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I have been so slack in my garden over the past few years that pretty much everything I had established has gone. Over the past week I have been slowly planning my herb garden’s return and wanted to share it with you — partly to keep myself accountable, but mostly to share the magic and motivation.

JUNE – JULY (Winter)

Rest, plan, and prepare beds with compost and mulch.
Propagate lavender, rosemary, and sage from cuttings.

Magical focus: Reflection, cleansing, and dreaming — preparing for the cycle to begin again.

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER (Late Winter → Early Spring)

Sow indoors or in sheltered spots:
Basil (start in pots inside, plant out after frosts)
Chamomile (German)
Calendula
Parsley
Lemon Balm
Sage
Thyme
Lavender (from cuttings or seedlings)
Yarrow (start in trays)
Mugwort (from seed or root division)

Magical focus: Plant seeds for new beginnings, set intentions for the season, and bless your garden under the waxing moon.

OCTOBER – NOVEMBER (Mid–Late Spring)

Plant out frost-tender herbs and direct sow:
Basil (now safe outdoors)
Mint (best planted in pots to contain it)
Rosemary (plant young plants into warm soil)
Chamomile (direct sow)
Calendula (direct sow)
Lemon Balm
Thyme
Parsley
Yarrow (transplant seedlings)
Mugwort

Magical focus: Growth, abundance, protection. Perfect time for crafting garden charms and faery offerings.

DECEMBER – FEBRUARY (Summer)

Maintenance and harvesting:
Keep herbs well-watered (especially basil and parsley).
Deadhead calendula and chamomile for more blooms.
Harvest rosemary, sage, and thyme in the morning after dew dries.
Collect and dry lavender for spell jars, sachets, and incense.

Magical focus: Full moon herb harvests for maximum potency. Use the height of summer energy for protection and prosperity workings.

MARCH – MAY (Autumn)

Sow parsley for winter harvest.
Plant perennial herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage.
Cut back summer annuals and collect seeds.
Divide yarrow and mint.

Magical focus: Gratitude rituals, preservation magic (drying, infusing oils, storing for the dark months).

Herb List

Perennials and Hardy Herbs (Plant any time except mid-winter; best in spring or autumn)

Rosemary – Protection, purification, memory. Sun-loving, drought-tolerant.
Lavender – Peace, love, purification. Well-drained soil, full sun.
Sage (Garden) – Wisdom, cleansing, longevity. Sun and dry conditions.
Thyme – Courage, faery magic, protection. Low-growing, sun-loving.
Lemon Balm – Joy, love, healing. Part shade to sun, can spread.
Mint (Peppermint or Spearmint) – Prosperity, healing, energy clearing. Keep in pots.
Oregano – Joy, strength, protection. Sun-loving, drought-tolerant.
Chives – Protection, luck, friendship. Hardy, sun to part shade.
Yarrow – Courage, psychic work, protection. Spreads easily.
Mugwort – Divination, dreams, protection. Contain as it can be invasive.

Annuals and Tender Herbs (Plant in spring after frost)

Basil (Sweet) – Love, abundance, protection. Loves warmth, hates cold.
Holy Basil / Tulsi – Spiritual clarity, purification, protection. Warm-loving.
Coriander (Cilantro) – Love, protection, healing. Cool-season annual.
Dill – Protection, luck, banishing. Likes sun, light soil.
Fennel – Courage, longevity, protection. Tall, sun-loving.
Chamomile (German) – Luck, peace, purification. Sun, self-seeds.
Calendula – Healing, joy, protection. Hardy, blooms for months.
Borage – Courage, joy, psychic power. Edible blue flowers, attracts bees.
Anise Hyssop – Protection, psychic clarity, love. Sun, attracts pollinators.
Lemon Verbena – Purification, love, cleansing. Frost tender, protect in winter.

Medicinal and Magical Allies (Perennial or biennial; some frost tender)

Comfrey – Healing, protection, grounding. Good planted around trees.
Echinacea (Coneflower) – Healing, psychic power, protection. Sun-loving perennial.
Valerian – Sleep, peace, dreamwork. Tall, likes damp soil.
Angelica – Protection, exorcism, blessing. Moist soil, part shade.
Hyssop – Purification, protection, blessing. Sun-loving.
Feverfew – Protection, healing, banishing negativity. Sun to part shade.
St John’s Wort – Protection, happiness, solar magic. Prefers sun.
Wormwood – Banishing, psychic power, protection. Sun, poor soil.
Tarragon – Success, courage, protection. Sun and warmth.
Lovage – Love, psychic power, protection. Tall perennial, rich soil.

Moon Phase Gardening & Magic Activities

New Moon: Begin fresh — sow seeds and start cuttings. Infuse your planting with clear intentions for what you wish to grow in your life.
Waxing Moon: Encourage expansion — transplant seedlings, feed your plants, and focus on nurturing leafy herbs. This is the time to build strength, both in your garden and in your magical workings.
Full Moon: Gather in abundance — harvest herbs at their peak for the strongest magical potency. Dry or prepare them for spells, teas, and charms. Offer gratitude to the earth for her gifts.
Waning Moon: Release and clear — prune back old growth, remove weeds, and banish invasive plants. Work magic for release, cleansing, and protection while the moon’s light diminishes.

Extra Witchy Planting Tips

Containers for control: Mint, lemon balm, yarrow, mugwort, and wormwood can spread aggressively — keep them in pots.
Comfrey is best planted around trees. It can also take over your garden beds as it has one of mine.
Garden altar: Even a small stone or statue can infuse your garden with intention.
Magical bed themes: Dedicate beds to Protection, Love and Joy, Dreamwork, or Healing, planting herbs with aligned correspondences together.
Moon water: Water new seedlings with moon-blessed water during a waxing moon to encourage growth and magical potency.
Plant companions: Some herbs protect each other (for example, basil near tomatoes, rosemary near carrots).
Drying rack: Create a dedicated space to air-dry herbs for year-round use.
Crystal grids: Bury small quartz points at bed corners to energise plant growth.
Four-element layout: Assign herbs to Earth, Air, Fire, and Water sections for balance.
Pollinator and pest control: Plant borage, thyme, echinacea for bees; tansy or rue to deter pests.
Harvest notes: Some herbs are best dried (rosemary, sage, lavender), others used fresh (basil, coriander, parsley).

I see the NZ Herb Federation is having their herb conference in Tauranga in November, which I am thinking of heading up to. I really enjoyed the last one I went to. They also have (or had) a massive seed bank you can tap into and a certificate programme, “Herbs and their uses” for distance learning and consists of twelve modules.

Here’s to a lush, magical, and well-loved herb garden — one that feeds your kitchen, your craft, and your soul.