The Vegetal Kingdom is inextricably linked to the realm of the elementals, also designated as the Little People. These elementals are the inhabitants of the four elements that are at the root of any manifestation of life. I will mention a few of the main ones: the gnomes for the earth element, the undines for the water element, the sylphs for the air element, and the salamanders for the fire element.

The Little People, working with, through and in its element on the etheric and astral planes, is responsible for the growth and evolution of Nature in accordance with the Divine Plan. The gnomes work towards the construction and nourishment of the roots of a plant. The undines provide water and work on all the exchanges of fluids within the plant; they also develop the plant’s sensitivity. The sylphs circulate air within the plant and help it breathe. The salamanders ensure its growth through photosynthesis. Alongside the elementals, the Devas oversee the development of a particular variety of plant or tree. For instance, the Deva of geraniums, oaks or tomatoes. All these beings are generally designated under the umbrella name of “Nature spirits”.

When communicating with a plant, tree, flower, it is with these Nature spirits that the dialogue takes place.

I was extremely fortunate to have a father who was a wonderful gardener and to grow up in gardens that were truly enchanting. In addition to developing a deep love for plants, I became attuned to their vibrations. A plant is of course a living being from a biological standpoint; however, as a result of its energetic constitution interlinked with the elementals, it also has a consciousness. Science has not yet considered this angle. Current studies investigate chemical exchanges between plants as a means of sharing information.

Through the Little People, I have had too many experiences with plants – at supermarkets, garden centers, in my garden or in Nature – to share this narrow vision of the Vegetal Kingdom. I remember this little pine tree who was calling out for help at the supermarket. Once I placed him in my trolley, he stood and looked proudly at everyone the entire time that I was shopping. He was visibly cock-a-hoop that his pleas to be taken away from the supermarket had been heard.

Flowers and plants hate supermarkets. If one calls out to me, I am quite capable of climbing up and clearing thirty pots of identical plants finally to reach for one way behind, to the great puzzlement of the salesperson. When I buy plants for myself, I also choose those that are in the worst condition. I thus give a chance to survive to plants that would otherwise be thrown away at the end of the day. My selection often begets incredulous looks from those in the queue behind me at the till! Yet I strongly feel that the time has come to behold plants in a different light, with compassion. With dedicated care and love, and put in conditions adapted to its variety, a plant rarely fails to flourish again.

I was once gifted with a flower arrangement that included several plants. I decided to put one of them in a separate pot, which I then placed in a different room from the remainder of the plants from the arrangement. The plant immediately called out to me, demanding to be placed with the other plants from the flower arrangement. She could not have cared less about my own wishes, and I ended up putting all the plants together again. Plants, like crystals, are not decorative objects.

Similarly, one of my hydrangeas once told me that he did not like the spot I had chosen for him and asked to be moved to a new spot of his choosing. For my part, I thought the original location showed the hydrangea in the best light but I did as he wished.

The spring after I moved into my previous house, I found three old lilac trees blooming abundantly. I asked them for permission to cut some flowers. One of the three lilac trees refused categorically. It took three years for him to allow me to cut flowers. I never asked him why he had refused, because I sensed his animosity vis à vis mankind. I respected his decision and made beautiful bouquets with flowers from the other two trees, giving the third tree time to realize that I meant him no harm.

I also always express gratitude for a fruit tree after I pick up some fruit, for instance by placing incense nearby. If the tree fulfills his mission by producing fruit to assist us in our physical survival, the least we can do is to thank him for his work; there are many ways of expressing our gratitude and the trees are invariably exceedingly touched by the gesture. I never forget to leave fruit for the birds, because the Earth is a shared environment.

Finally, I strongly recommend making offerings to the Nature spirits in your garden on a regular basis. Your plants will be vibrant and radiant as a result. Follow your heart and your intuition. For my part, I regularly offer dried fruits and mead. Insects are very fond of mead so to avoid their drowning in it, I always place gauze on top of the container. The next day, you can just throw away the dried fruit and mead, because their life force has been absorbed on the subtle planes by the Nature spirits.

The benefits of communication with the Vegetal Kingdom include:

  • Increased sensitivity to the vegetal kingdom and development of a certain ethic when dealing with plants and trees.
  • Organizing a garden in accordance with the wishes of the plants.
  • Contacting the guardian of a site.
  • Assisting in healing the Earth (Earth acupuncture), restoring life force and energetically cleansing heavily affected areas.
  • Obtaining specific answers and advice outside the boundaries of gardening knowledge to assist in dealing with plants and trees.
  • Assistance to create a garden meeting specific objectives: pleasure garden, vegetable garden, Zen garden, healing garden (i.e. a garden designed specifically to meet the physical and psychological needs of its users)
  • Mediation through Nature with plants willing to assist in the process: in conjunction with horticultural therapy – a therapy for physical and psychological healing through Nature. Sensory functions are re-activated and the plant may sometimes communicate a message for the patient.
  • Receiving messages from the Vegetal Kingdom to mankind.
  • Vegetal “archeology”: discovering the origins of varieties of plants and trees. For instance, I obtained information regarding the origins of peonies, hydrangeas and hazel trees. I think that one day such information could be useful for the knowledge of some variety.