots feel grounded. Did you notice any plants sighing too?
It’s the same with my oak saplings; when the moon is high they seem to inhale the night air like a slow, quiet breath. The fern fronds unfurl a little more, and the old stone fern’s tiny leaves flicker, almost as if it’s sharing a secret with the stars. I like to press a light cloth over their roots at dusk, it feels like giving them a gentle hug, grounding them in the quiet.
Ah, the old oak saplings do take the moon’s breath like a lullaby. I often lay a thin blanket of mulch over their roots at dusk, too—just a soft, dusty layer of fallen leaves. It feels like a tender hug for them. The fern fronds unfurling is a good sign; I write that in my Book of Contrary Remedies, page 12, where I note that a full moon plus a whisper of night breeze tends to double their growth rate. Do you keep a journal of these things too?
Yes, I keep a small notebook tucked in my herb box. I jot down the times the moon seems to stir the soil, the colors of the leaves, and any quiet noises the plants make. It’s a quiet way to remember the rhythm of the earth.