Astrology can be used to do many things. To plan out future events is usually the most popular option, but did you know that there was such a thing as Astrological Gardening? The Farmer’s Almanac has had us planting by the Moon and astrological signs, or Zodiac since 1818. Although it’s been used for much longer than that. But this post isn’t about the planet’s influence on you or your plants. It is about the element of Fire and how to combine it with a love of gardening that is sure to attract, comfort and warm those born under it’s fiery halo. We are heading into the month of August, the birth month of the middle fire sign, so in this post I will address the element of Fire and creating an Astrological Fire Garden worthy of even the pickiest Leo, Sagittarius or Aries.
The Element of Fire in the Garden
In Astrology, fire signs throughout time have categorically been attracted to certain things. Fire of course is one, but colors, clothing, places you live, etc. can all be influenced by your Zodiac sign and it’s ruling element. When you are “in your element” you are usually pretty comfortable and that’s just what you should want your Astrological Garden to do. It should inspire, comfort and relax you fire signs when you’re out there, and there are ways to make your design look really good and still compliment your astrological tendencies.
By introducing colors in tones of red, orange and yellow, you are both complimenting your astrological fire sign and setting the atmosphere. A fiery sunset over the desert or maybe the sky over a volcano. That is the scene you want to set for a Fire Garden. Introducing metals like bronze and copper will add to the allure by reflecting flames from nearby lamps or fire pits.
You may want to add in elements that were created by fire as well. Things like Lava Rock, Red Brick and Clay are all results of fire and will blend in well with the theme of the garden. Adding some misting devices or foggers in select areas will give the feeling of smoke and accentuate the vibe.
Finally, putting sculptures and art in the garden that reflect spiritual views or personal tastes add a truly personalized touch to your space. If actual fire is used in these items that is even better. Items like oil lamps floating on birdbaths, torches, and burning sculptures really make the design pop and stand out. The things that reflect the theme of fire are the best selections and they will be the little details that pull everything together.
Getting Started
The first thing you will want to do is figure out your gardening or planting zone in the United States. These zones are based on environmental factors and what plants will live in your zone. For example, Florida plants fall into zones 8 – 13, Oregon zones 9 – 6, Illinois 5 – 7, or Ohio, zone 6. The United States Department of Agriculture has a great and easy to use zone map, and you can find what zone you live in by following the link and entering your zip code.
Now you will figure out your gardening area. Where do you want your garden to be in your yard? There are a few factors to consider when doing this. Look out for tree roots as they will make it difficult to dig decent holes. You will want to watch the Sun and see how much certain areas get at certain times of day, and consider whether this will be effected by the seasons. Will an area that was shaded in the Summer have full Sun in the Winter due to leaves falling? The soil is important as well. Is it sandy and light or rich and dark? Lastly you will want to save yourself the nuisance of not being able to water the plants and having them all die on you. Make sure everything is within reach of a good hose.
Mapping a Design
Next you will want to make a sketch, or map, of your area and create a layout of how you want the garden to look. You should put everything on there just as you would like to see it in your garden. Any statuary, fountains, plants, pathways, and even lighting features should be in your design. Here is where you will start seeing what will work or not in your plan. You will want to include these things into your design to guide you along.
- Fire-Themed Plants
- Lighting
- Pathways and Clearings
- Creative Fire Features
Plants
Simply having “fire” in the name just isn’t enough. Appearance here is just as important as the plants are the ones that will be setting the main scene. Aspects such as fragrance, and what creatures are attracted to the plant, are worth checking into as well. With climate change and wildlife habitat destruction upon us, planting useful plants that attract and maintain wildlife is a good way to help. Flame or Ruby Throated Hummingbirds love quite a few plants listed in this post and they would be a wonderful natural addition should they choose to join you. Besides zoning and environmental factors, a few things to think about when choosing plants for your fire garden are the actual plant name, bloom time and availability to you.
Plant Name
Common plant names vary from state to state and one plant may end up with twenty different names. When choosing your plants online or even in a nursery, always try to find the Latin, or Scientific name on the tag. Going by the Latin name ensures that your plants should match the pictures that you may have seen.
Bloom Time
Always check your bloom time when selecting your plants. Some plants, like Foxglove, can take up to two years or more to bloom after planting. Therefore you should decide when you will be spending the most time in your garden. A Fire Garden, in the winter with cold hardy plants in red and orange tones against the snow would be beautiful.
Another thing to consider is if you want your plants to bloom all at once or seasonally year round. Remember that annuals only bloom one season a year and then die out whereas perennials come back year after year. A mixture of both is usually used in landscaping designs.
Availability
I see you there, Googling away at all those beautiful and exotic plant images. While some places like Florida or Louisiana can carry just about everything all the time, that doesn’t apply to every state. Agricultural regulations and seasonal availability affect many live goods distributors both in the store and online. In addition to that, make sure to check the shipping date as some online nurseries will not ship a plant until it’s the right season for your zone.
Plants for a Fire Garden
Southern Fire Bush (Hamelia Patens)
- Zones 8 – 11
- Bloom Time – Spring thru late Summer
- Perennial or Annual – Perennial shrub
- Sun – Full Sun
- Water – Well drained soil and watering once a week or so
- Fragrance – Unnoticeable to humans
- Attracts – Pollinators and Hummingbirds
- Size – Mature plants get 4 to 5 foot high by around 4 to 5 foot wide
Fire Cracker Plant (Russelia Equseti Formis)
- Zones 9 – 11
- Bloom Time – Spring thru late Summer
- Perennial or Annual – Perennial cascading plant
- Sun – Full Sun
- Water – Well drained soil and watering once a week or so
- Fragrance – Unnoticeable to humans
- Attracts – Pollinators and Hummingbirds
- Size – Mature plants get 1 to 2 foot long in the first year
Mamey Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)
- Zones 9 – 11
- Bloom Time – Foliage with bright color year round
- Perennial or Annual – Perennial
- Sun – Full Sun
- Water – Well drained soil and watering once a week or so. Drought resistant
- Fragrance – Unnoticeable to humans
- Attracts – Pollinators and Hummingbirds due to color
- Size – Can vary up to 4 to 5 feet tall and up to 3 to 4 foot width
Blazeaway Scotch Heather (Calluna vulgaris)
- Zones 4 – 8
- Bloom Time – August thru September. Foliage plant that turns crimson with cold weather
- Perennial or Annual – Perennial shrub
- Sun – Part-Sun and filtered sunlight
- Water – Well drained and well watered soil
- Fragrance – Unnoticeable to humans
- Attracts – Butterflies
- Size – Ground cover and low spreading mat
Torch Lily (Kniphofia Uvaria)
- Zones 5 – 9
- Bloom Time – Late Spring thru Summer
- Perennial or Annual – Perennial
- Sun – Full Sun
- Water – Well drained poor soil and watering once a week or so
- Fragrance – Unnoticeable to humans
- Attracts – Bees
- Size – Mature plants get 3 to 4 foot tall by around 3 foot wide at 3 to 5 years old
Burning Bush (Euonymus Alatus)
- Zones 4 – 8
- Bloom Time – Spring thru late summer
- Perennial or Annual – Perennial shrub
- Sun – Full sun
- Water – Well drained poor soil and watering once a week or so
- Fragrance – Strong lemony scent
- Attracts – Pollinators and wildlife for winter fruit
- Size – Mature plants get 5 to 8 foot high by around 4 to 5 foot wide without pruning
- Other – When the plant heats up in the summer it gives off a flammable vapor
Flame Lily (Gloriosa Superba ‘Rothschildiana’)
- Zones 7 – 11
- Bloom Time – Spring thru early fall
- Perennial or Annual – Vining semi-perennial, it reseeds itself if it does not freeze
- Sun – Full to Part Sun
- Water – Well drained soil and watering once a week or so. Drought tolerant
- Fragrance – Unnoticeable to humans
- Attracts – Pollinators and Hummingbirds
- Size – Up to 10 foot vines in the first year
Fire Lily (Clivia Miniata)
- Zones 10 – 11
- Bloom Time – Spring thru early fall
- Perennial or Annual – Perennial
- Sun – Filtered sun to part shade
- Water – Well drained soil and watering once a week or so. Drought tolerant
- Fragrance – Light sweet fragrance
- Attracts – Pollinators and wildlife when fruiting
- Size – Mature plants 18 to 24 inches tall by about 2 or 3 feet wide
Firespinner Ice Plant (Delosperma Firespinner)
- Zones 5 – 10
- Bloom Time – Late spring to midsummer
- Perennial or Annual – Perennial in the South, annual up North
- Sun – Full Sun to part shade
- Water – Well drained soil and watering once a week or so. Drought tolerant
- Fragrance – Unnoticeable to humans
- Attracts – Pollinators and Hummingbirds
- Size – Spreading plant 12 to 18 inches wide and about 1 or 2 inches tall
Dragon’s Breath Celosia (Argentea Plumosa)
- Zones 8 – 10
- Bloom Time – Foliage spring thru late Summer
- Perennial or Annual – Annual
- Sun – Full Sun
- Water – Well drained soil and watering once a week or so
- Fragrance – Unnoticeable to humans
- Attracts – Pollinators and Hummingbirds due to color
- Size – Grows up to 24 inches tall and around 16 inches wide
Flame Tree (Delonix Regia)
- Zones 9 – 11
- Bloom Time – 5 years to bloom from seed, then blooms spring to mid-summer
- Perennial or Annual – Perennial tree
- Sun – Full Sun
- Water – Well drained poor soil and watering once a week or so. Drought tolerant
- Fragrance – Unnoticeable to humans
- Attracts – Pollinators
- Size – Mature trees can reach a height of 40 feet with a 40 to 60 foot wide canopy
Firepower Nandina (Nandina Domestica ‘Firepower’)
- Zones 6 – 9
- Bloom Time – Flowers late Spring early Summer and fiery foliage Fall thru Winter
- Perennial or Annual – Perennial shrub
- Sun – Full to filtered Sun
- Water – Well drained soil and watering once a week or so
- Fragrance – Pleasing fragrant flowers in Spring
- Attracts – Pollinators
- Size – Mature plants get up to 3 feet high by around 3 feet wide
- Other – Leaves start out lime green in the spring and turn shades of yellow, orange and red by winter
Firecracker Vine (Ipomoea Lobata)
- Zones 8 – 11
- Bloom Time – Summer thru Fall
- Perennial or Annual – Vining semi-perennial, it reseeds itself if it does not freeze
- Sun – Full Sun
- Water – Well drained rich soil and watering once a week or so. Drought and heat resistant
- Fragrance – Unnoticeable to humans
- Attracts – Pollinators and Hummingbirds
- Size – Vines up to 10 feet in the first year
Lighting
Lighting in the garden at night can create a magical ambiance and really make your creation enjoyable. But you must consider our fellow creatures. It has been shown in studies that yard lighting can disrupt the cycles of insects, birds, you, and your plants.
Low lighting or “dark sky approved” lighting, can be found in many forms now. Solar spotlights, ground lighting, and even special lightbulbs are available. As long as lights are not angled up at the sky and are below around 225 lumens.
Besides the magical effects, if you’re going to be in your garden at night, lighting is also good for both safety and security. It will take all the fun out of perusing the plants if you trip over one of them. Not only that, but imagine the snake’s surprise when you wake him up by stepping on him…
Pathways and Clearings
Pathways lead the way through the garden and create a visual experience as well as a goal. Sometimes just looking at a winding and mysterious pathway makes you want to walk down it and explore. You will probably have some amazing plants in your fire garden as well. You’ll want people to know about them easily and it makes for good conversation. Having clean and well defined pathways and signs that describe your special garden features like plants and artwork, will make your theme really stand out.
Clearing space around your new plants after you plant them is a good idea for future maintenance. Take out the grass and weeds up to about a foot out from the base of the plant and add a ground covering like mulch or gravel. This will keep your plants safe from lawnmowers and weed whackers in the future. A small detail like this also looks nice under benches, birdbaths and other garden features. As for materials, something fire related and durable like lava rock, red brick or red mulch are excellent choices.
Creative Fire Features
A themed garden isn’t complete without adding in creative features that accentuate that theme and are unique and personal to you. In the case of the fire garden, there are many options from fire pits to flaming sculptures. Consider fire themed spiritual ideas like Prometheus or Tiki, who is for Hawaiians, the first human on Earth and the one who brought the fire.
Additionally, colors and materials are important also. Metals like bronze and copper. Earth fired clays and warm burnt woods are good options. You’ll want to check out any gas lines and propane tanks you may need, but these items are mostly portable and, with the exception of the walkway, should not need to be permanently installed in one place. Listed below are twelve fabulous and original ideas that were collected from around the internet.
- Fire Fountain
- Flaming World Sculpture
- Flaming Tree Fire Stand
- Floating Oil Lamps
- Chimenea
- La Pinta Fire Pit Table
- Basalt Torches
- Fire Column
- Fire Pit Walkway
- Glass Flames
- Benches
In conclusion, a fire garden can be a unique addition to your landscaping that can be created for your personal needs. If you fall under the fire signs in the Zodiac, a fire garden may be a neat conversation starter, as well as a cool place to hang out where you are “in your element”. It can become a special gathering area, outdoor classroom, or romantic stage. Whatever you like. Done correctly, a well-planned fire garden area should inspire, relax and soothe its creator. Especially if the creator of the garden is a fire sign like Leo, Aries, Sagittarius or maybe, simply someone born with a whole lot of fire in their soul!