Materia Celtica – a personal visual study into the myth and magic of Scottish Herblore

Earthly otherworld: where it all began

It all started with a ballad. I had already been interested in ethnobotany for a number of years but when I stumbled across on old Scots ballad on one of those late night YouTube sessions, it was like finding buried treasure and I realised we are sitting on a wealth of lore in Scotland, especially with regard to our natural environment. The ballad in question is the Gairdener Chyld, my favourite rendition sung by Ewan MacColl and accompanied by Peggy Seeger’s accomplished musicianship. Sometimes called Proud Maisrie, this curious little ballad vividly mixes romance and plant imagery as the hero of the tale, the titular ‘gairdener chyld’ tries to seduce proud Maisrie by offering to make her an outfit out of flowers. Less than impressed, Maisrie spurns his offer with a cold retort. You can listen to this beautiful rendition of the song here. 

While I had been inspired to transcribe some of the beauty of this song into a painting before, the ballad also inspired me to explore the deeper meaning of plants in Scottish folklore and how to express this treasure trove of lore and meaning visually.

At this point I should also mention Ireland too, because it seems at so many points our heritage in intangibly linked; in myth, legend and song, as well as language. My own maternal ancestry comes from Ireland and this is why as I refer to my body of knowledge as a materia Celtica. So although my research often focuses on Scottish oral culture, I often stray into the Emerald Isle.

My materia celtica
 

I began where any self-respecting herbalist would - in the pages of what is my own take on a materia medica (except I call mine a materia celitca). A herbalist's body of knowledge is contained in a materia medica so my materia celitca focused on plants of particular regard in 

Scottish herb and folklore - basically those considered magical, as well as useful. I began illustrating the document in pen and black ink, before moving to walnut ink as I love its raw umber hue. It is now my preferred medium, which seems apt given my subject matter.

 

Throughout my research I found that each discovery revealed layers upon layers of magic, myth and legend. Take meadowsweet as a case in point - this sweet-smelling hedgerow plant favours damp meadows and riverbanks, and flowers in late summer. It’s almond biscuit scent smells divine, and I can see why people believed that it not only cured headaches but calmed agitated spirits too. 

Meadowsweet

Its Gaelic name lus Chù-Chulainn reveals a deeper meaning, however. It translates as ‘Cù-Chlainn’s belt’ referring of course to the Celtic warrior Cú Chulainn who’s escapades are told in the Ulster Cycle. This Irish demi-god had close ties to Scotland, having been trained by Sgàthach, a legendary warrior woman and martial arts teacher dwelling on the Isle of Skye. It was she who gifted Cú Chulainn his famous spear, the gáe bulg. It is said that Cú Chulainn went into frenzied rages and would bathe in meadowsweet to calm himself. The plant is now known to contain salicylic acid, the precursor to aspirin. 

Cú Chulainn

Not only could this remarkable plant cure fever and headaches but it is delicious too, and favoured for producing tea and wine but it was prized during the Bronze Age as agent for brewing mead.

 

Another plant steeped in ancient lore is the dandelion, and, as it its Gaelic name beanan Brighde (notched plant of Bridget) suggests, it is associated with St Bride or Brighde, the Celtic goddess of wisdom, healing, poetry, protection, blacksmithing and domesticated animals. Hardly surprising considering its myriad of medical uses. The plant’s roots and leaves were prized for their diuretic, tonic and stimulant properties. Traveller and storyteller Betsy Whyte spoke of how dandelion root was used for stomach complaints, while the sap was effective on the chest and throat.

The Goddess Brigid

Certain plants were considered quite magical in Scotland. Ivy for example was prized for its protective properties, often made into a wreath along with honeysuckle and rowan leaves and placed over the lintel of byres to protect the precious livestock within. This probably has roots in ancient times as druids believed Ivy possessed supernatural powers and used it as protection against evil. Ivy has been used for various medical purposes since ancient times, the plant is known for its diuretic qualities, being used to treat indigestion, as well as coughs, headaches, consumption, bruises sore throat and kidney problems – to name a few. Ivy leaves could be boiled and made into an ointment to treat burns or brewed as an infusion to treat eye infections. 

Thomas the Rhymer, laird, poet and traveller to the otherworld was said to live in a house covered in ivy with a secret tunnel from which fairies would enter the human world. Ivy is also linked to the inspiration and supposedly worn by ancient poets in the form of a crown.

The poet wears a crown of ivy

The common elder plant – well-kent for its delicious cordial and wine - was also considered be magical and offered protection from evil. It was also believed that the juice of the elder could give one the gift of second sight if applied to the eyelids and if you stood under an elder near a fairy hill on Hallow’een you could see the fairies themselves. Of course, elder had many practical uses too – its bark and root were used to treat dropsy, asthma, and croup, the leaves could be made into an ointment for bruises, sprains, chilblains and wounds, while the flowers also treated skin problem as well as scarlet fever, measles, rashes and constipation while the berries were very affective against colds, flu and other ailments.   

 

Yarrow is another common plant which is both considered magical and has a plethora of practical and medicinal uses. On Skye the plant was boiled in milk along with quartz to make a remedy for consumption while in Lochaber it was used to treat stomach complaints

 

Delightfully, there are several charms associated with yarrow such as this one, collected by the great folklorist Alexander Carmichael and translated from the Gaelic below:

 

I will pluck the yarrow Fair,

That more benign shall be my face,

That more warm shall be my lips,

That more chaste shall be my speech,

Be my speech the beams of the sun,

Be my lips the sap of the strawberry.

 

May I be an isle in the sea,

May I be a star in the waning of the moon,

May I be a staff to the weak,

Wound I can every man,

Wound can no man me.

 

Ferns were also considered magical and feature in many Gaelic charms too. The plants spores are considered particularly potent if gathered on Midsummer’s Eve. Bracken was believed to work well as a pest-repellent and the roots were made into an ointment for wounds and ulcers.

 

Sweet-smelling honeysuckle was associated with May Day, woven into a wreath with ivy and rowan and placed over a lintel to repel any evil powers lurking around on that auspicious day. Of course, there were many uses for honeysuckle, its flowers were particularly effective against respiratory problems, including sore throats, asthma and bronchitis as well as making delicious tea and wine.

A page on trees from the Materia Celtica

This marks the very beginning of my research and only opened more doors to more questions and more avenues to explore, the ancient Druidic lore of trees, fairy mounds and magic stones. I could go on but, in the meantime, there are selkie stories to explore and potent seaweed broths to stew…

Here are some of the fantastic books and websites which helped me in my quest for (almost) lost knowledge:

The Scots Herbal: The Plant Lore of Scotland by Tess Darwin

Healing Threads: Traditional Medicines of the Highlands and Islands by Mary Beith

Flora Celtica: Plants and People in Scotland by William Milliken & Sam Bridgewater

Scottish Fairy Belief by Lizanne Henderson and Edward J. Cowan

Thirty-two Words for Field: Lost words of the Irish Landscape by Manchan Magan

The wonderful Tobar and Dualchais website