Last Herb In and Trough Replant!

Here is the fairy trough for another year. Kept the Victorian rosemary. Just cut it back. Added a Lemon Frost Thyme and a compact sage. And drum roll please! Here is the last herb plant to be planted yesterday. It is a lavender called 'Javelin' compact blue. I don't think it is hardy and this trough doesn't go inside. Maybe The Herbal Husband will dig it up to come in anyway! By the way, that trough below looks like it's hanging on a wall! Well, I'm off to cut some 'Munstead' lavender. See you later.

Is There A Heaven For Chives?

Well, if you saw my home page and this photo, you will notice that the chives are mostly gone! The Herbal Husband said in the end it needed to be done! He went upstairs while I was working trying to get them all out! I thought he was upset. I guess he just needed a siesta and really wanted me to do the work instead of him. Well, even though we are getting company soon hopefully the new plants will have a jump start and fill in the spaces! I need your positive energy! Hope you have a great weekend!

OMG! We Have Ladybug Eggs and Babies!

Do you see what I'm seeing! They are ladybug eggs! NO KIDDING! A couple of weeks ago I was hoping to move the tansy to the compost pile! NOT ANY MORE! I would still like to move it to the back of our garden, but this is so exciting! The ladybugs seem to be around every other day and are really active, wink, wink! So active, we already have ladybug babies that look like tiny red and black alligators! Here is a picture! So be careful what you wish for because you may be displacing an important part of the balance of the garden!

It's Travel Thursday--La Concepcion Botanical Garden

We spent a beautiful afternoon in La Concepcion Botanical Garden outside Malaga. The entrance plaque and other plaques throughout the garden were Spanish tile which I loved.
The gardens had beautiful views like these. Pictures are worth thousands of words! Hope you enjoy it.

how about some lavender syrup?

Isn't this an interesting color?

I had a request for some lavender syrup. It is made much like any of the others we've talked about here on the blog in the past. The herb is steeped for a period of time in hot water, strained, lemon juice added, and it is made into a simple syrup.
Lavender doesn't really impart much color, though. I pondered and pondered, not really wanting to add anything artificial to the blend. Finally my eyes lit upon a handful of blueberries left from a pint I'd gotten at market. Adding about ONE berry for every 2 ounces of liquid, this is the smashing color that came of it. The lemon juice probably helped a lot.
Oh - it tastes wonderful too!

People often ask me what you can use these syrups for. Some use them to make exotic cocktails. I don't drink much alcohol, so there are many other ways we use them here. They can be used as a sweetener any place that a little bit of an herb-y or floral flavor would be good.

Sweetening tea

Lightly drizzled over fruit and sprinkled with edible blossoms

Over ice cream

Pancakes

Crepes

Belgian waffles and cream...

See? They are good everywhere!

Making Salves and Balms

This article was co-written by Ym-health and Maryanne Schwartz and ran in the Jul/Aug '08 issue of The Essential Herbal Magazine, where there were several pictures and recipes accompanying these instructions.

MAKING SALVES AND BALMS

One of the most basic ways to use herbs medicinally is in a salve or balm. These preparations are carriers of the herbal properties and enable the user to apply those properties to their skin in an appropriate formulation. We consider a salve to be softer (like Vicks), while a balm is stiffer, like a lip balm, and holds its shape if removed from a container. Many times the terms are used interchangeably.
Both salves and balms are made by combining oil and wax. The amount of wax used determines the hardness of the final product. Less wax equals a softer product, more equals a harder product.
Many different oils can be used. Olive oil is the most common. Jojoba oil might be chosen for its long shelf life. The list goes on and on, with choices like butters (shea, mango, cocoa, etc.), solid oils (coconut, palm, soy), and liquid oils (sweet almond, apricot kernel, avocado, etc.), and various blends. Rendered animal fats like emu oil and bear grease are considered to be very healing all by themselves. Keep in mind that anything made from wild animals may not be sold in any way, shape, or form.
Herbs and their healing properties are added to the salves by infusing the oil(s) prior to blending with wax.
There are a lot of different ways to infuse oils. Many people have specific ways that work very well for them, and like old family recipes for that special dish, they are all considered to be the best. Considering that plants come to us with different strengths and potencies based on growing conditions, etc., infusing is something we don’t stress over much, worrying mostly about avoiding things like mold. Infusing fresh herbs can be tricky because fresh herbs contain water. Water in oil can provide a medium for bacteria to grow. Because of that (and because we are time-impaired herbies), we prefer to wilt the herbs well to evaporate some of the moisture and then use low, gentle heat to infuse, the heat removing the rest of the moisture. Some infuse herbs for weeks, months, and even years, but using gentle heat can provide good infusions overnight.
We usually make our salves when the plant is growing and make what we expect to use that year until the next growing season.
Additionally, essential oils can be added to salves/balms with great results.

Some herbs commonly used in salves and balms:
Comfrey
Calendula
St. John’s Wort
Lavender
Plantain
Lemon Balm
Arnica
Chamomile
Balm of Gilead (Poplar buds)

Once the oil(s) has been chosen , infused, and well strained, it is time to warm it with beeswax and create the salve.
For a firm balm, use 1 part wax to 2 parts oil. For a looser slave, cut the wax to 1:3 up to 1:6. If using solids like butters, very little wax is required.
Heat only until wax is melted and blend well to avoid separation. Add any essential oils just before pouring into wide-mouthed jars or tins, blending well prior to pouring.

Prepared in this way, your salves and balms should hold up through the year with no need for refrigeration.

D-Day for Chives!

I have too many chives. Never thought I would say that! They do multiply not quite like lemon balm, but close! Some of the chives have been given to a new home and some are out in our front garden where there was space developed by The Herbal Husband. He has separation anxiety! Well, I'm taking a break today, but tomorrow or Friday, I will be working to get them down to a reasonable number.

Alfred de Dalmas I Hardly Know You!

One of my favorite roses is blooming in my garden. I thought until this moment that it was an 'Alfred de Dalmas'. If you look at the Heirloom Roses website, you may agree with me that I don't have 'Alfred'. It said it's a repeat bloomer and disease resistant! It is neither of those.
It is a beautiful flower though and has a wonderful fragrance. I'm going to dry some petals and add them to my tea blends. Remember all roses that aren't chemically treated are edible. I just would not eat florists' roses because they are from other countries which may use chemicals. I'll have to do a little research and let you know what I think it might be. If you have any ideas on what this rose might be, I would love to hear from you!

Our Arizona Bell is Ringing!

One of my favorite parts of our Arizona trip last fall was the visit to the Cosanti Bell Factory in Paradise Valley. We finally got the bell out of the wrapping paper and into the garden last week. This bell has a distinct sound and I will think of the wonderful time we spent on our trip when I hear it.

Relishing in the abundance of the forest: Arnica

I made it home from my month-long trip to California just in time to see the arnica blooming on the forest floor outside of my home. Today I was able to grab my gathering basket for a little stroll along the arnica paths to harvest some for liniment and oil. I also did a video for Herbmentor that should be up soon.

Arnica has many different species, and I don’t try to differentiate between them. It is a member of the Compositae family and when it goes to seed, it looks much like dandelion.

They have rhizomatic, roots which helps them to spread out in such dense patches. The leaves can be heart shaped, or sometimes are a thinner lance shape. The stems and leaves of this particular arnica are hairy, but I’ve read they can also be smooth. They can have 2-4 pairs of opposite leaves on the stem, with another pair of leaves at the base of the plant.

Arnica is hands down my choice for traumatic injuries such as bruising, sprains, strains, and even the trauma of broken bones. It is a magical plant that quickly clears blood stagnation, reduces swelling, and thereby decreases pain and increases healing time. It does this by dilating blood capillaries to increase blood flow to and from injuries.

It’s also great for achy muscles that have been overworked, or are chronically sore. Again, because it opens up circulation to an area and reduces inflammation it can also be used for arthritis (especially osteoarthritis) and bursitis.

Because arnica is a topical irritant, it works best on closed wounds, so if I have an injury with bruising and a cut or scrape I reach for something else. I’ve never had this happen to myself, but some people have reported a rash with extended use.

Most herbalists agree that arnica could be used internally, but only with A LOT of caution. Side effects include cardiac arrest and internal bleeding. Michael Moore, in his book, Medicine Plants of the Pacific West, has interesting notes about using it for sore throats, and other internal uses. Of course it is often used internally in homeopathic doses.

Arnica is ready to harvest when it is in full bloom, and looking vibrant. To harvest arnica I use a pair of scissors to clip the stem a couple of inches above the forest floor leaving a pair of leaves intact. I like harvesting arnica without gloves smelling the rich scent of arnica on my hands. It's smell is not unlike the sap of the pine trees which is where it likes to grow.

Arnica rhizomes help to aerate the soil, so I walk along the edge of arnica patches clipping a plant here and there to add to my basket. Also, because they can help reduce soil erosion I harvest arnica on flat surfaces, rather than hillsides.

Today I’ll be making both a liniment and oil. The liniment (an alcohol extraction) I made shortly after harvesting, but I let the arnica wilt a bit longer before infusing them in oil.

Arnica can easily be spoiled in oil, so I really baby this one by stirring every day, leaving a cloth lid on for about a week, and being extra sure there is no plant material above the surface of the oil. (Good tips for whenever you are making infused oils from fresh material.)

I often combine arnica with other plants in my salves, but I also like it as a simple with some lavender essential oil.

Further reading:

Medicine Plants of the Pacific West, Michael Moore
From Earth to Herbalist, Gregory Tilford