Tag Archives: Rituals

Book News!

Dandelion and Burdock Coven, Druidry, Herbology Handbook, Wheel of the year, , , , , , , , , , ,

The Green City Witch

Weaving a Magical Life in Urban Spaces
By Lynn Shore

Available for Preorder Now

Published by Aeon Books | Launching October 2025
Paperback | 300 pages | ISBN: 9781801521888
Illustrations by Hannah MacDonald

About the Book

A beautifully illustrated handbook for urban witches that combines green witchcraft with city life.

Rich with herbal and esoteric wisdom, this delightful and thoughtful guide provides an essential basis for magical practitioners living in cities to connect with nature, magic and community.

This book is for urbanites who want nature and magic in their lives. Written by an experienced herbalist, who eats street weeds, talks to crows, casts spells, and brews potions; this book shows how to walk a magical path while riding the waves of urban life.

Divided into three sections, The Green City Witch covers the lifestyle, knowledge, and techniques of real witches who love nature and city life. The lifestyle section covers how to work sustainably, grow roots in new towns, align with the seasons, and forage; all within city limits. The urban nature section contains an extensive directory that details how to engage with fascinating lifeforms that thrive in city buildings, streets, and parks. From spider plants to knotweed, and parakeets to earthworms, the plant, animal, and bug lore entries offer magical symbolism, folklore, foraging or care advice, and practical ways to weave them into daily life. The techniques section explains how to achieve magical goals with rituals, sigils, spells and charms, blood magic, shapeshifting, and divination, all with local, natural, sustainable materials.

The Green City Witch is an invaluable resource for beginners and experienced magical practitioners alike, who wish to embrace the endless magical potential and gifts of urban nature.  

Preorder Offer – 20% Off!

Be among the first to get a copy of The Green City Witch by preordering now. From now until the official launch at the end of October, Aeon Books is offering a 20% discount on all preorders via their website.

🛒 UK / International (via Aeon Books):
👉 Preorder with 20% discount from Aeon Books
(Use discount code GCW20 at checkout)

Ordering Outside the UK

If you’re outside the UK, the book will also be available through major retailers and online bookstores closer to publication. You can bookmark or preorder through the following links:

Book Details

PublisherAeon Books
Publication DateOctober 2025
CoverPaperback
Pages400
Size152mm x 229mm
Catalogue No95368
ISBN-139781801521888

Launch Event

Official Book Launch: Saturday 25th October 2025
Black Moon Botanica – Amsterdam Store
Spiegelgracht 30-H
1017 JS, Amsterdam
The Netherlands
(18:30 – 20:00)

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About the author

Lynn Shore is a herbalist, educator, and green witch. Born in Bristol, study, and work led her to several UK towns and cities. In 2004 she settled in Amsterdam and founded Urban Herbology which connects city people with nature through walks and courses. She also runs a community herb orchard, where locals, plants, and wildlife grow together. Lynn and her family live in a plant and book-filled apartment. Most often out gardening, foraging, or concocting strange brews; helping others find peace in nature is her mission.

About the illustrator

Hannah McDonald is a British artist and author, living in Amsterdam. She explores visual narratives that create space for emotional exchange between audience, artwork and artist, to enhance a deeper connection to each other and the natural world. 

Approaching Samhain Walk

Urban Herb Walks, Wheel of the year, , , , , ,

Join Lynn Shore, professional forager and herbalist, to explore local nature as we approach Samhain.

SATURDAY 26th OCTOBER
10.00 – 12.00 – Park Frankendael
€30 per person

On this 2-hour gentle walk, we will look to local plants, animals and other life forms, for signs of Samhain. That is the cross-quarter day between the Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice. It is seen by many as the start of the Pagan New Year. It is the time when the wild hunt is said to rip through the world, and certainly, it can be a time of spectacular changing weather. Samhain is a time of reflection, inwardness, mushrooms and roots (both the plant and family kind).

You will learn about
Local wild creatures, edible and medicinal plants
Signs in nature as the seasons change
Wild and feral Amsterdam plants
How to identify, harvest and safely use local herbs
Ways to help local wildlife
Increasing your connection to place and self-reliance
Simple rituals to bring yourself closer to urban nature at Samhain

What to expect
This small group walk will be 2 hours long, starting and ending at the same location, near the bike racks closest to Huize Frankendael/Restaurant Merkelbach. We will walk in the woods, alongside water, on grass and other areas of the park. The walk will go ahead in all weather except for storms, so dress for the occasion and check for updates if we get storms. There will be opportunity to walk barefoot, but no pressure if you prefer not to. There will be a handout to help you remember things afterwards and we will drink herbal tea from herbal finds. If you want to forage, please bring along a small paper or cotton bag to take home some herbs and seeds. The walk is gentle and fairly slow, the paths are mostly natural, of woodchip or soil. We will sit outside to drink herbal tea and eat the wild snack. There is a public toilet in the park.
Come prepared to connect simply and more deeply to urban nature.

About your guide
Lynn is an experienced herbalist and professional forager, who is specialized in local herbs and reconnecting city people to nature. She has been teaching foraging in Amsterdam and helping city people become more self-reliant for 14 years, and has been a practicing herbalist for over 20 years. Her special interest is improving mental health through herbs and nature. Lynn set up the beautiful community foraging gardens, over 10 years ago, in Park Frankendael. Part of this walk will be in there. In April 2025, she’ll be participating in the Wildbiome project, eating only wild food for one month, as part of a research project investigating how wild foods affect our health.

Booking
Email urban.herbology.lynn@gmail.com to book your place. When payment is received, your place will be confirmed by email. Please see the fair cancellation policy on the Events page.