#flower magic

She was bent low among the blossoms, her slender fingers trailing through petals like whispers through silk. Humming. Softly. A song I didn't know, but one that felt familiar—like a dream I'd once had and forgotten upon waking.

She hadn't seen me. Too enraptured by the flowers, by the soil, by the moment. She moved like she belonged to this place—no, as if this place belonged to her. 

Vines curled at her feet, butterflies lingered in her hair, and not a single creature seemed disturbed by her presence. Nature itself bowed before her, silent and adoring.

Her dress was the colour of twilight—light lavender, flowing like water over her curves as she turned with a gentle grace. 

There was magic in her, though I could not yet name it. Power, yes. But something else, too. Something soft. Sacred.

When she smiled, stars help me, when she smiled, I forgot how to breathe.

It wasn't just her beauty, though she had that in abundance. It was the way she glowed, as though joy radiated through her skin. 

A lightness the world rarely allowed. A purity that defied the war, the court, the pain.

And in that moment, everything stopped. The pounding in my head quieted. The ache in my bones dissolved. The weight of centuries lifted, just a little. 

I felt something ancient stir inside me, something I hadn't felt before, something I had begun to believe I would never feel.

A pull. A tether.

A golden thread, faint but unyielding, stretching from the centre of my chest toward her. Not commanding—but calling.

I moved before I knew I had decided to.

Step by step, as if my soul recognised hers long before my mind could understand what was happening. As if every inch of me had been waiting for this moment, for her, without ever knowing it.

And in the stillness of that garden, surrounded by blooming things and ancient magic, I walked toward the female who would change everything.

Reader's POV - 

The day had dawned gentle and golden, the kind of morning that made the world feel kind. 

Sunlight poured through the windows of my room in soft, lazy ribbons, warming the stone beneath my bare feet as I padded toward the open balcony.

A breeze kissed my cheek, carrying the scent of jasmine and early summer blooms.

Today would be a garden day. I knew it the moment the wind touched my skin.

After dressing in a lilac gown, one that fluttered like petals when I walked, I slipped quietly through the halls of the estate and out into the world that truly made me feel alive. Where I didn't have to be anything but me.

The gardens welcomed me as they always did.

The air was thick with the perfume of roses, hyacinths, and starflowers. Vines curled gently around stone archways, and butterflies danced in the shafts of light that pierced the canopy above. 

Each step I took seemed to stir more life—buds opening, colours deepening, as if the garden itself responded to the magic that lived in my fingertips.

Soft, pink light glowed faintly around my hands, trailing behind as I moved from flower to flower. I hummed an old lullaby, one my mother used to sing when the world felt too loud.

Here, among the blooms and silence, I felt safe. Whole. Hidden from the noise and sharpness of everything beyond these hedges.

But then—I felt it.

Before I saw him, I felt him. Like a shift in the wind. Like a shadow falling across a field of sunflowers. Power. Deep and ancient, curling at the edges of the garden like a warning—and a promise.

I turned. And my breath caught.

A tall figure stood at the garden's edge, bathed in dusk and shadow despite the sunlight. He moved like night itself, effortless, silent, too large for the space and yet perfectly at home within it. Hair dark as the void, eyes like crushed violets, glowing faintly in the golden light.

And when our eyes met...

A pulse. A golden ache bloomed in my chest, so sudden and so warm it nearly knocked me off my feet. My heart beat once, twice and then everything changed. 

It felt as if the world had tilted, realigned itself around this one being. This stranger who felt anything but strange.

I didn't mean to speak. The words just fell from my lips, soft and reverent.

"You're my mate..."

I lifted a trembling hand to my chest, as if I could press the feeling deeper. As if I could hold onto the golden thread I felt weaving itself through my soul—connecting, binding.

The High Lord of the Night Court. Rhysand.

The name alone carried weight. Whispers. Stories of power and shadows, of beauty and destruction wrapped in a smile. 

He was the most powerful male in all of Prythian and he was looking at me like I was made of stars.

His hands were in his pockets, but his gaze... that gaze. It traced over me like a caress, possessive, thoughtful, unreadable. Not unkind, but sharp. Piercing. I felt it like fire on skin.

"I am," he said, voice a low purr that rippled through the quiet garden like a wave of night.

I flushed, my cheeks warming under the weight of it—of him. I didn't know where to look. 

His eyes wouldn't release me. I didn't know how to breathe, how to move under that gaze that seemed to see everything. Every shy thought. Every secret corner of me.

He was beautiful the way a storm is beautiful. Wild and terrifying. A being carved from moonlight and power. And somehow... he was mine.

"Are you disappointed?" he asked, his voice like velvet—low, smooth, too careful.

The words drifted between us on the warm garden air, but they struck something fragile in me.

I didn't look at him. I couldn't. My gaze dropped to the stone path beneath our feet, fingers absently brushing a butterfly that hovered too close, fluttering near my wrist like it couldn't bear to leave. It danced lazily around me, hungry for attention I gave effortlessly.

His presence was too much—too large, too still, too beautifully dangerous.

"No... no, I'm just nervous," I admitted, my voice barely more than a breath. I still didn't meet his eyes.

There was a pause. And then he moved.

His steps were so silent I didn't realise he had drawn closer until I felt him—his warmth, his shadow, the press of his magic around mine like a velvet glove.

A knuckle brushed against my jaw, feather-light.

He tilted my chin up with such tender insistence I couldn't help but meet his gaze. 

And gods those eyes. Violet, glowing, endless. Like he'd swallowed the entire sky at midnight and held the stars captive in his stare.

"Don't be, sweetheart," he whispered, his voice barely there, like a secret he wanted only me to hear. "We'll figure this out together."

His words wrapped around me like a cloak—soft, warm, protective. The way he said sweetheart made my heart flutter painfully, and I knew in that moment, without a doubt, that he could ruin me with just one look and heal me in the same breath.

"Figure it out?" I echoed, struggling not to fall too deep into the calm storm of his gaze.

"Yes," he said softly, "we'll decide what to do next. Together."

He stepped back then, slowly, as if pulling himself from something sacred. I felt the loss of his touch like a sudden cold wind. My skin ached where his knuckle had grazed it.

"The Mother has blessed me with something so..." He paused, his expression unreadable for a moment before it softened. "So sweet. I won't spoil it by rushing."

I could only blink at him, my throat too full of strange, swirling emotion to speak. He looked at me like I was a wonder. Like he had seen war and pain and death—and now, me.

He straightened then, offering me space. Offering me choice.

"I'm Rhysand," he said with a slight incline of his head, that same bright amusement sparking in his eyes. "Let's start with something simple. Tell me your name?"

He gestured slightly to the path beside him, his body turned as if inviting me to walk—not ordering, never forcing, just... inviting.

I hesitated. Then nodded.

When I whispered my name, it felt small. Like it didn't match the grandeur of the moment.

But when he repeated it, slowly, carefully, like a prayer, it bloomed between us. He smiled when he said it, and I saw something shift in his gaze. Something softer, more reverent.

A part of me bloomed too, just hearing it on his lips.

"You like flowers?" he asked after a moment, his voice teasing, warm.

I looked down and realised the trail I was leaving behind—tiny blossoms unfurling in my footsteps, each petal glowing faintly with the same soft pink magic that had bled from my fingers earlier.

I blushed instantly, my cheeks warming like sunrise.

"Yes—sorry, I—" I stammered, then stopped myself, correcting quietly, "I love them. I love nature. It's... always felt like home."

He looked at me like I'd just said something profound.

Another butterfly drifted toward me, delicate wings catching the sunlight like stained glass. It settled on my fingertip without hesitation, as if it knew me. As if I had been made from the same magic that called them.

Smiling shyly, I lifted my hand and offered it toward him. The butterfly took flight and landed, of all places, on the bridge of his nose.

I gasped softly, covering my mouth.

Rhysand blinked, perfectly still, and then... he smiled. Slowly, wickedly, but there was something genuine under the mischief. Something enchanted.

The butterfly didn't flee. It merely flitted down to his shoulder and perched there, bold as anything, bright and innocent against the black of his clothing.

A brilliant contrast. A symbol, somehow.

Soft against dark. Light against power. Me—against him.

His eyes found mine again, and this time, they held no shields.

I didn't know what to say. I only knew that the garden felt warmer now, the sun brighter, and the bond between us, faint and golden, was quietly beginning to glow.

"Careful," Rhysand murmured, still smiling as the butterfly lingered on his shoulder, wings rising and falling like it was breathing with him. "Keep doing that and I might start to believe you're some long-lost garden nymph sent just to tempt me."

I blinked, startled by the teasing lilt in his voice and the warmth that bloomed in my chest at his words.

"I'm not a nymph," I said quickly, shaking my head, though I couldn't quite fight the small smile that crept across my lips.

"No?" he asked, stepping closer, just enough that his presence brushed against mine again. Like shadow curling into sunlight.

"I'm just... me."

Rhysand's violet eyes sparkled with something unreadable. "Just you," he echoed softly, as if testing the sound of it. "Then the world is luckier than it deserves."

I looked down again, my cheeks warming. "You're... very poetic."

"I'm a shameless flatterer, is what I am," he said with a wink. "But I don't lie, especially not about beautiful things."

His words made my stomach flutter. I didn't know how to respond to compliments like that—so smooth, so certain. No one had ever spoken to me like this, as if I were something rare and precious.

"I like your voice," I said before I could stop myself.

His brows rose, and then his grin turned into something softer. "Do you?"

"It sounds like... midnight," I offered shyly. "Like velvet and starlight. Like something that could sing the moon to sleep."

There was a pause. Rhysand tilted his head at me, looking at me like I was the strange one—as if he were the one trying to keep up.

"Cauldron, you are sweet," he murmured, almost to himself. "No one talks like that anymore."

"I didn't mean to be strange..."

He laughed gently, a deep, quiet sound that rumbled in his chest. "You're not strange. You're... refreshing."

We walked in silence for a few steps, my magic still faintly glowing in my wake, the garden responding like it knew I was content. My fingers trailed along a vine that unfurled as I passed, releasing a burst of pink blossoms in its wake.

"What about you?" I asked softly, curious despite my nerves. "Do you like nature?"

He looked at the flowers trailing behind me, the butterflies that still danced in the air between us, and then gave a slow, thoughtful smile.

"I like you in it."

My mouth parted slightly, and he chuckled again, clearly amused by how easily he could fluster me.

"I meant yes," he said. "Nature reminds me that even the Night has its gardens. That beauty and peace can grow in the dark."

That quieted me.

Rhysand glanced sideways at me, something gentler flickering in his expression. "You're nervous," he said, "but you're not afraid."

I hesitated. "Should I be?"

He looked away, almost as if my answer mattered more than he wanted me to know. "No," he said eventually. "But many are."

I glanced at him, at the carved lines of his jaw, the impossible calm of his step, the power radiating from him like the steady pulse of a star.

"You don't scare me," I said, and then added, more hesitantly, "...You fascinate me."

The corner of his mouth lifted in that now-familiar half-smile. "Careful, darling. Keep talking like that and I'll start thinking fate has a very wicked sense of humour, pairing you with me."

I stopped walking, butterflies still circling me in lazy loops.

"Maybe fate isn't wicked," I whispered. "Maybe... she just knew you needed a little light."

He stopped too. And in the quiet space between us, something ancient stirred.

He stepped closer again, but slower this time. As if he knew I was still deciding how close I would let him come.

"I think," he said softly, "I'll enjoy being ruined by it."

And I—utterly lost in his eyes, with the bond between us glowing like morning gold—could only whisper,

"...Me too."

A/n - New story!!

If you're into sweet, shy reader meets charming, poetic Rhysand then I think you'll enjoy what's to come!

Reader in this one is gentle, kind, and just a little bashful—so if you're not into that no worries at all! I've got other stories with different dynamics that might be more your vibe :)

We begin with the bond snapping and all the feelings that come with it. Rhys, naturally, is as extra and swoony as ever because he can tell she's easy to fluster and, well... he's not above weaponizing that with a smirk or two x

Also I'm obsessed with her powers?? They're all soft and gentle so this has been so fun to write.

Let me know what you think <3

Rose season varies depending on the variety of rose in question and the growing area in which one lives, but many rose varieties bloom (sometimes once or twice and sometimes continually) from midspring through fall, which means that the days of rose blooms are nearly upon us in the northern hemisphere. Hopefully there's something for everyone in this piece, and we can all take advantage of the rose season to come this year.

SPELLS

WISHING SPELLS

There are a few ways to use roses in wish spells. Roses, known for the sweetness of their scent, are believed to attract goodness and positivity, making them the perfect addition to any wishing or fortune spell. Perhaps their sweet scent will be just the thing to attract the outcome you seek.

Planting the Wish

What you’ll need:

A rose petal / rose petals

Pen or marker (optional)

What to do: Share your wish with a rose petal. You can do this by whispering the wish to the petal, by holding the petal to your chest as you think on the wish, or even by writing the wish upon the petal.

Now all you need to do is bury the petal. It’s preferred that you ‘plant’ the rose petal at the base of something growing – a rosebush, a tree, flowers. This adds strength to your spell and helps your wish to grow into being.

Casting the Wish

What you’ll need:

A rose petal / rose petals

Pen or marker (optional)

What to do: This spell is to be done on a windy day. Much like the spell above, you can share your wish(es) with your rose petal in whatever way you prefer.

Hold the rose petal(s) up above your head between your forefinger and your thumb. When you’re ready (and when the wind is blowing), release the petal(s) into the wind and let it carry your wish(es) to fruition.

the Wisher’s Bag

What you’ll need: You can use any combination of the plants listed or all of them! It's entirely up to you!

Drawstring bag or a square of cloth and a ribbon or string to make your own bag with

Bay leaves

Clover flowers and/or clover leaves

Dandelion flowers and/or dandelion roots

Purple loosestrife petals and/or purple loosestrife flowers

Rose petals, rose buds, and/or whole rose flowers

Yarrow flowers   

What to do: Fill your drawstring bag (preferably made of something breathable, like organza or cotton) with any, or all, of the above plants. As you fill your bag, think about what you’re wishing for, thinking about it coming true and pouring your hopes into the bag. If the plants were already dried when you put them in the bag, you can go ahead and put the bag in your purse or wear it around your neck, or you can hang the bag up near your door, above your bed, in an area in your home associated with your wish (for example, in an office or study space if your wish has something to do with your work or academics). If the plants were fresh, hang your bag up where sunlight will hit it to dry the plants – on a porch, in the window, anywhere that gets good sunlight. After the plants have dried, you can put the bag in any of the above listed places, or you can carry the bag with you. Every now and then, or every day if you like, hold the bag in your hands and think about your wish, filling the bag of plants with your hopeful energy.

the Wisher’s Working Oil & the Wisher’s Jar

The ingredients listed above in the Wisher’s Bag spell can also be used with a jar instead of a bag.

What to do (the Wisher's Jar): You can either fill the jar with dried plants to make a Wisher’s Jar, or you put fresh or dried plants into the jar and then fill the jar with an oil of your choosing. Grapeseed oil is commonly used. Now you not only have made a wisher’s jar spell, but you’re also making a Wisher’s Working Oil. What to do (the Wisher's Working Oil): You can use this oil as added oomph in any spell pertaining to you meeting your goals or obtaining your wishes. You can use it to:

anoint candles you’re using in the spell,

anoint yourself while working,

anoint tools used in said spell.

Rosa centifolia (cabbage rose); Pierre-Joseph Redouté

GLAMORS & BEAUTY

Rosewater & Rose Oil

Rosewater can be used in a number of magical ways as part of any glamor or spell to amplify attraction or beauty. It can be used as a facial toner, can be used to anoint mirrors and beauty application tools, can be sprayed upon clothing or fabric, can be used to wash hair, and has many other uses and applications.

NOTE: If you wish to use rosewater in any food or drink, be sure to use petals from edible rose variations. Older heirloom varieties are said to be best for cooking with and for rosehip teas. Lady of Shallot, Rosa Blanc Double de Coubert, Rosa Centifolia, Rosa Damascena, Rosa Gallica are popular varieties to use for cooking and teas, as are Wild Roses. And remember, the more fragrant the rose, the stronger the flavor. You can always purchase food-safe dried rosehips, leaves, and petals from tea stores. When collecting hips and petals yourself, always be sure that you’re not using anything that’s been exposed to pesticides or herbicides.

Making rosewater can be incredibly easy as well! You’ll find a few methods of making rosewater here, and of making rose oil here.

It’s said that dabbing a bit of rose oil or rosewater behind your ears magically enhances your beauty, making your best features stand out to those around you and giving you a vibrant, effortless glow that attracts people to you.

Rosewater, rose petals, and/or rose oil are all also a great foundation to build a beautifying bath spell on.

Color Me Pretty Sympathetic Magic

Here’s a little ditty from my childhood. This spell is one that wasn’t at all odd to come across in a schoolyard or classroom where I'm from. It’s something that we partook in as youths before we were really old enough to understand or realize that we were practicing sympathetic magic, which is a fairly common method of magic in that region. This was something that we used to do during recess and at sleepovers or camp as a ‘game’.

What you’ll need:

Paper

Drawing/painting utensils (pencil, pen, crayon, paint, marker, charcoal, etc.)

Rose petals – they must be red or dark or bright pink

What to do: Draw a picture of yourself – it can be a simple picture, but you should include identifying details (freckles, haircut, standout features).

Then, take the rose petal(s) and smear it upon the paper to add color to the cheeks (and lips, if you want to). It’s as simple as that, folks.

We used to fold the pictures up and tuck them away somewhere. At sleepovers, we’d sleep with them under our pillows. Sometimes we’d just hang the picture up in our rooms or on the refrigerator. The beautifying effects of this easy spell aren’t meant to last too long, nor is it intended to drastically change anything about your appearance; it’s just to give you that added glow to your natural beauty.

LOVE

Roses are a well-known aid in love magic and there's a plethora of information around as to how to use roses to such ends, so I'll not spend too much time in this piece dedicated to the matter.

Scattering Rose Petals

It's said that walking through a garden or field and scattering rose petals as you go along could attract new love into your life. Beyerl specifies in the Master Book of Herbalism that doing so unclothed is preferred, but it's also said that doing so whilst wearing white (further symbolizing newness, hope, beginnings) or pink (symbolizing love and happiness) is ideal.

Preserving Love & Promoting Romance and Harmony

What you'll need:

Rose petals (fresh or dried)

A photo of your love

A photo album (optional)

A safety pin or rape (optional)

What to do: Place rose petals near or on an image of your love, encouraging harmonious love and affection between you.

You can pin the petals to a photo, tape them around a frame holding a picture of your love, or keep them on or around a picture in a photo album or billfold.

There is another variation of this work -

What you'll need:

A jar, tin, or box (it should have a lid, so as to keep from attracting ants or other bug or mice friends)

A photo of your love

Rose petals

Sugar

What to do:

Pour your sugar and rose petals into the jar, tin, or box. Place the photo of you love in the bed of sugar and rose petals. This promotes love and sweetness, keeping your relationship happy and romantic. It can also be used for those wishing to draw someone their way in a romantic sense, perhaps someone they wish to date that they feel might not yet see their romantic feelings.

Rose Water, Perfume, Potpourri, or Incense to Attract Your Desired

In Gillian Kmep's the Good Spell Book she features a spell using rose-scented incense to encourage attraction from someone you have interest in. It's also said, outside of Kemp's work, that wearing rose-scented perfumes or dabbing rose water behind one's ears or at one's neck before going to see the person you desire will encourage their attraction. Burning potpourri or incense featuring rose as an ingredient whilst you ready yourself to see that person can also have the same effect.

Rosa moschata (musk rose); Pierre-Joseph Redouté

PROTECTION, BANISHING, & BINDING

Door Warding for Protection of the Home

DISCLAIMER: If you have cats or other pets that will swat at something hanging or try to chew on something hanging on your wall or door, this is not the spell for you. The rose thorns may cause injury.

What you’ll need:

Rose thorns

Yarn or ribbon (preferably red or black, or both)

Bells (optional)

Nails (optional)

What to do: Cut good, long lengths of yarn or ribbon (red and black are great colors to use for protection, warding, and banishing work). You’ll need at least 9 strands for this spell, but you can add (in multiples of three) as many as you’d like.

With your yarn or ribbon all cut roughly the same length, separate them into groups of three. Braid each group of yarn or ribbon using a simple three-strand braid technique.

Gather the top of the braids together in one hand and secure a knot, tying all of your braids together. You’ll end up with something that sort of resembles the end of a cat of nine tails now. You can either leave your braids like this or you can braid each of the braids together until you’ve formed one thick braided cable.

Whether you’ve chosen to keep your braids separate or braid them together, now is the time to add your rose thorns. Taking care not to poke yourself, pierce the braids with the sharp end of the rose thorns. You want to push it in far enough that your rose thorns are secure and will not fall out. If you like, you can push it far enough in that the sharp end of the thorns poke out the other side of the braid.

If you want, you can add bells (small jingle bells or whichever bells you like) to the door warding – bells are known to ring and alert one to the presence of evil or malicious figures or energy. Tie your bells to the ends of your braid(s).

For added protection, you can insert nails into the braid(s), especially iron nails, in the same way you did the thorns.

Now all that’s left is to hang this protective charm up either on your door, on your doorframe, or on the wall near your door to keep your home safe and sound, protected from malevolent spirits, energies, and people alike.

Protection & Banishing Candle Spell

What you’ll need:

1 candle (preferably red or black)

Rose thorns

Salt (optional)

What to do: If you choose to include salt in this spell, form a ring of salt around the candleholder and unlit candle.

Add a ring of thorns, placing them on top of the ring of salt.

Light your candle and sit for a while, thinking on what you want to protect from/what you wish to banish or cast out. Pour that energy into the candleflame, imagining it growing stronger and hotter and being fed by your energy and your wishes.

Let the candle burn down on its own.

Binding Spell

What you’ll need:

Thread, yarn, or ribbon (preferably red or black, or both)

Rose thorns

What to do: Cut nine lengths of thread, yarn, or ribbon. Separate those nine lengths into groups of three.

Braid each group of three, resulting in three braids.

You can now either braid those three braids together to form one thick braid, or you can tie the ends of the braids together to form one long braid (but don’t gather the top and tail of the braid and tie it; we don’t want it to form a circle because we still have tying yet to do).

Tie knots into your braid. You can tie either three or nine knots. Most people tie nine if they’re braid is long enough, but I’ve known it to be done with three as well. Think about who it is you’re binding with this spell and what you’re binding them from doing, and, as you tie each knot, say (either aloud or to yourself) –

As I tie this, so I tie you. As I knot this, so I knot you. As I bind this, so I bind you. (Insert what you’re trying to keep this person from doing here), no more you’ll do.

You can also use the person's name in place of "you."

For added oomph, pierce each knot with a rose thorn. Work the rose thorn into the knot, making sure its securely fixed in the knot. It's not meant to cause physical injury or harm to whomever you’re binding. Think of it as using a nail to fix something into place. You’re using the rose thorns in the same way, pinning down the magic and helping it stick. That being said, you absolutely can use thorns (in this spell or otherwise) with intention of sewing injury or harm (see the curses section of this post).

As for what you do with the braid after, that’s up to you. Some folk hang it from a tree for nine days. Some bury it (this isn't recommended if you live in an area where an animal or child may dig this up). Some hang it in their home or keep it in their home, in a box or jar somewhere. Some simply discard it. It's up to you.

Protection Jar Spell

What you’ll need:

1 jar

Rose vinegar

Rose thorns

Star anise

Rowan berries and/or rowan bark

Apple seeds

Candlewax (preferably red or black; optional)

What to do: For this spell, you’ll need rose vinegar. If you don’t know how to make rose vinegar, the recipe will be included just after this spell. It’s very easy, so stick around for that. Until then…

Take your jar and fill it at least ¾ of the way with rose vinegar. Remember, you don’t want to fill it completely, just in case anything we add raises the vinegar to the point of spilling.

Add your rose thorns, star anise, rowan berries and/or rowan bark, and apple seeds to the jar.

Close the lid of the jar. Many people like to further seal the jar with melted candle wax. If you’d like to do this, it’s best to use a red or black candle (or both!) as they’re both colors frequently used for protection work. All you have to do is light your candle(s) and hold it over your jar, tilting it to drip the wax onto the top of the jar and its lid. Drip to your heart’s content.

And that’s that! You have a protection jar.

Some people keep their jars on a shelf or table in the main room of their house or near their door. Others bury their jars in their yard or stash it under a porch. Do whatever feels right to you.

Rose Vinegar Recipe

Rose vinegar is a great addition to your magical work and to your kitchen. It can be used in protection, cleansing, and banishing magic, and can be used in some curse work. It can also be used to take the inflammation and itch out of bug bites or some rashes, can be used as a temple massage to treat headaches, and as a hair rinse.

What you’ll need:

Vinegar (any kind works, but most prefer to use apple cider vinegar)

Red or vibrant pink rose petals (they make the prettiest colored rose vinegar)

1 saucepan or kettle

1 jar (IMPORTANT: While infusing, you don’t want to use a metal lid on your jar. Metal and vinegar are not friends. You can use a makeshift lid of plastic wrap over the top of the jar. If you use a metal lid whilst you store the vinegar once it’s cooled, be sure to not fill the jar all the way up with your vinegar. Vinegar is corrosive and exposing the metal to vinegar can lead to chemicals of the metal breaking down in your rose vinegar, which we don’t want. It’s best just to avoid using a metal lid altogether.)

1 glass bottle (optional) or decanter to move your rose vinegar to after it’s steeped and ready to use

What to do: Heat your vinegar in the saucepan on the stove. Heating the vinegar will give you a head start on the infusion process, as the heated vinegar begins drawing the color, flavor, and properties from the rose petals faster than cold vinegar does. But you absolutely can do this without heating the vinegar, it will just take a little longer.

While your vinegar is warming up, place your rose petals in the jar. You can use either fresh or dried petals, though fresh will give you a much prettier and more vivid finished product. Fresh petals also strengthen the fragrance.

With your vinegar heated (you want to cut the heat just before it starts to simmer), pour it into the jar. You want the roses to be completely covered and submerged in vinegar – not one bit of dry rose left.

Cover the top of the jar with a plastic or cork top or your makeshift lid of plastic wrap.

Leave your vinegar to cool. Once cooled, you want to store your vinegar in a dark, cool place to infuse. This process usually takes about 2-3 weeks. Remember, do not let your rose vinegar contact any metal lids! Whether it’s hot or cold, vinegar simply does not like metal.

After 2-3 weeks, your vinegar should be a pretty hue of reddish-pink. Now you want to strain the vinegar into glass bottles for storing, keeping the rose petals out of the now finished rose vinegar.

Your rose vinegar will keep for at least 1 year. I recommend storing your vinegar in the dark, perhaps in a pantry or cabinet. You just don’t want to leave it out in direct sunlight, as that will fade the color of the vinegar faster and potentially shorten your vinegar’s shelf life.

Rosa gallica 'Evêque'; Pierre-Joseph Redouté

DIVINATION

Roses can be used as divinatory aids in many ways. One easy way is to wash one's hands in rosewater before working divinatory practices, most especially if the divination pertains to matters of the heart.

Phyllorhodomancy

Phyllordomancy is divining via rose petals and leaves. There are various ways of doing this, but any method of divination using rose petals, roses, or rose leaves is technically phyllordomancy. Here are a couple of methods –

Method One: By Clapping

What you’ll need:

Rose leaf or rose petal

What to do: This method was practiced by the Ancient Greeks. Take a rose leaf or petal and lay it upon your palm.

Ask or think on the question at hand, then clap your hands together.

If the sound produced was clear, loud, or full, this means that a positive outcome is at hand. If the sound was dull or quiet, the odds aren’t in your favor and the outcome will be a negative one.

Method Two: By Water

What you’ll need:

Rose petals

A bowl or vessel of some kind

Water

What to do: Fill your bowl or vessel with water.

Take your rose petals in hand and ask or think on your question.

Lay or drop the rose petals down onto the water. If the rose petals pull away from each other, the answer to your question is no. If the petals stay together, the answer is yes.

You can continue asking questions. After each question, tap the water with your fingertip, or shake the bowl or vessel, to make the rose petals move. Again, if the petals move away from one another, your answer is no; and if they stay together, your answer is yes.

There is another variation of this method in which you place the roses atop the water before asking your question. With the roses floating on the water, close your eyes and gently swirl the bowl or vessel of water whilst asking your question. Remove your hands from the bowl or vessel and open your eyes, observing the behavior of the rose petals. As before, if they disperse upon the water, the answer to your question in no; but if they stay together, your answer is yes.

Method Three: By Air

What you’ll need:

Rose petals

What to do: Your hands full of rose petals, think on or ask your question.

Cast the petals high into the air and observe how they fall.

This method has many variations of its own. Some read the symbols or shapes they see in the rose petals as they fall. Others read where the rose petals lay – Do they form any patterns or symbols? Do they cluster together or fan out? Are there any distinct piles or mounds of petals? And what do these symbols or patterns mean to you? This method is one that intuitive readers will likely take to quicker than those who prefer a set system for their divinatory practices.

Method Four: By Burning

What you’ll need:

Dried rose petals

A fire-safe cauldron, bowl, or pot

What to do: Burn dried rose petals in your room before going to sleep to promote a good night's sleep but also to encourage divinatory dreams to come forth in the night.

Method Five: By Sleeping

What you’ll need:

Rose petals (fresh or dried)

A pillow with a pillowcase

What to do: Before going to bed, tuck rose petals into your pillowcase. This can bring on dreams revealing the identity of your true love or soulmate.

SOURCES & FURTHER READING:

In this post, you’ll find a collection of spells that anyone can try for themselves. I should note, I am a practitioner of a regional traditional magic and a good portion of the spells that I’ve written here are either spells that are heavily inspired by the practice I’ve grown up with or directly from that practice. That being said, none of what is written here is exclusive to that practice, so it can be used by anyone, anywhere without encroaching upon a practice they’re not a part of.

Making Rosewater

Making Rose Oil

‘A Compendium of Herbal Magick’ – Beryl, Paul

'Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs' - Cunningham, Scott

'Doctoring the Devil: Notebooks of an Appalachian Conjure Man' - Richards, Jake

'the Good Spell Book: Love Charms, Magical Cures, and Other Practical Sorcery' - Kemp, Gillian