Flower Essences of the Garden

 

Soaking up the sun

 

 

Yarrow.

for those easily affected by their surroundings, and can be prone to many forms of environmental illness. easily depleted.
helps balance internal energy.

Wild Bleeding Heart.

broken-heartedness from feelings poured into another who is no longer physically present. emotional co-dependence.
ability to love within the care of Self. emotional freedom.

Chamomile.

subject to changeable moods and fluctuating emotions. trouble letting go of emotional stress.
helps release tension from the solar plexus area. emotional balance and stability.

Johnny Jump Up.

preparation for trauma. helps anticipate and prepare for trauma.

Evening Primrose.

feelings of rejection stemming from in utero or early childhood experiences. avoidance of deep emotional connections and relationships. sexual and emotional repression.
helps bring awareness and healing of painful early emotions. aids in the ability to form relationships and emotional openness.

Borage.

a heart remedy.
in grief, sadness. for a heavy heart. feeling discouraged or disheartened. lack of confidence.
helps to uplift and encourage. to have optimism and courage. to feel lightness of heart.

Red Clover.

loss of identity. susceptible to anxiety and panic.
cleanses and balances. calm and steady presence.

Daisy.

helps clear thinking, especially for new information or environments. centered.

Self heal.

lost belief in Self. for those facing healing challenges.
creates a bond between physical and emotional. self healing. restores wholeness.

Deerprints

 

Tracks of mother deer and fawn by the river.

Trifolium pratense

Pineapple Weed

Matricaria matricarioides

One of my hidden favorites in the early summer. Pineapple weed makes a good warm cup of tea, or chilled as well. Fruity full flavor. Fragrant. A cousin of chamomile. A wonderful nervine, try a cup on a stressful day. It’s also used as a carminative for indgestion and aids in relieving menstrual cramps. Oh, how relaxing.

Echinacea

Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia, E. purpurea, and E. pallida)

Comes from the Greek word, echinos, which means hedgehog. This is due to its spiny center.

Parts Used   Roots, leaves and flowers

Collection   Roots are harvested in spring or fall, at 2 1/2 to 3 years of age. Leaves are collected throughout the season and flowers when in bloom.

Habitat    Perennial. A prairie wildflower, echinacea grows in wide open, grassy areas.

Actions   Alternative, antibiotic, antibacterial, anti-catarrhal, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, immune stimulant, lymphatic

Constituents   Volative oil, glycosides, amides, antibiotic polyacetyles, inulin

Uses   Echinacea strengthens and stimulates the immune system, helps fight colds, flu and infections. It is a valuable herb to take in order to boost immunity with first signs of cold, as well as the treatment of infections. Used for colds, flu, bronchial infections, sore gums and mouth inflammation, and externally for skin infections. Echinacea also increases cellular reistance to viruses. It activates the macrophages that destroy both cancerous cells and pathogens.  It has been used by Native Americans for hundreds of years for infections, wounds and snakebites. 

Dose and preparation   Decoction- 1 to 2 Tbs. of the root simmered in 1 cup of water, and taken 3 times per day. Infusion- 1 to 2 Tbs. fresh leaves steeped in 1 cup water. Tincture- 1 to 4 ml taken 3 to 4 times a day.

Important   Echinacea is an at risk plant from overharvesting. Cultivate, harvest and buy with this in mind.

Sources

Gladstar, Rosemary. Family Herbal: A Guide to Living Life with Energy, Health and Vitality. Storey Publishing: North Adams. 2001. p328.

Gladstar, Rosemary. Herbal Healing for Women: Simple Home Remedies for Women of All Ages. Simon & Schuster: New York. 1993. p29.

Hartung, Tammi. Growing 101 Herbs That Heal: gardening techniques, recipes, and remedies. Storey Publishing: North Adams. 2000. p174.

Hoffman, David. An Elder’s Herbal: Natural Techniques for Promoting Health & Vitality. Healing Arts Press: Vermont. 1993. p218.

McVicar, Jekka. The Complete Herb Book. Firefly Books: Buffalo. 2008. p100.

Ody, Penelope. The Complete Medicinal Herbal: A practical guide to the healing properties of herbs, with more than 250 remedies for common ailments. Dorling Kindersley: New York. 1993. p53.

A garden

Where there used to be trash and bricks under lawn, there is now a garden. This garden is home to meadowsweet, bleeding heart, foam flower, ginger, ragged robin, yarrow, culver’s root and more. The bees and lightening bugs fly from flower to flower. A chipmunk, who now makes its home here, dashing into the rock wall, when disturbed. A birdhouse, left from the old womyn who grew up here years ago, has chickadees flying in and out, busy looking for food for its young. And the hummingbird visits the foxgloves, peaking inside, a stillness in movement. 

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Reishi

Walking down the mountain there is a bend that separates the upper part of birches and poplars from the hemlocks. There is a steep incline that rises up from the river. It is darker due to the hemlocks height and thick cover. But I noticed a the sun shining through as I started on down. A bunch of trees fell down this winter. Down below, the sun shone on a hemlock that had snapped around ten feet up some years before. From each side mushrooms glowed orange. I ran down overjoyed to find the reishi I had been looking for. 

Self heal

 

Elderflower & Self heal Mead

Elderflower & Self heal Mead

The elders were in beautiful flower this spring. I’m not sure if it was me in awe of being back in spring beauty or the early rains, but nonetheless enchanting. I started collecting some flowers for drying to store for winter colds, but then got the craving to make a healing mead for spring/summer celebration.  I gathered an armload of elderflowers and quite a bit of self heal too. I then put them in a ceramic bowl and poured a mixture of water and honey over it. I did about a 1 to 6 ratio of honey to water, but if you want a longer ferment it would probably be at about 1 to 4. Add some lemons and their rinds. Stir the mixture in a circular motion as to make a sort of whirlpool. Stirring is the key to making the mead as it needs to get aerobic activity to get the fermentation process going. It’s a good idea to cover the bowl with a cloth so nothing can get in, but remember to stir whenever you get the chance. Leave it in the bowl for a whole week and then transfer to a small container (or a narrow neck container for long term fermentation.) Keep mixing and enjoy within the next few weeks. I let this mead go for three weeks. Strain the flowers and lemons, bottle up, and enjoy on a special summer night. Yum.

 

miracle of a snail

We climbed over the rocks, a damp coolness rising up from the marble and running water. We perch on a boulder on the edge of the stream. A perfect place to soak in the air and running water, a breeze that makes its way up from the movement. I see a snail. I think, what a miracle a snail is. It carries an unique universe on its back. I think of the mass produced plastics this and that, and then this little snail slowly moving its way across the cold marble. Such beauty in its creation of being and I am thankful to share this moment with it.