A Hedge of Her Own
There is no doubt that the heat and dry summer of 2026 have made it difficult to manage our native herbs in pots, we see this also in many of our hedgerows where they have been dried by the sun - however we see also that these plants are resilient and though they may not be shining at their best all the time their strength and resilience is evident.
The herbal hedge was for women a place where the world softened and the old knowledge rose up like the mist from the grass. In medieval Ireland the hedge was a green cloak of power stitched together with the herbs women trusted for healing, dreaming and blessing.
Red Raspberry — Subh Chraobh Dhearg
A bright, steadying herb whose leaves hum like a lullaby in women’s lore, used in spells of protection and maternal strength, brewed as a medicinal tonic, and savoured in the sweet music of summer jams and teas.
Lady’s Mantle — Cochall na mBan
A quiet, dew‑cupped plant that gathered the night’s dew in its cupped green palms, a moon-gift kept for charms of protection and renewal. l
Red Clover — Seamair Dhearg
A soft, melodic meadow flower carried for luck and feminine vitality, used in gentle blessing spells, taken as a nourishing medicinal tonic, and sprinkled into teas or syrups with a sweet, honeyed note.
Campion — Coireán Coille (Silene dioica)
A fairy‑touched blossom whose presence echoes like a threshold charm, used in protective spells for women and children, applied medicinally as a cleansing wash, and known more for its soap‑like roots than for the table. The lantern on the threshold, guarding the in-between places where magic listens.
Cranesbill — Fiacla Róin
A grounding woodland herb with a low, steady rhythm, carried in old charms for safe passage and protection, prized medicinally for its strong astringency, and rarely tasted due to its sharp, tannic bite.
Wild Strawberry — Sú Talún Fiáin
A sweet, lyrical plant tied to love and maternal devotion, offered in gentle household spells, and celebrated in the bright, delicate flavour of its tiny woodland berries.