Bestselling author Sasha Graham has teamed up with talented watercolorist Natasha Ilincic to create Tarot of the Witch’s Garden. This beautiful deck includes Rider-Waite-Smith symbolism but with more imaginative characters and a lush Celtic inspired landscape. However, despite its title, I don’t find the deck’s imagery overly “witchy.”
This deck’s imagery is chock full of intriguing characters, but few of them are blatantly identifiable as Witches. For there are no pointy hats here! There are however a few mysterious horned figures and scorceresses along with fairies and elves.
Besides its beautiful images, this deck will have appeal due to its female forward artwork. While there are a few male figures, females replace many of Tarot’s traditional male figures. For example, this deck has a female Magician, Hierophant, Hermit, and Devil. Additionally, all four Knights appear as portrayed by female figures.
Moreover, there’s a bit of both inclusion of color and queer friendliness to a few of this deck’s images.
Note: there is a typo in both the first edition’s cards and companion book. Wherefore, the Justice and Wheel of Fortune cards’ numbers are switched. No worries, this is only the first printing and will certainly be corrected in the deck’s next printing. And the Major Arcana card numbers aren’t as big a deal and the Minor Arcana card numbers.
Tarot of the Witch’s Garden Boxed Set
This deck’s boxed set is published by LLewellyn Publications and is available at this Amazon link, https://a.co/d/6TJPy3K.
This set comes packaged in a sturdy magnetic closure box with its cards nestled in an interior compartment. And the kit includes a 312-page full-color glossy companion book.
The card stock is a durable thin plastic-like material with a beautiful linen finish. More importantly, the cards glide easily when shuffling.
And a big bonus is the cards are borderless which is a must now for me to purchase a deck. I love the new borderless card trend! For publishers jumped on board after noticing deck collectors were tediously trimming the borders off their decks.
Secrets of the Witch’s Garden Companion Book
These days Llewelyn is publishing companion books under a slightly different title than its decks. And this deck’s companion book is appropriately titled, Secrets of the Witch’s Garden.
Sasha Graham is an accomplished author who has filled this book’s 312 glossy pages with her skilled writing. Consequently, due to its length, the book is thick and fairly heavy.
Unfortunately though, the print is a bit too small for me to read easily even with my glasses. This is a bummer because I’m intrigued by Graham’s writing enough to want to read this book cover to cover. Nonetheless, I will struggle to do so.
The companion book begins with Tarot basics of caring for your deck and how to read Tarot. Then it discusses the Major Arcana.
The Witch’s Journey Through the Major Arcana
Graham divides and describes the Major Arcana’s traditional “Hero’s Journey” in three unique stages:
- The Witch’s Earthly Journey – the Fool through the Chariot cards.
- The Witch’s Spiritual Journey – the Strength through the Temperance cards.
- The Witch’s Celestial Journey – the Devil through the World cards.
The Minor Arcana Suits’ Elements
Next, Graham discusses the elements of the Minor Arcana Suits.
- Cups – Water
- Wands – Fire
- Swords – Air
- Pentacles – Earth
Then she discusses astrology’s and numerology’s traditional association with various cards.
Additionally, she discusses symbolism of colors used in this deck’s card images.
Card Meanings
To preface the card meaning section, Graham gives a helpful list of its structure. Then she begins with the Major Arcana card meanings, followed by the Minor Arcana cards.
The Minor Arcana cards are arranged in the Suits’ Ace through 10 cards. Next, the Court cards are arranged in the Suits’ Page through King cards. And each card meaning is preceded by a single key word shortcut, an astrological association, and a unique poem or incantation. Then a detailed meaning is offered, followed by a list of traditional Upright and Reversed keywords for the card.
Finally, Graham includes a, To right the reversal: ask… an offered question and instructs pulling another card to answer it. This exercise is offered for the Reader or Querent (one requesting the reading) who’s uncomfortable with the card’s reversed meaning. It gives insight into how one might “right” or remedy the situation the reversed card is alluding to.
Personally, I don’t read reversed cards, but if I did I would definitely utilize this technique for every reversed card in every reading. Lol!
Card Images
Yay, this deck’s companion book images are full-page and full-color! And a reprint of each card’s image precedes its detailed meaning.
I love full-page full-color images in companion books. For I’d rather carry the companion book around with me to familiarize myself with a new deck’s cards than the actual cards.
Spreads & Spells
Graham has included an unusually large number of imaginative spreads in Part 4 Harvesting Magic of her companion book. Conveniently, she has grouped them into eight topic sections of two appropriate spreads per section.
The Spreads
Love & Romance section:
- Soul Mate Spread
- New Lover Spread
Home & Garden section:
- Witch’s Garden Spread
- Finance Spread
Family & Ancestors section:
- Happy Home Spread
- Ancestral Wisdom
Heart & Health section:
- Love Spread
- Health Spread
Transitions & Past Lives section:
- Life Transitions Spread
- Past Lives Spread
Life Path & Soul Evolution section:
- Life Choices Spread
- Sacred Soul Spread
Dreams & Spirit Communication section:
- Dreamwork Spread
- Meet My Spirit Guide Spread
Omens & Augury section:
- Sign of Things to Come Spread
- Destiny Spread
These 16 included spreads are a colossal bonus for deck collectors. For many want and expect to see imaginative spreads included in Tarot decks’ companion books. And this companion book does not disappoint!
The Spells
Even though many of the cards are missing a “witchy” factor, the spells included in the companion book make up for it. And though the included spreads are imaginative, even more so are Graham’s included eight spells for each spread topic. Moreover, each spell is preceded by an image of one of the deck’s cards.
- Spell for Romantic Love
- Spell for the Home of My Dreams
- Fairy Godmother Spell
- Sound Night’s Sleep Spell
- Spell for Future Self
- Ace of Pentacles Garden Path Spell
- Spell to Banish a Ghost
- Spell to Increase Psychic Powers
Furthermore, in addition to these imaginative eight spells, Graham gives simple eight step instructions for spellcasting. This is a bonus for those uninitiated in spell work.
Tarot of the Witch’s Garden Artwork
Ilincic’s watercolor artwork in these cards is beautifully delicate. And it’s so impressive that her characters and foregrounds are crisp, yet contrasted with underlying wispy and dreamy backgrounds. To this end, Ilincic uses deep jewel tone colors in her foregrounds, but uses pastel colors in her backgrounds.
Consequently, due to this combination of painting methods, Ilincic’s card images are uniquely beautiful.
Final Words for Tarot of the Witch’s Garden
I became aware of this deck before it was even published from the Llewellyn’s 2023 Tarot Calendar‘s month of May. And I was so smitten with the featured card’s image that I pre-ordered the deck five months in advance of its publishing.
I’m so delighted with this beautiful deck and I hope you will also give it a try. I know you will find it as enchanting as I have.
Note: To book a professional Tarot reading with Jeannette see our Book a Reading page.
