Medicinal Herb Gardens

On the wonderfully sunny Sunday just past, Darrell and I went to Seattle to have lunch with Bethany and take a walk through the UW's  Medicinal Herb Gardens.  It was supposed to be a guided tour, but apparently the budget cuts hit in this area, too, as the tours were cancelled, but the gardens could be investigated on our own.

 Several large greenhouses are just to the south of the herb gardens.  Those are scarlet runner beans vining up the ropes.  If you have ever grown those, you can imagine what a riotous mass of scarlet blooms will adorn this massive area before too long!

The gardens sprawled around on what we hear is about 2 acres.  There were hundreds of plants, some of which I recognized and even grew, others I had heard of but never seen, and then a host of plants I had neither heard of nor seen before! It would have been fascinating to hear what they were all used for!

A couple of cool ones: This cactus looked like a 4 foot tall 'hen' of Hens and Chicks, so I will give it the name of 'Rooster".  The amazing pink flower was actually not a part of the herb gardens, but was some tall bush we passed on our walk back to Bethany's apartment, just a few blocks from the campus.

One of our favorites, we think stiff tickseed has a quiet character of its own, but not to be overlooked!

German Chamomile

The flowers of the German Chamomile, though aromatic, have a very bitter taste. They contain a volatile oil, a bitter extractive and little tannic acid.




---Medicinal Action and Uses---Carminative, sedative and tonic. The infusion of 1/2 oz. of the dried flowers to 1 pint of boiling water may be given freely in teaspoonful doses to children, for whose ailments it is an excellent remedy. It acts as a nerve sedative and also as a tonic upon the gastro-intestinal canal. It proves useful during dentition in cases of earache, neuralgic pain, stomach disorders and infantile convulsions. The flowers may also be used externally as a fomentation.

~Information from Botanical.com

Harvesting the German Chamomile plants that voluntarily popped up in several locations in my garden this year, I hope to brew up an occassional cup of tea this winter if I have trouble sleeping........

Elecampagne

I have been practicing what I learned about taking pictures with my camera set in the 'Manual' mode on my DSLR camera.  I actually like some of these better than when set in the fully automatic mode, which is where my camera setting resided before the class a month ago.  This is good news.  Encouraging :-}

This is the flower of the herb Elecampagne.  I planted it a few years ago next to the chicken coop.  It struggles there, but I just read it likes moist ground, so I may replant it elsewhere next year.   

Wonder what it is used for? 

Diuretic, tonic, diaphoretic, expectorant, alterative, antiseptic, astringent and gently stimulant. It was employed by the ancients in certain diseases of women, also in phthisis, in dropsy and in skin affections.

In herbal medicine it is chiefly used for coughs, consumption and other pulmonary complaints, being a favourite domestic remedy for bronchitis. It has been employed for many years with good results in chest affections, for which it is a valuable medicine as it is in all chronic diseases of the lungs asthma and bronchitis. It gives relief to the respiratory difficulties and assists expectoration. Its principal employment as a separate remedy is in acute catarrhal affections, and in dyspepsia attended with relaxation and debility, given in small, warm and frequently repeated doses. It is, however, seldom given alone, but most frequently preferred in combination with other medicines of a similar nature. It is best given in the form of decoction, the dose being a small teaspoonful, three times a day.

~Botanical.com

Headache Relief

Despite its name, Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is not used primarily for lowering fevers. It does, however, help lessen headache pain by limiting the inflammation of blood vessels in the brain. It can possibly help relieve the pain of arthritis as well. Simply chew on the leaves of the plant. A caution, though: It may irritate your mouth or lips if used frequently. I tried chewing on few leaves once when I had a headache. Bitter. Bleck! But it actually relieved the pain! Yes, I admit, I was surprised. Pleasantly.
I brought a feverfew plant with me from North Bend when we moved out to our property here. Now I have hundreds growing. They seed freely, and I pull many out each spring as I weed. I leave plenty undisturbed, though, as the flowers are so bright and friendly...... and who knows when one might need them to whisk away a nasty headache?

Even if conventional medicine tells you that your condition is incurable or that your only option is to live a life dependent on drugs with troublesome side effects, there is hope for improving or reversing your condition. ~Leon Chaitow, N.D., D.O.

Field of Immune Boosters

It gives one a sudden start in going down a barren, stony street, to see upon a narrow strip of grass, just within the iron fence, the radiant dandelion, shining in the grass, like a spark dropped from the sun. ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Reflection on 'Weeds'

Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them. ~ A. A. Milne

Friend or Foe?

This is the time of year we see these nasty heads poking up from our lawns. They are impossible to free ourselves from. In a matter of hours, it seems, they burst out into the dreaded flowers.....

But wait! Could we be mistaken? Are we just programmed to hate these plants? Did you know they are packed with Vitamin C? The young leaves of the dandelion plant (Taraxacum officianale) can be added to a spring salad. They have a slightly sharp, bitter taste, which can not only add an interesting twist to a green salad, but give you a wallop of a dose of Vit. C to build up your immune system. The bright yellow flowers can be made into wine, and the roots roasted and ground, can be used to make coffee. Last year I made Dandelion Tincture for added boosts of Vit. C during the cold and flu season. The plant is extremely wholesome, containing vitamins, proteins and mineral salts, and has been used for centuries as a healing plant.

Of course, it grows as a wild weed here, but in France they cultivate it to sell in the markets! Can you imagine growing it purposefully? Maybe not, but perhaps you will view it with a bit more friendliness, now that you know it really can be to our benefit :o)

The miracles of nature do not seem miracles because they are so common. If no one had ever seen a flower, even a dandelion would be the most startling event in the world.

Syrup de Violette

Wild Violets are another first to bloom in the spring in the Northwest. Suddenly one day you walk out the door, and appearing before you is a haze of purple covering the ground! It always causes me to gasp and exclaim, "The violets are out!!!" Time to make syrup!

Violets have fuzzy sideburns!

The most time consuming part of making the syrup is picking all the blossoms. You need 4 cups of flowers to make a batch of syrup. I enjoy the time spent outside, feeling the approach of spring whilst I harvest the purple jewels.


Once you have your flowers picked, bring them indoors and pour 1 cup of boiling water over them. Leave it to extract the components from the violets until the liquid has totally cooled down to room temperature (or longer, if desired). Strain out the violets, squeezing out all excess water. Place liquid in a saucepan over medium-low heat and add 1 cup of honey. Stirring constantly, melt honey until it is well blended into the mixture. Cool and bottle. Store in refrigerator.

Use for sore throats or stomach aches, slowly sipping 1 teaspoon. Its sweet taste has been sipped by moi even when I don't have any ailment! Yummm....


Look at us, said the violets blooming at her feet, all last winter we slept in the seeming death but at the right time God awakened us, and here we are to comfort you. ~ Edward Payson Roe

Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.~ Mark Twain

Rose Hip Syrup

Rose hips are full of Vitamin C. During WWII, citrus fruits became so scare in England that the British Ministry of Food issued directions on how to harvest hedgerow hips and make a syrup rich in vitamin C.

I grow several rugosa rose bushes. They produce some of the largest rose hips to be found. These hips are from my Mrs. Dart's Rugosa Rose.

After harvesting the hips, cut them in half to begin the drying out process. Scoop the seeds out after they start to shrivel a bit.

To make 1 pint of Rose Hip Syrup:

4 cups rose hips

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

In a saucepan, simmer the hips in the water for 15 minutes.
Pour the water and hips through a colander lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter.
Bring it to a simmering boil and stir in the sugar until dissolved.
Allow the syrup to cool and bottle it.

A tablespoon of rose hip syrup in hot water makes a pleasant, lightly flavored tea, full of vitamin C.

Healing Flower

Echinacea angustifoliaPurple Coneflower

If you are prone to the sniffles and other annoying illnesses, you may want to grow this plant! It is an immune stimulant, helping the body to resist infection. Being an anti-microbial, it increases cellular resistance to viruses, and activates the macophages that destroy both cancerous cells and pathogens (disease-causing cells). It is also anti-catarrhal (ie. it stops the nose from running).

Originally, only the root was used to extract the preparation from, but now all parts of the plant are used. Making a tincture with the plant parts is the usual method employed to make a medicinal product. Tinctures are very easy to make. Simply chop up the parts of the plant you wish to use, put into a jar, then pour 100 Proof Vodka over all. Let is sit for 15 days, shaking it daily. Strain out the plant material at the end of that time, and poof! You have your medicinal tincture!

Fortunately, for those of you who do not like this ancient form of witchcraft........ I mean herbal medicine-making, you can buy echinacea in either tincture form OR good new-fashioned pill form :-)

So if you are prone to the winter sniffles, you might consider taking echinacea on a routine basis during that season.

We have finally started to notice that there is real curative value in local herbs and remedies. In fact, we are also becoming aware that there are little or no side effects to most natural remedies, and that they are often more effective than Western medicine. ~ Anne Wilson Schaef

Best French Bread Ever!

In catching up on my gardens since I came home Monday night, I spent time harvesting the first two varieties of garlic that I planted last fall. I planted 12 types in all :-) We love garlic in this family........... Pictured here is the Siberian Garlic, a hardneck type.

Herb Bread

1 loaf French bread
1 cup soft butter
2 tbsp. finely chopped green onion
2 tbsp. finely chopped ripe olives
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil (or 1 tsp. crushed dried)
1 tbsp. fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp. crushed dried)
1 tbsp. chopped fresh marjoram (or 1/2 tsp. crushed dried)
1 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon (or 1/2 tsp. crushed dried)
1 head garlic (or to your preferred taste), bulbs minced

Slice French bread diagonally almost through to bottom crust. Blend soft butter with remaining ingredients; combine well. Spread cut surfaces with mixture. Place on baking sheet. Heat at 350 degrees for 15-20 min. Serve warm.

"There is no such thing as a little garlic." ~ Arthur Baer

"Garlic is the catsup of intellectuals." ~ unknown

“My final, considered judgment is that the hardy bulb [garlic] blesses and ennobles everything it touches - with the possible exception of ice cream and pie.” ~ Angelo Pellegrini, 'The Unprejudiced Palate' (1948)

Pesto and Packing

I still haven't packed for my trip to Bolivia. It is 11:30 PM and I leave tomorrow. I spent the day cutting back bushes, deadheading others, watering, visiting with a friend, harvesting herbs, picking berries, making another batch of berry jam, baking a strawberry coffee cake, strawberry shortcake (trying to use up the freshly picked berries) and harvesting the basil and making Pesto. I use the recipe from Susan Branch's Heart of the Home Cookbook. It is simple and fast............

I grew the basil in my green house with success, after two earlier tries this year outside in the garden. I made two batches from the Sweet Basil.......
and one batch from cinnamon basil. I am thinking it might be good used on something Indian.
You simply put all ingredients into the food processor.......
and presto! You have Pesto!!!
I freeze mine in old ice cube trays, pop them out and store them in a freezer bag for later use.

That behind me now, I think I will go pack, take a nice hot bubble bath and finish the book I am reading that is overdue at the library (thinking I should turn it in tomorrow before I leave......). Next time I blog it should be from Bolivia! Adios mis amigas!

Mint ~ Part II

Besides using mint to flavor different foods or health products, it can also be used for many other things. I concocted this Lavender-Mint Natural Hair Rinse from Janice Cox's book Natural Beauty for All Seasons this week.......... 1/2 apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

1 tablespoon chopped fresh lavender leaves and flowers

1 cup water

Mix all ingredients together and let sit overnight. Strain before using. To use, simply pour over your wet, clean hair, massage well into your scalp, then rinse with warm or cool water.
Either use it on your own hair, or bottle and label it for a nice gift for your kindred spirit :-)

Mint ~ Part I

"As for the garden of mint, the very smell of it alone recovers and refreshes our spirits, as the taste stirs up our appetite ........." ~ PlinyRefreshing is the word that sums up the flavor of the group of plant species in the mentha genus. There are many different scented mint varieties. Above are pictured spearmint and peppermint. They are both widely used to flavor a plethora of consumer products, from sachets to salads, from toothpastes to teas. Peppermint is carminative and anti-spasmodic, causing the digestive system to relax. It relieves gas, nausea and stimulates digestive juices.

Clockwise from the top left, we see Candy Mint, Curly Mint and Blackstemmed Peppermint. Candy Mint smells wonderfully reminiscent of the Christmas season and its candy canes. Curly Mint is the primary mint that the clear, green mint jelly is made from that accompanies lamb. Blackstemmed Peppermint is just one of the many types of peppermints. This particular plant has square 4-sided stems and emits a strong peppermint fragrance.

My favorite is the Chocolate Mint. No surprise there. It truly smells like peppermint flavored hot cocoa. Maybe even with marshmallows :-)Woolly Apple Mint grows freely in several areas in my yard. It jumped pot years ago, and has popped up here and there. Apple Mint Jelly is made with it. I often crush a stem of it and throw it in a pitcher of cold water for a refreshing drink on a hot day. Emma Wakefield's mint tea blend is comprised of 4 parts apple mint, 2 parts spearmint, and one part each of peppermint and orange mint. It is said to be delicious. I think I will dry some of each of those this summer so I can sip hot mint tea by my warm fire this coming winter.........

My Orange Mint escaped from the pot I grew it in, and now grows wild under my Orange Blossom Bush. You can see a few of the white blooms on the bush above the mint. Their scent is out of this world. No words can describe the delicious fragrance that is presently permeating the air space on my kitchen deck. But this blog is about mints....... let me quote Andy Van Hevelingen:

"I like to begin a sunny summer day by setting out a gallon jar of water for sun tea made with Earl Grey tea flavored with a big handful of orange mint."






So yesterday I did just that. I am not a big fan of iced tea, but my husband enjoyed this tall glass of the sweet tea with his dinner last night.

"Like wine connoisseurs, herb people evaluate mints by their senses." Andy Van Hevelingen

Lady's Mantle

Lady's Mantle, or alchemilla vulgaris, grows abundantly in my yard. Actually, you can see it in the ditches along our property, too. It seeds everywhere. Although I love many things about it, Lady's Mantle has become a weed that I must constantly pull up. Of course, I leave patches of them here and there. Alchemilla means 'the little magical one'. Lady's Mantle is primarily used for gynecological purposes in the herbal world. Hence, part of the reason for its name. The leaves are said to help with heavy periods, hemorrhaging and infertility. It is also supposed to help with bruising and other bleeding issues, as well as the healing of open wounds. A tea to drink is usually made from the leaves for these purposes. It can also be used to make a dye from.Leaves with folds in them and shaped like a lady's cloak, combined with the a waterproofness that beads up rain drops or dew, are the main qualities that this plant's name derives from. Those are my favorite things about this plant, and why it finds a home amongst my herbs.

"When one is ill, whether young or old, let two handfuls of Lady's Mantle in a measure of water boil for as long as it takes to hard boil an egg, and drink it." ~from and old herbal