The University of British Columbia Botanical Garden and The Holt Physic Garden

Moongate and Tunnel to Physic Garden

The Food Garden

Another View of The Food Garden

The Arbour Garden

The Europe Section of the E. H. Lohbrunner Alpine Garden

The Yew Hedge Surrounding the Physic Garden

The Entrance Plaque of the Physic Garden

The Doctrine of Signatures Principle

Galium odoratum-Sweet Woodruff

Achillea millefolium-Common Yarrow

Viola odorata-Sweet Violet

Primula veris-Cowslip

Helleborus niger-Christmas Rose

Angelica archangelica-Angelica

Artemisia absinthium-Common Wormwood

I got to visit The University of British Columbia Botanical Garden and the Physic Garden that is a small piece of that garden with The Herbal Husband's nephew's wife, Moray last May.  It was a bonding experience.  J-A, you picked a great girl!  The Botanical Garden contains an Asian garden, the perennial borders, the winter garden, the alpine garden, native garden, contemporary garden, arbour garden, food garden and, of course, what I really wanted to see was the Physic Garden.

So we didn't waste time, we went through the Moongate and headed to the Physic Garden.  Again this garden is an intimate space, but full of wonderful herbs. On the way we passed through the Food Garden, the Arbour Garden and the Alpine Garden.  I have given you just a slice of the entire herb garden.  The Doctrine of Signatures principle is a foundation of the garden.  It is an ancient belief that plants are marked with a divine sign indicating their purpose.  For example, lungwort resembles a diseased lung and so it indicated use of the plant for pulmonary complaints.  Sweet woodruff was used for sweet smells when bundled.  Common yarrow was used by Achilles to bandage his soldiers.  Sweet violets were used as plasters and poultices.  Cowslip wine was used as a remedy for insomnia.  The Christmas rose was used to treat melancholy.  I put angelica in the mix because it was just such a beautiful blooming plant and it can give you contact dermatitis if you clip it on a sunny day.  Common wormwood is a cerebral stimulant that can be dangerous in  large doses.  I'm sure you all know that Maude Grieve's Modern Herbal is online at Botanical.com to get more information on these or any herbs.

I'm doing these travel posts in anticipation of my new guest blogger post for The Herb Companion being published.  So I'm continuing to get more photos together from my Chicago adventure last fall.  So stay tuned.

Finishing a Trip or Two-Poulsbo, Washington!

My Cousin Has a Beautiful View!

Found Herbs at a Local Nursery

Poulsbo Harbor

Famous Sluy's Poulsbo Bakery

After seven days of beautiful weather, the rains have come and our doors have been postponed!  So instead of a door post, we'll go traveling.  I'm so far behind on sharing trip photos that it doesn't matter what I talk about!  If your memory is hazy, let me refresh it.  We went up to Vancouver, BC to visit The Herbal Husband's nephew and family.  We then rented a car and took the ferry over to Victoria and saw Butchart Gardens and had tea at the Empress.  We took a second ferry into the United States to see my cousin and his wife in Poulsbo, Washington.  They have a beautiful view of the Hood Canal and the mountains.  We even brought good weather to them.  We had beautiful days as you can see from the photos above.  We went to a local nursery and found some really wonderful herbs.  Always sad not to be able to take any home!  Had to go back into Canada!  Then we went to downtown Poulsbo and walked along the harbor and had to stop at  Sluy's Poulsbo Bakery.  Yum!  We had a great time although short visit with my family.  Hopefully we will see them again soon.  Hope you are having a dry day.  The rain will continue so maybe the traveling will as well.  Talk to you later.

Having Afternoon Tea with Bernideen in the Garden at The Empress Hotel!!

This Really Does Say The Empress!  Darn Tree!

They Have Been Serving Afternoon Tea Here Since 1908

Strawberries and Cream to Start

The Entire Tea Tray!

Smoked Salmon Pinwheel, Mango and Curried Chicken and Free Range Egg Salad Croissant

Cucumber and Horseradish, Traditional Pork Pate on Crostini and Another Smoked Salmon Pinwheel:)

Raisin Scones, Strawberry Jam and Empress Cream

Battenberg Cake, Lemon Meringue Tart and Raspberry Cheesecake

Rose Petal Shortbread and Chocolate Tulip with Valrhona Caramel Chocolate!

A Very Relaxing Place for Afternoon Tea!

I wish I really was, Bernideen!  The next best afternoon tea would be at the Empress Hotel, Victoria, British Columbia!  I apologize for the lateness of this post.  May seems many cooler days and nights away from today!  We did have a wonderful vacation in Vancouver and nearby places, including Victoria, BC.  We always have a packed schedule and so afternoon tea was just slightly south of Noon (Fortunately, they start serving "afternoon" tea at 11 or 11:30 AM.) and we had a 3 o'clock ferry to catch to Washington state.  Soo our waitress, Marilyn, took great care of us and got us on our way with prompt service.  She was very kind.  The food was delicious and there was much negotiating on the dessert items as usual!  I had jasmine butterfly and The Herbal Husband had his usual Earl Grey.  We each got a small jar of strawberry jam and a small box of "Empress" tea bags to take home.  If you get a chance to go to Victoria make sure you have "afternoon tea" at the Empress.  It is worth it!