5 Classic Plant-Themed Ghost Stories for Halloween

Afterward

Written by the genre-defining Edith Wharton, “Afterward” unfolds amongst the gentility of gardens, greenhouses, and grand estates, playing on the beauty of the story’s surroundings and the frailties of the human condition. At the center of the eery, richly-told account lies a mysterious visitor to the garden, whose importance escalates as the narrative develops. First published in 1910, “Afterward” still holds up over a hundred years later. Read the complete text here.

The Striding Place

The Willows

A little longer than the rest, “The Willows” is a novella by Algernon Blackwood, first published in 1907. The narrative is set against the Danube river, where two friends are on a canoeing trip, hoping to enjoy the bucolic sights. But of course, no such theraputic experience is to be found. Blackwood exquisitely personifies the characters’ surroundings, creating the unnerving sense in the reader that something alive in the forest is always just out of sight. Read the complete text here.

The Wind in the Rosebush

With a delicate simplicity, Mary E. Wilkins’ short story spins the tale of school teacher come to care for her niece. “The Wind in the Rosebush” is infused with the flavor of a New England Fall, and has a quiet, haunting threat about it, bringing together the vivid characters in a slow burn of ghostly horror. Read the full story here.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Of course, no ghost story list would be complete without an uncontested Halloween classic: “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. In Washington Irving’s most famous short story, the landscape is a vivid part of the tale, mirroring Ichabod’s thoughts and emotions. If you’re in the NYC area, the real Sleepy Hollow is a quick trip away on Metro North– further bringing the scenery of the story to life for urbanites interested in making the trip. Cozy up to an old classic and read the full story here.