May: The Hedgewitch and the Month of Plenty
Cunning Women/Hedgewitch in May In the old villages of England, Ireland, and Scotland, May belonged to the cunning women. As spring tipped toward summer, the hedgerows burst with medicine, magic, and promise. The month was tied to fertility, protection, and the thinning veil between the human world and the hidden realms of spirits and fairies. A cunning woman understood that May was not simply a season—it was a doorway. By May, the fields and forests offered an abundance of useful plants. Hawthorn blossoms, often called Mayflower, were gathered carefully at dawn for protection charms and heart remedies. Elder leaves and flowers were collected for healing tonics and fever remedies, though many believed the elder tree housed a spirit that demanded respect before cutting its branches. Nettles, despite their sting, were prized as strengthening spring greens rich in iron and vitality after the starvation months of winter. Wild garlic carpeted the woodland floor, used both in co...
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