Growing a Magic Potion Garden

A witch’s brew or a wizard’s enchanted concoction!

When my kids were little they spent hours outside making perfumes and poisons. Now that they are older they still love mucking around making magic potions, but these days it is more likely to be Felix Felicis or a Polyjuice Potion (How well do you know your Hogwarts potions?).

Potion making is so much fun, and it’s a perfect, easy, outside activity. You don’t have to worry about the mess outside and there are lots of great flowers and plants ready to be added to magical concoctions.

You probably have lots of plants growing in your garden that are perfect for potion making. Or you could get the kids to help you grow their own magic potion garden. It’s fun and easy, and a great way to get the kids outside and involved with gardening.

You could clear a garden bed and put all your magic potion plants together, or scatter them throughout your garden. Most of these plants also grow really well in pots, which would make for a mobile potion garden.

Easy to Grow Plants for a Magic Potion Garden

The perfect magic potion garden plants are easy to grow and very hardy. They need to be able to withstand the kids picking lots of leave and flowers.

Before you begin planting, make sure to check that your chosen plants aren’t poisonous, or a noxious weed in your area. And if you children have particular sensitivities or have allergies make sure the plants you choose won’t cause any flare ups.

Plants with Flowers

Flower petals are an essential ingredient in magic potions, so pick plants that have lots of flowers and that can survive a good pruning!

• Common daisy
• Geranium
• Calendula
• Nasturtium
• Sweet pea
• Butterfly Bush

Plants that Smell
The perfect potion has a strong aroma, so you’ll need some plants that smell. Thankfully there are lots of fragrant herbs and flowers you can plant that grow like weeds and can withstand constant picking.

• Lavender
• Mint
• Pineapple Sage
• Rosemary
• Lemon Balm
• Wormwood
• Dill
• Jasmin
• Peppermint Geranium
• Roses (choose a thornless variety)

Plants with interesting leaves, seeds or fruit.

Many of the plants mentioned above have leaves and seeds that are great for potions, but if you have room, plant some varieties that have interesting leaves, or fast growing fruit to include in your potions.

• Gourds – you can’t eat them but they are loads of fun to play with!
• Radish – grow super fast and you always have more than you can eat.
• Lambs ear – with soft silky leaves
• Chinese Lantern plant
• Fish ferns

If you’ve got lots of space

If you’ve got space to grow a larger shrub or tree, try growing some lilac, a snowball tree, or some wattle in your magic potion garden. If you’ve got lots of space grow an oak tree for the acorns, or a gum tree for that eucalyptus smell and the gum nuts, or collect some next time you see an oak or gum tree.

Other items that are great for magic potion making.

Apart from a variety of interesting plants, you’ll need some other items to make magic potions. Depending on the age of your kids, try some of the items below.

Potion Making Essentials

• Containers – recycled plastic containers, bowls, jars etc
• Utensils – spoons, plastic knives, scissors
• Water

Awesome extras

If you want to take potion making to a new level, try adding some of these awesome extras.

• Mud or sand
• wood shavings or tan bark
• Mortar and pestle for grinding and pulverising.
• Chalk to grind into powder
• food colouring
• Bicarb soda and container of vinegar for fizzy potions.
• Measuring cups and jugs
• plastic scoops
• pipettes
• tongs and/or tweezers

Do your kids love making potions?

Have you got some great magic potion plants already growing in your garden?
What things do your kids like to add to their potions?

 

If your kids love playing outside and gardening, you might like to give these ten easy veggies to grow with kids a go!