*This page may contain affiliate links which may allow us to collect a commission when you click and make a purchase through the links on our site. There is no additional cost to you for doing so.*

Title: Lady Stirling’s Wicked Garden Oracle Deck
Art by: Matt Hughes
Author: Hope Hughes and Norris Eppes
Publisher: US Games Systems Inc
Number of cards: 32
Card size: 5 x 2.75 in
Box size: 8 x 5.5 x 2 in approx
Guidebook pages: 80
Purchased or gifted?: Review copy provided by US Games Systems Inc (I also bought a personal copy)
Absolute favorite card: Balanis
Other favorites: (in order from most beloved) Coventina, Castor Bean, Death Cap, Wisteria, White Water-Lily, Death’s-Head Moth, Sandbox Tree, English Yew
Notable detail: Where do I even begin: the box, the key, the hardback short story, the foil, the black sides…basical the whole damn thing is a notable detail.
Season: Spring
Sabbat: Ostara
Sign: Pisces and Scorpio
Element: Earth/ Spirit
Deck compliment: Ethereal Visions Tarot
Collective Pull: Henbane

Add to your altar

First Impressions

Oh boy, where to begin with this one. There are so many wonderful things to love about this deck. Straight out the box, I was overwhelmed by so many amazing details. There’s so much intention in this deck. So many little details that really send the experience over the top. Have you ever purchased something online from a clothing brand for example and it just showed up in a wimpy bag that’s half falling apart? But then there’s that one brand that really brands everything. The box is beautiful, it has little gifts like a tote bag or cute little coin purse, branded tissue paper, and clever names and titles. You don’t need to have these things of course, but it makes a lasting impression. Well Lady Stirling’s Wicked Garden Oracle Deck is the one with the lasting impression. It’s an experience when you open it and that already makes it an excellent product. But of course, the brilliance doesn’t stop there so let’s dive in.

The Packaging

As you can imagine from first impressions, the packaging is excellent. The whole thing is wrapped in gold foil, inside and out. But what I appreciate the most is that it looks like a book. This could be on any bookshelf and it would look like a novel. It’s very aesthetic which means, you could have it on a coffee table while your religious in-laws come over and they’d probably be none the wiser. Not saying you wish to hide your decks but if you did, this would blend right into most decor.

When you open the box, you’re greeted with more gold foil and then a hardcover book. You might think it’s the guidebook at first glance but no, that’s an entirely separate book. This is actually a collection of stories featuring the characters you’ll throughout the cards. This is quite a unique thing Matt does. These story decks are really fun and a great way to dive into the cards with much more detail. Because here’s the thing, you only get so many words in a guidebook and as a deck creator, I can assure you that I never have enough words to say all that I wish to say. This extra storybook, brings more detail into the deck without it being overly preachy or boring.

Then you have the separate guidebook which I will dig into with further detail a bit later and, you have a very pretty key which will be gracing my photos for years to come. It’s so cute and special. It’s actually quite heavy too. Again, do we need this key? No! But it sure is fun to have.

The cards are on the narrow side. I do wish they were a bit wider and a bit thicker but there’s no doubt the painting quality is spectacular. The colors are rich, the detail is immaculate and the backs of the cards are full of gold foil. Not to mention all of the intricate foil detail on the card faces.

And as if that wasn’t enough, you have matte black sides. If you’ve been here for a while, you know how much I loathe cards that don’t have gilded edges. Well loathe is a strong word but I’m annoyed for sure. Having said that, there’s so many extra details here that I wouldn’t have cared if the edges weren’t done. But in truth, when I look at a box like this, I have to wonder, why the other publishers aren’t willing to go the extra mile?

The Guidebook

The guidebook is full color and meant to look like a journal or notebook. Inside you will find:

An introduction
How to use the journal (aka guidebook)
Three spread ideas
A note from one of the characters

For each card, you’ll find three sections. The first is called “Entry Found” and represents Lady Stirling’s own encounters with that specific plant. The second section is called “Examination” which isn’t actually included for each card; only the plants. This section is missing from Fox Sisters and Celtic Queen for example. This section seems to reference Lady Stirling’s research of the plant or examination of it as the title suggests. The last section is called “Her Reflections” which is probably the closest thing to a divinatory meaning as it describes Lady Stirling’s thoughts and ideas around each plant or character.

To be honest, I wish there had been more explanation about the purpose of each section and I do wish there had been more of a specific oracle meaning. There’s no doubt the story is well thought out and executed but, I do feel like the story was more of the priority and the oracle part felt more like an afterthought.

You have the “Her Reflections” section but it's mostly a paragraph of questions or journal prompts rather than specific guidance. I think some people, especially beginner readers, may have a hard time understanding the meaning each card and how to apply it to their specific situation. The whole purpose of an oracle deck is to get answers so having more questions might leave readers more confused than enlightened.

The other thing I’ve noticed is that the card images do not match the images in the journal (aka guidebook). The names are the same so it’s easy enough to find the correct entry that way and the images in the journal are supposed to be Lady Stirling’s drawings but, I think it would’ve been more cohesive if the card images were reproductions of Lady Stirling’s drawings instead and then the cards and the journal would’ve matched in a more organic way.

Having said that though, there is a note in the introduction which is written from the POV of the character Emile Coleman. She writes about reading through Lady Stirling’s journal and how her own journey with the spirits of this deck unfolded which then prompted her to work with “American artist Matt Hughes” to bring these plants and people to life. That’s definitely fun and an unusual way to introduce an oracle deck. But if I had not read the introduction (as I’m sure many will not), then I wouldn’t have known this intention. But this is why you should always read the whole guidebook to be fair. There may be valuable information that could alter how you work with or understand a deck.

Theme

The theme is quite in-depth and relates directly to the storybook so I would highly recommend reading it through at least once. There’s a lot of information that gives so much more understanding to the concept of the oracle than if you were to start using the deck without reading the story. In essence, this oracle deck references the adventures of Lady Muriel Stirling, her disappearance, the foundation named after her and the new director of the foundation who finds her own adventure in Lady Stirling’s journal. There’s also an important detail about how the plants and spirits within Lady Stirling’s wicked garden have been misused and misunderstood by those who have no care for their sacredness. This last part especially, is key to understanding and interpreting the cards in my opinion.

Honestly, there’s so much to go into that I couldn’t possibly explain it all here. It's world-building in an oracle deck and you’ll get the most out of this deck by reading the story yourself.

*With companion deck - Ethereal Visions Tarot*

The Artwork

The artwork is superb. I mean, there are so many cards that I absolutely love. The art is moody but still lush and soft. There are obviously some scary-esque creatures that I prefer to call hauntingly beautiful. My favorite among them is Balanis. I love this card so deeply. I love the blue hair, the androgynous face (even though the book identifies Balanis as she), the decayed arms, and I especially love the blue foil in the dead center of the card. Is it a ribcage? A decaying chest? A burst of light? You really can’t tell just by looking at it.

The entry in the journal explains her mistreatment from the men in the Stirling family. As a result, she is incredibly sad and angry. Which leads me to believe the blue at the center of her chest is grief. It’s the heartache she carries. Her hand is clawing it as if she’s been trying to rip it away and though she’s depressed, you can still see the beauty of what she once was when she was treated properly. It’s a moving card and in some ways, represents the hardships of life. We all experience cruelty and we all have to learn how to hold onto ourselves when we aren’t being nurtured. I think there’s a lot you can take away from this card if you were to sit with it.

“While creating the exhibit honouring Lady Muriel Stirling, I had the privilege of transcribing the found journal containing her writings and beautiful watercolours and created this book you now hold.”

Another favorite is Coventina, mostly because that’s a name you don’t hear too often. I was surprised to see it in the deck. There isn’t a lot of information about her but I have always resonated with what little I did find of her.

I also want to point out the blue foiling detail throughout the cards, just like what’s on Balanis. I have taken photos of it which you can find below. All of the cards have gold foiled borders but the turquoise blue definitely stands out. It’s especially lovely on Orchid Mantis.

Own Lady Stirling's Wicked Garden

Reading With this Deck

Reading with this deck has been quite special but I do think it takes some getting used to. It's not like pulling a card and getting a very clear divinatory message. You aren’t going to find meanings like “have better boundaries, work on wealth consciousness, put self love first.” There’s none of that. The meanings are presented as stories and reflection questions so you really need to pay attention and listen to your gut to understand what’s being said.

However, I have found the cards are still spot on for me and much of what was said in the stories resonated quite deeply. I pulled Foxglove for the personality of the deck and I do think that sums it up quite well. Some of the reflections for this card are: How did I navigate my last experience of sadness? Did I stay kind or let bitterness overwhelm me?

I think that makes sense because all of the characters represented in this deck have been mistreated and have had to decide to give into the sadness and anger or to stay kind in spite of it. What I got out of this pull is that this deck understands itself well and told me so with clarity and confidence. I really appreciate that in a deck.

Collective Pull

I pulled Henbane for you. This card questions how much you have let your intuition guide you in recent months? Are you trusting what you’re feeling or are you giving into your darker thoughts and impulses that are leading you astray? There are signs all around you but they aren’t bright, flashing lights. They’re subtle, sometimes so much so you can barely see them if you aren’t paying attention. This is your summons to slow down my darling and tune into your mind, your body and your environment. Don’t rush through life. Give way to slowing down. Allow your walk to be leisurely and your speech to be at ease. Encourage your thoughts to find an easier pace and your hands to experience what they’re holding. Allow yourself to be present within your body. Doing so will give your intuition the space it needs to be heard.

Season, Sign, Element and Sabbat

I really wanted to label this deck autumn at first but went with Spring instead. The images feature a lot of death and decay which is what made me think of autumn but when I meditated with it, I came to see a lot of lushness. There’s a clear spring influence—early spring to be specific. It reminds me of that time of year when winter really isn’t over but spring is definitely in the air. When there’s decay and new, fresh life too. Which is what made me think of Ostara.

I know we associate Ostara with spring gardens but let’s be real, it's still snowing in many places around that time. Or gardens have little more than small, wispy sprouts. You know what else is happening around that time? Manure and compost being laid in gardens. Weeds being pulled out. Dead animals surface from the snow. There’s still a lot of death during that time, we’ve just learned to romanticize new beginnings. This deck honors both the decay and the freshness of early spring. Just as Lady Stirling’s garden appears dead at first glance but holds a world of beings waiting to be reborn.

I chose Pisces for the zodiac sign. It fits with the time of year but also because Pisces is the sign of alternate realms. The sign of magic all around us that we can’t see. It would definitely be a Pisces who stumbles across a secret garden in my opinion. And finally, I chose earth for the element. There’s a clear connection to this deck and the earth thanks to the plants being featured. But I would also say the spirit element as well.

Who is this deck for?

If you were a fan of Matt’s other deck: Mother Mort’s Carnival of Souls, then you’ll love this one. It has the same overall structure, just with a different story. But just about everything else is the same: the box, the short story, the guidebook, and the way the cards are illustrated.

You can check out my review of Mother Mort’s Carnival of Souls here.

Same goes for Matt’s tarot decks. He has a clear style, that’s consistent for sure so if you like his art then you’ll absolutely like this too. And I think you’ll appreciate this deck if you love things that are hauntingly beautiful. If you aren’t afraid of words like death, decay, bitterness, sadness, shadow or if you find positive nuggets in words like that, then this is for you. I know I said Pisces is the sign but Scorpios will absolutely love this deck too.

Deck Companion

I’m going to go with Ethereal Visions Tarot for this one. Matt’s style is just so unique that it would be a shame to pair this with anything else but one of his other decks. I feel like the Kickstarter edition of Luna Tarot cards, also by Matt, is the best choice but I don’t have a copy of that one. If you do, you’ll have to let me know how you like the pairing.

Purchase Ethereal Visions Tarot

Thanks for reading all the way through. If you found this review to be helpful, informative or entertaining in any way, please be sure to leave a comment down below. It really helps me know what you’re enjoying so that I can provide more content based on what you love. In the meantime, please enjoy a variety of photos from this deck.

And of course, if there is something you’d like me to consider reviewing, please comment below or email me at hello@spiritelement.co