Herbs of Midsummer

Summer has well and truly started here in Eastern Tennessee, and today my thoughts are on Midsummer which is now just a few short weeks away. Traditionally, certain magical and medicinal herbs like mugwort, saint john’s wort, and yarrow are thought to be especially powerful when gathered on this day, possibly because the solar power has waxed to its fullest. Being magical herbalists, one of our particular traditions for Saint Johns Eve is the harvesting of a number of these herbs of power, some of which are then worked into charms and blessed by the midsummer fire. Some of these herbs also find their way into potions and preparations which we use and offer through the apothecary.

If you’re interested in herbal lore, here is an excellent article about some of the herbs associated with Saint John’s Eve entitled “The Herbs of Good St. John” written by Maud Sargent and published in 1907 in The Gentleman’s Magazine.

The Herbs of Good St. John

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