As we step into late Autumn and Winter, we enter the Season of the Crone. This time of year invites us to turn inward, embrace our own wisdom, and to make peace with the natural cycles of life and loss. Yet, as nature stills and we welcome this moment of quiet, there is magic to be done in the garden.
Focusing on the ideas of release, transformation, and reflection, garden magic during the colder seasons is centred around preparing the land for rest and renewal. There are many magical traditions and practical rituals we can undertake as late Autumn and Winter set in.
The Season of the Crone
The Crone, embodying wisdom, knowledge, and endings, completes the Triple Goddess archetype. The journey through Maiden, Mother, Crone, symbolises our passing through youth, adulthood, and old age. This time of year is the final stage of nature’s cycle and bears many similarities to the last phase of our own life, as we age and approach our time of passing.
(You can read more about the Crone archetype on our Substack.)
This season is a time to reflect on our experiences over the past year, to garner as much wisdom from our own life as we can to carry with us into the Spring and Summer. As the leaves fall, the air becomes crisp, and the days shorten, we honour the cycles of life and death. Prepare for the quiet stillness of Winter and reflect on the Crone’s energy of endings as the plants die back and animals enter hibernation.
Find a few ideas for garden magic during the Season of the Crone below.
Clearing and Composting
Purpose: The Season of the Crone is about transformation and letting go, symbolised by clearing dead plants and composting them to enrich the soil.
Practice: When removing dead plants, express gratitude for their life and the nourishment they’ve provided. Visualise any personal or emotional weeds you wish to let go of being cleared with each plant. Add the remains to your compost, symbolising transformation and the promise of new growth.
Soil Enrichment and Mulching
Purpose: Mulching and enriching the soil create a protective barrier for the earth through Winter, mirroring the Crone’s nurturing and wise energy.
Practice: Spread organic matter, such as compost or leaves, over the soil with the intention of rest and restoration. As you cover the earth, visualise it as a blanket, a layer of care that will feed and protect the garden, readying it for rebirth.
Planting Garlic, Onions, and Bulbs
Purpose: Some plants, like garlic and certain flower bulbs (including tulips, crocuses, and snowdrops), are planted in late Autumn. This hidden growth symbolises the Crone’s energy of inner transformation.
Practice: As you plant, set intentions for any qualities or wisdom you’d like to cultivate quietly within yourself over the Winter. Envision these intentions taking root like the bulbs you’re planting, transforming beneath the surface until they bloom in Spring.
Weather Folklore for the Season of the Crone
During this Season of the Crone, become a master of weather divination with these little tricks taken from our Garden Magic grimoire.
‘When the sun at its rising, in the autumn or winter seasons, appears ruddy, it foretells that high and boisterous winds may be anticipated to blow from the south and southeast.’
(Noe, 1885)
‘When the setting sun, in the autumn or winter seasons, appears ruddy, it is a sign that high and boisterous winds may be expected to blow from the north and northwest.’
(Noe, 1885)
‘If birds begin to whistle in the early morning in winter, it is a sign of frost.’
(Bowen, 1953)
‘If the raven makes several different cries in the winter, it is a sign of storm.’
(Bowen, 1953)
‘When common garden worms form many ‘casts,’ rain is likely; many casts in winter after a night of frost is a sign of a thaw within twelve hours.’
(Bowen, 1953)
‘Pinecones hung up in the house will close themselves against wet and cold weather, and open against hot and dry times.’
(Bowen, 1953)
Charms, Folklore, and Everyday Wisdom for Gardeners
Learn how to cultivate a herbal apothecary, sow a glorious flowerbed, and grow fruits and vegetables using this magical guide of age-old knowledge and charms.
