by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP
Have you taken time to explore what plants you have in your garden that you can use to make your own healing teas, use to add a shine to your hair or revive your skin!
Bay Leaf Laurel
Some of my favorites can be used to add spice to recipes, make a soothing tea and to use as a skin and hair tonic. These include; rosemary, bay leaf, fennel, hens and chicks and bamboo! Salads are a treat with; dandelion, yellow dock and hosta leaves or pansy, nasturtium or gladioli flowers! I keep hens and chicks close by for burns, nose bleeds and bug bites!
Over time I have become a dedicated forger and gardener. It has been a slow integration that transitioned into a relationship after spending time to explore the benefits of what was growing in my yard. Getting to know these plants more intimately has brought a whole new experience to my lifestyle!
Since the spring of 2016 I have begun to make home-made hand and body soap using oils made from my landscape. I make my own flavored vinegar and waters, and teas from fresh or dried plant materials from my yard. This past season I used cough syrup that I made from plants I foraged along the Pacific Ocean and used medicinal tinctures infused from fresh plant materials foraged and picked from your garden.
It has been a journey that I hadn’t planned. It started with a curiosity and will to explore. Do I recommend that others begin to forage in their own communities and explore the medicinal qualities of their own garden plants? Yes I do. I believe that this activity will create healthier, happier people who will care about their environment. For me, I describe it as an inner activist movement.
I also encourage others to explore what plants can be recycled! Your veggies such as celery, onions, beets, cabbage and potatoes can be regrown from the ends that you throw away! Next time you go to compost or throw them out, pause and explore how you can re-growth them!
I urge you to begin planning your garden so that you can create your own living outdoor medicine cabinet.
Here is a list of some of the garden plants I have explored in my garden – Berries, Edible Flowers, Garden Plants, Trees, Veggies & Weeds for your Healing Garden
Traditional uses and properties of herbs are for educational purposes only. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Every attempt has been made for accuracy, but none is guaranteed. Any serious health concerns or if you are pregnant, you should always check with your health care practitioner before self-administering herbs.
Living in Natures Love 