Thursday, May 15, 2008

Medicine Garden

My Doctor challenged me to grow my medicine.
I planted one area in my vegetable garden with Echinacea
I planted plants and seeds.
Some will be ready this year for harvesting and drying.



I wonder if I have enough space to grow all the Echinacea
I need for my tea plus enough for the butterflies and the birds.
I have Purple Cone flowers growing in a few spots already.
I will keep a journal.
I will try.



The Camomile (Chamomile) is in full bloom.
It is at peak and ready for harvest.



It is so pretty,
hard for me to cut it all down.


I decided to harvest half of the Camomile for my winter teas.
I will keep some for fresh herb tea now and some for a kitchen bouquet.
It feels good being back with my herbs. I am delighted.
It is time to allow my herbs to heal me.








14 comments:

Mary said...

There is no doubt in my mind that you will have good crops. You are determined. Being "in" whack is good :o)

fiona said...

hello .. just stopping by for that cup of tea we were talking about!

lovely post, I can relate to several things.. firstly, not wanting to cut all the herbs for drying! I like to see the flowers too :-)

secondly, as I don't have much space I can't grow the quantities I'd need for extensive treatment as it takes a lot of herb for tincturing and teas if you take them 2 or 3 times a day? But I like to learn the herbs I'm taking by growing them (if you see what I mean!)

the camomile looks beautiful! good luck with the echinacea, its not one that I've grown but I love its beautiful flowers and its so useful to have around :-)

smilnsigh said...

Camomile looks like daisies! I never knew that. I love it. :-)

Mari-Nanci
Smilnsigh
Photos-City-Mine

smilnsigh said...

And thank you again, for giving me a necessary answer! Even when you don't know I have a question. :-)

A blogger commented on my Full Moon entry... asking when do we know the exact date of the Full Moon? I didn't know for sure. But guessed, the day it falls on, no matter the AM or the PM. And this is correct. Since I noticed your moon gauge! Thank you. I'll pass it on to Alice.

Mari-Nanci
Smilnsigh
Photos-City-Mine

Cheryl said...

I love these two plants....I use both Sherry.
Lovely Camomile helps me to sleep, and I use Echinacea to build up my immune system during the winter months.
You will get much pleasure from this part of your garden I am sure. It will also look so very pretty.
Happy healing......

Q said...

Dear Mary,
My doctor is intuitive! She wants me out in the dirt and with my herbs like I was years ago. I have always grown herbs but never for "medicine". I always have enjoyed the herbs for their scent and for some teas.
My husband is helping. I laughed when my Doctor suggested I grow my medice because that takes energy! Energy I do not have.
I have found that once I took to the challange my energy level increased!
I am glad I can buy Echinacea. LOL!
It will take a few years before my plants are big enough for me to harvest very many leaves. I do have a few old plants. Maybe I can dry a few of those leaves.
The idea of growing my own medicine is rather exciting!
Thank you Mary for being my friend. Sharing this new adventure of the body makes it so much easier.
I think I just took my good health for granted.
I will bounce back.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Hedgewitch,
Thank you for stopping by. I have no "in person friends" that grow herbs much less take them! It is nice to share. I grow lots of different herbs for beauty and use. I just never have asked my herbs to "heal me."
Harvesting for use means harvesting at peak. I do this with the lavender. I use my lavender for just about everything! Now I will think of the lavender as "healing." My doctor talks about intent.
The Cone Flowers are pretty. I hope to expand where I am growing them too. I have a small garden but I do still see grass.
It does take lots of leaves or blooms for treatments. I am buying and growing! I like the idea of learning about the herb by reading and growing.
Rue is new to me. I just planted two small plants so I am getting to know Rue. I am very pleased to be doing this.
Thank you for coming by.
Let's have tea again soon.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Mari-Nanci,
I grow Roman Camomile. It has an apple scent too. I think it is very pretty and nice as a before bed tea.
I could do a seperate blog just on herbs!! It might be fun. Maybe next year. For now I just need to keep planting and harvesting.
LOL
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Mari-Nanci,
Glad I could help..
We are Moon ladies.
Sherry

Q said...

Dear Cheryl,
How many Echinacea plants do you think I will need to be able to produce enough leaves to fix three cups of tea every day. I can tell from my old plants that it would take most of the leaves on one plant to do my tea for one day!
I will be buying for awhile.
I guess I harvest leaves at the end of the season?
Cone Flowers were always in my gardens for the Finches and the Butterflies.
Alowing the cone flowers to be in my gardens for me too is very different!
Thank you Cheryl.
Sherry

Mary said...

Oh, Sherry, I know you will bounce back. You have the knowledge you need. But you are still on a very exciting learnng curve. I look forward to learning from you.

By the way, any remedies for a bad lower back? I've been walking around like I have a loaded diaper again...

Sitting to standing is dreadful, so I walk for hours :o)

LOL!

Q said...

Dear MAry,
I am so much betteer than I was just two weeks ago. I do think the Holistic way is the best for me.
For low back, sit up straight while sitting and stand straight while standing. Lead with your heart while walking. A great back release is to llay on the floor, knees up and press your waist down into the floor..it is called, "pelvic tilt." Wonderful for your back.
PLus massage!!! Having a massage therapist you relate with is wonderful. Mine moved last year and I have been in search. I think I have found my next therapist. She is very good and is teaching me all sorts of self care ways.
She talks my language too.We honor each other...she knows lots about the body.
Hugs and sweet backs!
Sherry

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I am allergic to camomile. I love to see it growing. I can't drink the tea.

Q said...

Dear Lisa,
Camomile is in the ragweed family!
When my daughter was a preteen she was allergic to ragweed and her doctor told me also camomile since it was in the same family. It is a pretty herb. I like it for a hair rince too.
Sherry