Strange Solace

Somewhere in a strange corner of England, there is a forgotten garden.

A long time ago, before you and I were born, when the garden was at the height of its glory, there was a Sorceress witch who presided over its beauty.

She loved the garden with all of her ivy green heart. She nurtured light blue lupines and deep violet foxgloves, grew fragrant rosemary and earthy sage. She gave room to plants which others considered weeds, she let the lush green ivy, winds itself around ancient chestnut trees, bindweed with its white trumpet shaped flowers was free to grow. They all had their place in her garden.

Into the plants and flowers, she whispered the secrets of her heart and of her magic. Slowly imbuing all the living things with her power. Over the years the garden grew lush and strong as she grew old and weak. 

The Sorceress knew, when the time came, she would be lay down among the flowers and her body would be consumed by the earth.

But she did not want the magic of the garden and its power to fall to fates unknown, and so with the last of her strength she pulled a guardian from the earth. A giant made from tree roots with moss for his skin and iris for his hair. He would be the guardian of her smagic and her secrets.

As the years passed the garden was all but forgotten. 

But if you are wandering in a strange corner of England and you find a door mostly covered in ivy, see if you can open it.

You might find something magical inside.

Copyright: image by Charles Francis. Used here for creative, non-commercial purposes. Commercial postcard of The Giants Head, Lost Gardens of Heligan, England.