ALCHEMICAL SPACES
Alchemical Spaces · Exteriors

The Planetary Garden

The same method, outdoors: trees and wild herbs planted by planet, in the Chaldean order, on the lines of the Sun.

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Outdoor Spaces

The Planetary Garden

The same method, outdoors. A didactic park where trees and wild herbs are planted by planet, in the Chaldean order, and each grove stands where the Sun rises or sets at the solstices and equinoxes.

Illustrated plan of the Planetary Garden — seven groves, solar axes, botanical legend

At the center stands the Solar Hall: a round dry-stone pavilion with three narrow slits facing east. At dawn on the winter solstice a single ray crosses the room and strikes the golden sphere — as at Newgrange.

Around it, six groves on the six points of the horizon. The solstice axes lead to Jupiter, Mars, Saturn and Venus; the equinox axis to Mercury and the Moon. The main path visits them in the Chaldean sequence; the mown paths of the meadow join them in the order of the days of the week.

Every tree a planet,
every herb a day.

Dawn on the summer solstice — the light runs along the north-east axis to the Solar Hall

Dawn on the summer solstice: the light runs along the north-east axis, from the oaks of Jupiter to the Solar Hall.

Moon grove — the willow pond at equinox sunset
☽

MOON

Equinox sunset · West
Willow, white poplar, alder

Water lily, mugwort, poppy, watercress — the pond that mirrors the setting Sun.

Mars grove — hawthorn and pines at winter solstice dawn
♂

MARS

Winter solstice dawn · South-East
Hawthorn, blackthorn, scots pine

Nettle, wild garlic, broom, thistle — iron-red earth and a path that climbs toward the Sun.

Mercury grove — the crossroads under the hazels at equinox dawn
☿

MERCURY

Equinox dawn · East
Hazel, mulberry, hornbeam

Lavender, wild fennel, valerian, marjoram — the crossroads of the paths.

Jupiter grove — oaks, sage and borage
♃

JUPITER

Summer solstice dawn · North-East
Oak, linden, chestnut, fig

Sage, lemon balm, borage, agrimony — a wide clearing with a table for all.

Venus grove — the orchard and the rose pergola at summer solstice sunset
♀

VENUS

Summer solstice sunset · North-West
Apple, almond, myrtle, birch

Dog rose, yarrow, verbena, thyme, mallow — the pergola of roses.

Saturn grove — the stone cell among the cypresses at winter solstice sunset
♄

SATURN

Winter solstice sunset · South-West
Cypress, yew, black pine

Horsetail, comfrey, ivy, teasel — the stone cell where the last ray of the year falls on a disc of lead.

The Solar Hall — the winter solstice ray on the golden sphere
☉

SUN

Noon · The Center
Olive, laurel, walnut, ash

St John's wort, calendula, rosemary, chamomile — the Solar Hall, where the solstice ray meets the golden sphere.

The Chaldean Week — the 24 planetary hours

Each day begins at sunrise with the hour of its own planet. The hours then follow the Chaldean sequence ♄ ♃ ♂ ☉ ♀ ☿ ☽ around the clock, twelve from sunrise to sunset and twelve from sunset to sunrise; the 25th hour gives the next day its name. In the garden, each grove is tended and harvested in its own hour.

HourMonday
☽		Tuesday
♂		Wednesday
☿		Thursday
♃		Friday
♀		Saturday
♄		Sunday
☉
Day · 1☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun
Day · 2♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus
Day · 3♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury
Day · 4♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon
Day · 5☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn
Day · 6♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter
Day · 7☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars
Day · 8☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun
Day · 9♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus
Day · 10♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury
Day · 11♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon
Day · 12☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn
Night · 1♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter
Night · 2☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars
Night · 3☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun
Night · 4♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus
Night · 5♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury
Night · 6♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon
Night · 7☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn
Night · 8♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter
Night · 9☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars
Night · 10☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun
Night · 11♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury♃Jupiter♀Venus
Night · 12♃Jupiter♀Venus♄Saturn☉Sun☽Moon♂Mars☿Mercury

Botanical correspondences — trees and herbs by planet

A few examples, from the classical tradition, of the trees and the medicinal and aromatic herbs that belong to each power — the palette of the planetary groves.

PlanetDayMetalTreesMedicinal & aromatic herbs
♄SATURNSaturdayLeadCypress, yew, black pine, boxHorsetail, comfrey, ivy, teasel, hellebore
♃JUPITERThursdayTinOak, chestnut, linden, figSage, lemon balm, borage, agrimony, dandelion, hyssop
♂MARSTuesdayIronHawthorn, blackthorn, holly, scots pineNettle, wild garlic, broom, thistle, basil, bramble
☉SUNSundayGoldOlive, laurel, walnut, ash, vineSt John's wort, calendula, rosemary, chamomile, everlasting, angelica
♀VENUSFridayCopperApple, almond, myrtle, elder, birchDog rose, yarrow, verbena, thyme, mallow, violet, primrose
☿MERCURYWednesdayQuicksilverHazel, mulberry, hornbeamWild fennel, lavender, valerian, marjoram, wild carrot, dill
☽MOONMondaySilverWillow, white poplar, alderWater lily, mugwort, poppy, watercress, water mint, rush

Latitude 45° N: the solstice axes open at about 36° from the equinox line. Every garden is drawn on the true horizon of its own site.