Before I start wittering on about all the lovely things happening at the Garden, I wanted to make a serious point about the use of herbs as medicines. I'm sure that many people who view this Blog, and probably many who attend the herbal sessions, think "that will be an amusing and novel thing to do" - not many will think "this is a genuinely useful and practical skill to learn -I won't need to go to the doctor/chemist every time I get a cold/ fever/ cough/ diarrhoea/ whatever". But that is exactly what you CAN learn! - you CAN empower and educate yourself so that you WILL know what to do when you get a swelling or wound; you'll understand when it is safe to treat yourself or a family member and when you should seek professional help. Having the confidence and knowledge to enable you to care for your loved ones through a nasty bug or upset tummy is a wonderful thing. I am constantly frustrated and depressed that we now have a generation of mothers who are too frightened and don't have the knowledge to nurse their children through a childhood fever. I'm not suggesting you do this because herbs are pretty, or smell nice, or because I have some sort of vendetta against pharmaceutical drugs (though many drugs available over-the-counter from chemists for common ailments are far more powerful and potentially damaging than people are aware of); but because, when used correctly, herbs are generally effective, safe, and less toxic to our bodies - they work, they're cheap and they can protect us against the damaging effects of chemicals and powerful pharmaceutical drugs. And my aim at the Garden is to make home preparation of herbal medicines so simple you won't be able to say either "I can't be bothered" or "I don't know what to use"!
Medical Herbalists help to treat people with serious chronic and acute conditions ranging from heart failure to arthritis to cancers. We don't endorse the viewpoint that a condition is just something unconnected or separate from you; something to get rid of. Herbalists look through a wider lens – at the dis-ease in the context of the whole person - your lifestyle, situation, history, genetics, etc. We give you credit and responsibility for your present situation. If that situation is uncomfortable or self-destructive, you need first to recognise and support what is healthy and right and be prepared to make the lifestyle changes to correct the behaviour that allowed your condition to develop. Whole herb preparations can enable and support those changes.
A note on safety: there has not been one death in Britain from herbal medicines prescribed by a trained herbalist since the foundation of the National Institute's training in 1864. In the States to 1998 , a joint USDA/Dept of Health/FDA study into herbal medicine safety reported that there hadn't been one fatality from herbal medicine dispensed by a trained practitioner (over the same period there were 110,000 deaths directly connected to "Adverse Drug reactions" (ADR's) in hospital patients; an estimated 150,000 ADRs among hospital outpatients; and an estimated 50,000 deaths from 'over the counter' pharmaceutical drugs - per year).
Herbs are the most widely used medincines for most people in World. In Germany, France, India and many other countries doctors are trained in the use of herbs and you are more likely to be given St John's Wort for depression in Germany than a pharmaceutical anti-depressant. China has embraced their Centuries of knowledge rather than ignoring it and has developed an integrated healthcare system using pharmaceutical drugs and herbs together - recognising that herbs can often allow them to use lower doses of powerful chemical drugs, reduce side-effects and increase the effectiveness of those drugs or treatments. The majority of stories you read in the press about lack of evidence and danger of using herbs are misquoted, inaccurate, taken out of context or simply NOT TRUE! Thousands of modern clinical trials are conducted - but the results are ignored because these trials are conducted in a language other than English!
Enough! - back to the wonderful business of the Garden's herbs.
Some of you visiting the Garden's website will have noticed a new link to 'The Herbarium'. Do check this out - it is a wonderful site full of information about growing and preparing medicinal herbs set up by a group of talented and experienced western medical herbalists who believe, like me, that this knowledge mustn't be lost and that every person should have the knowledge and ability to look after themselves and their families and that access to this knowledge should be free. The information on this website is free to anyone who cares to use it. Some of the Herbarium founders came to the Garden last week to see what we were up to and we all tucked into a freshly picked 'herbalists salad' - complete with marigold, poppy and borage petals - quite beautiful! They love what we are doing at the Garden and have been very supportive. They recently gave us some new medicinal herbs which I can teach anyone interested how to use.
Hopefully you will all be champing at the bit to attend the herbal sessions we've got planned over the next few months:
On 6th September we've got our annual Hawthorn Syrup Making - harvesting the berries (nature providing of course!) and hopefully getting you lot organised enough so you can take a bottle home with you. There will be a small charge to cover the cost of the bottle. I hope those of you who enjoyed our session last year will come and make yourselves a refill (do bring back and recycle your bottle from last year if you still have it) and that many more of you will come and get sticky! Good messy fun all round and you end up with a bottle of yummy syrup - with added medicinal value! We need to get an idea of numbers who we've got enough bottles - and syrup-making bits - for everyone to have some so contact Gareth in advance to let us know if you're coming.
On 20th September I'm holding a session on 'Mens' Herbal Health' so come on guys - come along and find out how to keep healthy, hunky and fit (I know you never get sick!) with herbs and diet and protect yourself against those (obviously rare) illnesses that affect you!
The two other sessions we've got in the diary so far are:
Herbal Tincture-Making (on 18th October) - a surprisingly easy process and a brilliant way to preserve fresh or dried herbs so you've got everything you need in your medicine chest through the year; and
Cultured Vegetables (1st November) - we are surrounded by wonderful organic vegetables in the Garden - learn how to turn these into preserve vegetables the way we used to do it before we had refrigeration - and provide yourselves with a year-round, ready source of the powerful probiotic food - and chuck out the expensive commerical 'probotic' pots! This food is suitable for anyone, any age and with any health problems - from babies to the elderly and is particularly useful as an easily-assimilated source of nutrients for anyone with poor digestion or digestive disorders.
If we can find a suitable date, I'm also hoping to do a 'how to' session on external herbal preparations - creams, lotions, poultices, etc. for wounds, inflammations and conditions like eczema - very easy and fun - so check the diary.
Hope I'll see loads of you at all the sessions. Do email Gareth or me at the Garden with any questions and/or suggestions for future sessions or subjects you'd like me to cover.
A Final Plea: I do need your help on the day-to-day 'housekeeping' to keep the herbs healthy and with harvesting, particularly in the Spring-Autumn so if you can make it to the Garden reasonably regularly and think you'd like to help with this I would love to hear from you!
keep drinking/eating the herbs!
Deborah Syrett
Resident Herbalist
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Plans for May Day - Sunday May 3rd (starting at 11am)
The main 'business' of the day on May 3rd will be a traditional welcoming in of the Summer and signalling the end of Winter by gathering in the 'May' (Hawthorn) (Crataegus monogyna) leaves and flowers.
I hope you will come along with the kids to cut some to take home and 'bless your home' (being careful, of course, to thank the trees for their bounty and only to cut branches from Hawthorn trees on the boundary of the Garden and not those standing alone so as not to anger the faeries or guardian spirits!) - where Ash, Oak and 'Thorn' (Hawthorn) grow together it is said you will see faeries!
I hope you will come along with the kids to cut some to take home and 'bless your home' (being careful, of course, to thank the trees for their bounty and only to cut branches from Hawthorn trees on the boundary of the Garden and not those standing alone so as not to anger the faeries or guardian spirits!) - where Ash, Oak and 'Thorn' (Hawthorn) grow together it is said you will see faeries! I also need lots of people to harvest the leaves and flowers to dry so we can add this herb to our herb supplies in the Garden and to sell at the Green Fair).
As part of the fun I'm going to try to make a couple of crowns out of the May (without the thorns!) to crown a minature May King and Queen if (as I hope) we get some kids along on the Day - when they are selected we will ask them to walk around the Garden and sprinkle a suitable 'brew' on the crops to bless them and make sure we get a good harvest in the coming year.
We will also be planning some grub and anyone who can come along early to help us prepare this would be doubly welcome (and, I'm sure, will get a special blessing for the following year!).
We thought we'd also try to get you guys singing a few choruses of the olde english Spring May song 'Summer is a-comin' in' - so arrive in good voice!).
We will also be planning some grub and anyone who can come along early to help us prepare this would be doubly welcome (and, I'm sure, will get a special blessing for the following year!).
We thought we'd also try to get you guys singing a few choruses of the olde english Spring May song 'Summer is a-comin' in' - so arrive in good voice!).
Friday, 17 April 2009
Harvesting Spring Herbs
The Spring Herb Harvest last Sunday went off without a hitch and the weather was kind (thank goodness). We harvested armfulls of Nettle tops (Urtica dioica)
,
Cleavers (Goosegrass) (Galium aparine),
Chickweed (Stellaria media), Dandelion leaves (Taraxacum officinalis)
and Coltsfoot flowers (Tussilago farfara)
which I hope are now being carefully dried by our dedicated team of 'herbies'.
I have prepared some information sheets on four of these which you can now access and download here and I will try to put some information together about the uses of Coltsfoot flowers soon.
,Cleavers (Goosegrass) (Galium aparine),
Chickweed (Stellaria media), Dandelion leaves (Taraxacum officinalis)
and Coltsfoot flowers (Tussilago farfara)
which I hope are now being carefully dried by our dedicated team of 'herbies'.I have prepared some information sheets on four of these which you can now access and download here and I will try to put some information together about the uses of Coltsfoot flowers soon.
Some of you may think, well, that doesn't sound very exciting, but if you knew the wonderful medicinal qualities of these humble, common little weeds you would be be amazed - as I am every time I realise whats growing on every piece of scrub land I pass - in fact, woe betide those who try to pull up Dandelions in my presence!
We will keep some of the dried herbs at the Garden to make teas and medicines later in the year and will be packaging up the rest to sell at the Garden's stall at the Redbridge Green Fair at the end of May. We will need your help to get things ready for this so all volunteers will be very welcome.
(By the way, we haven't had anyone come forward to volunteer to be our Herb Team photographer yet. It would be lovely to have a photographic record of our activities so do email me if you'd like to take on this enjoyable (and very light) duty.)
As well as harvesting the herbs to dry I also gave participants a very simple and effective (free) Spring detox using Cleavers. This is the perfect time of the year for this so if any of you would like to try this ask me when you're at the Garden or email me.
We broke for a lovely lunch of a freshly prepared Nettle soup which everyone seemed to appreciate.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Spring is Sprung and the Herbs are beginning to appear!
All right, the last month has been pretty dire, weather-wise - so I forgive all you slugga-beds for not turning out to the herbal introductory workshops! (I confess I struggled too) - and hurrah to those of you who did come along. But hasn't it been wonderful over the last week.
We now have a plan of action for the next few months on the herbal side for the Garden. I've produced a 'herb harvesting list' so we can keep an eye on the herbs as they come up and we're ready to harvest them - as this is completed it will also form a written record so we have information about harvesting times for next year. The herb team is helping to keep the herbal beds healthy and weeded and getting new herbs planted up. We will be producing some nice, clear new labels for all the herbs and I would like to thank one of the Team, Norah, who has kindly volunteered to draw up a 'map' of the herbal beds so we will know where everything is!
We've bought a Pyrograph for the labels and anyone with lovely handwritting who would like to volunteer to help us with these would be very welcome - please can in touch (children particularly welcome)(you can always email me on Debbie@forestfarmpeacegarden.org).
I'm also looking for a volunteer (or two) to be the 'official' photographer for the herbal activities and to keep a photographic diary of the herbs when we harvest so we can post these on the blog and keep a record of dates for future years - if you would like to do this (you'll need your own camera and/or video camera - there are plans to make the Garden's website 'interactive' in the future!). You'll need to be free to attend the public herbal sessions and to come along to take pictures (on Sundays generally) when we do any harvesting - so this is probably best suited to someone who is relatively local.
As well as general housekeeping, we will be actively encouraging visitors to take home herbs that are harvested to dry (or freeze) and bring them back to the Garden to build up our stock of dried herbs so they are available to everyone for teas and medicine-making sessions. We're hoping to have some dried ready to bag up and sell at the Garden's stall at the Redbridge Green Fair in May and we will be producing a leaflet to accompany these with information about traditional medicinal uses and preparations.
The next public herbal session is the Spring Herb Harvesting - hope you can come along (lets pray for a lovely sunny Spring day). The Galium aparine (goosegrass) and Stellaria media (Chickweed) is already coming up (a bane for gardeners but I LOVE them - and so should you!). The Herb Team had some fun harvesting them last Sunday and finding out how to make an easy (free!) herbal Spring detox. And I'm having fun experimenting with ways to make a herbal deoderant with the Galium and Sage (Salvia officinalis).
After that we have the May Day celebration on Sunday, 3rd May - the May (Hawthorn - 'Crataegus oxycantha' will hopefully be in full blossom so the Garden should look beautiful - bring the family and take some home for good luck (and health!) - Hawthorn is a magical herb and makes a lovely tea - I'll tell you all about it on the day.
Hope I'll see you at the Garden soon.
Debbie Syrett
Resident Herbalist
PS: I'm sure many of you have been watching the new BBC2 programme 'Grow Your Own Drugs' - wonderful idea and I'm delighted that it has got herbs out in the open for the public a little more but please ALWAYS CHECK WITH A QUALIFIED HERBALIST before using any herbal preparations if you have any existing health problems or are taking any pharmaceutical drugs as there are potential drug-herb interactions. However, if the programme has inspired you to start making your own home remedies I couldn't be happier (come along to the medicine-making sessions at the Garden!). You can always check with me to make sure what you've picked or are making is safe for you to use). If any of you would like to start making your own herbal remedies at home I can recommend an excellent, very reasonably-priced book, written by a wonderful, experienced herbalist that will give you all the information you need.
We now have a plan of action for the next few months on the herbal side for the Garden. I've produced a 'herb harvesting list' so we can keep an eye on the herbs as they come up and we're ready to harvest them - as this is completed it will also form a written record so we have information about harvesting times for next year. The herb team is helping to keep the herbal beds healthy and weeded and getting new herbs planted up. We will be producing some nice, clear new labels for all the herbs and I would like to thank one of the Team, Norah, who has kindly volunteered to draw up a 'map' of the herbal beds so we will know where everything is!
We've bought a Pyrograph for the labels and anyone with lovely handwritting who would like to volunteer to help us with these would be very welcome - please can in touch (children particularly welcome)(you can always email me on Debbie@forestfarmpeacegarden.org).
I'm also looking for a volunteer (or two) to be the 'official' photographer for the herbal activities and to keep a photographic diary of the herbs when we harvest so we can post these on the blog and keep a record of dates for future years - if you would like to do this (you'll need your own camera and/or video camera - there are plans to make the Garden's website 'interactive' in the future!). You'll need to be free to attend the public herbal sessions and to come along to take pictures (on Sundays generally) when we do any harvesting - so this is probably best suited to someone who is relatively local.
As well as general housekeeping, we will be actively encouraging visitors to take home herbs that are harvested to dry (or freeze) and bring them back to the Garden to build up our stock of dried herbs so they are available to everyone for teas and medicine-making sessions. We're hoping to have some dried ready to bag up and sell at the Garden's stall at the Redbridge Green Fair in May and we will be producing a leaflet to accompany these with information about traditional medicinal uses and preparations.
The next public herbal session is the Spring Herb Harvesting - hope you can come along (lets pray for a lovely sunny Spring day). The Galium aparine (goosegrass) and Stellaria media (Chickweed) is already coming up (a bane for gardeners but I LOVE them - and so should you!). The Herb Team had some fun harvesting them last Sunday and finding out how to make an easy (free!) herbal Spring detox. And I'm having fun experimenting with ways to make a herbal deoderant with the Galium and Sage (Salvia officinalis).
After that we have the May Day celebration on Sunday, 3rd May - the May (Hawthorn - 'Crataegus oxycantha' will hopefully be in full blossom so the Garden should look beautiful - bring the family and take some home for good luck (and health!) - Hawthorn is a magical herb and makes a lovely tea - I'll tell you all about it on the day.
Hope I'll see you at the Garden soon.
Debbie Syrett
Resident Herbalist
PS: I'm sure many of you have been watching the new BBC2 programme 'Grow Your Own Drugs' - wonderful idea and I'm delighted that it has got herbs out in the open for the public a little more but please ALWAYS CHECK WITH A QUALIFIED HERBALIST before using any herbal preparations if you have any existing health problems or are taking any pharmaceutical drugs as there are potential drug-herb interactions. However, if the programme has inspired you to start making your own home remedies I couldn't be happier (come along to the medicine-making sessions at the Garden!). You can always check with me to make sure what you've picked or are making is safe for you to use). If any of you would like to start making your own herbal remedies at home I can recommend an excellent, very reasonably-priced book, written by a wonderful, experienced herbalist that will give you all the information you need.
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Herbal Workshops 2009
Firstly, I would like to thank all of you who came out and participated in the herbal activities in 2008 and made my year so enjoyable – I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. My new year resolution is to be more organised and ensure that we start to harvest the wonderful herbs we have growing in the Garden so that we have them available for you to use all the year round.
You will probably have seen the programme for the first part of the year that Gareth has put up on the website. I hope as many of you as possible will brave the weather to attend the Herbal ‘Intro talk’ on Sunday, 8th February at 11:30 (inside you’ll be pleased to know) – due to space and seating restrictions we have to limit numbers to 25 so let Gareth know if you’d like to come. I’m hoping to make it a lively couple of hours.
There unfortunately probably won’t be time to touch on the future herb programme on the 8th and I will go into that in depth on the second session ‘the herb team’ talk on 8th March. The purpose of that session is to recruit a small team of ‘herbies’ to oversee the herb activities at the garden like organising the harvesting and assisting me with the talks.
I am going to try to be at the Garden once a week (usually on a Sunday). The ‘team’ wouldn’t need to be there every week but they would need to be prepared to commit to specific dates on a rota and, if possible, ‘all hands to the pumps’ on medicine-making sessions – probably with a few planning meetings interspersed.
It would be wonderful to see the herbs right at the centre of some of other exciting events coming up for the Garden this year – if we can get organised it would be lovely to have some of our herbs dried and packaged up to sell on behalf of the Garden at the Redbridge Green Fair on 24th May. I’d like to get a little leaflet together to go with these giving some ‘traditional use’ information.
On the same subject, thinking about the future, I’m thinking it would be brilliant if we could start putting together a ‘Forest Farm Peace Garden’ herbal first-aid booklet – using photos of the herbs in the garden ready for harvesting and perhaps some of the group medicine-making sessions – so if anyone would like to volunteer to be official herbal activity photographer do get in touch. I would like to encourage any of you with old family recipes for herbal remedies or perhaps ways of using herbs medicinally that I’m not aware of to record these for posterity as part of this booklet – we musn’t let this knowledge die! As a part of this project I am going to buy a nice big notebook so we can record things at the herb sessions as we go along or think of them to collate and ‘pretty-up’ at a later date – this is YOUR herbal guys to get involved!
I’ll leave it there for the moment so let’s hope we don’t need a snow-plough to get through to the Garden on February 9th – I’ll try to make sure I’ve got a nice warming herbal tea brewing to welcome you!
You will probably have seen the programme for the first part of the year that Gareth has put up on the website. I hope as many of you as possible will brave the weather to attend the Herbal ‘Intro talk’ on Sunday, 8th February at 11:30 (inside you’ll be pleased to know) – due to space and seating restrictions we have to limit numbers to 25 so let Gareth know if you’d like to come. I’m hoping to make it a lively couple of hours.
There unfortunately probably won’t be time to touch on the future herb programme on the 8th and I will go into that in depth on the second session ‘the herb team’ talk on 8th March. The purpose of that session is to recruit a small team of ‘herbies’ to oversee the herb activities at the garden like organising the harvesting and assisting me with the talks.
I am going to try to be at the Garden once a week (usually on a Sunday). The ‘team’ wouldn’t need to be there every week but they would need to be prepared to commit to specific dates on a rota and, if possible, ‘all hands to the pumps’ on medicine-making sessions – probably with a few planning meetings interspersed.
It would be wonderful to see the herbs right at the centre of some of other exciting events coming up for the Garden this year – if we can get organised it would be lovely to have some of our herbs dried and packaged up to sell on behalf of the Garden at the Redbridge Green Fair on 24th May. I’d like to get a little leaflet together to go with these giving some ‘traditional use’ information.
On the same subject, thinking about the future, I’m thinking it would be brilliant if we could start putting together a ‘Forest Farm Peace Garden’ herbal first-aid booklet – using photos of the herbs in the garden ready for harvesting and perhaps some of the group medicine-making sessions – so if anyone would like to volunteer to be official herbal activity photographer do get in touch. I would like to encourage any of you with old family recipes for herbal remedies or perhaps ways of using herbs medicinally that I’m not aware of to record these for posterity as part of this booklet – we musn’t let this knowledge die! As a part of this project I am going to buy a nice big notebook so we can record things at the herb sessions as we go along or think of them to collate and ‘pretty-up’ at a later date – this is YOUR herbal guys to get involved!
I’ll leave it there for the moment so let’s hope we don’t need a snow-plough to get through to the Garden on February 9th – I’ll try to make sure I’ve got a nice warming herbal tea brewing to welcome you!
Tuesday, 2 September 2008
Another (belated!) herbal blog
So much for weekly blogs! Apologies to all the throngs who've been waiting with bated breath for my next posting! - blogging is to me and I've only just been given the instructions on how to log-in and write one myself - very exciting!
Things are moving on apace with the herb garden - a very special thank you to you wonderful people who have been taking harvested herbs home to dry and bring back. I'm getting a proper 'harvesting diary' together so we can harvest and dry or make preparations from all the herbs at the right time next year so we will have stocks of them.
Did you SEE the amazing giant thistle flowers on the wild artichoke (sorry Stefan - the common name is Cardoon isn't it?) - WOW - I had a bit of a 'honey I shrunk the kids' moment standing under it! There is also a tamer version in the herb garden - though I think Stefan may have had the tops for tea a while back! Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is a wonderful liver tonic herb that also helps to reduce levels of unhealthy lipids in the blood. It is a gentle and effective herb for conditions ranging from poor digestion (as are all 'liver herbs') to more serious liver conditions. We would generally use a tincture from the dried aerial parts but you will get benefits from eating artichokes - and let me be honest, most of our medicines don't taste as good as that!
It's going off now but the lovely soft blue clouds of hairy borage (Borago officinalis) have been beautiful too haven't they. I hadn't realised what an important crop Borage is for bees - who apparently also love it. Borage is a gentle, supporting herb. We use a tincture or fresh juice of the leaves and flowers to treat conditions as diverse as coughs and cystitis but its most important properties are associated with its ability to support adrenal function. We use it professionally for conditions where someone has been stressed for a long time and is struggling with exhaustion - so the old saying "Borage for Courage" was right. One word of caution - although it is a wonderful gentle remedy, Borage is oestrogenic so should not be used be anyone with oestrogen-dependent tumours and only under professional supervision by women going through menopause.
We've been brainstorming to think up interesting ideas for future talks on the herbs - please do email me if you've got any subjects you'd like to see covered - remember that it should be on how you can use the herbs yourself at home so no complicated medical conditions that you would need a consultation please.
Hawthorn Haw (Berry) Syrup Making - Sunday, 21st September:
The next session is going to be making Hawthorn haw (berry) syrup on Sunday, 21st September at. Hawthorn (Crataegus oxycantha) is a legendary heart herb. Its very safe and should be taken over a long periods to get the full benefit. It strengthens and protects the whole heart function.
On 21st we're going to start by harvesting the berries which are bursting off the trees all over the garden at the moment and then retire to the office to make syrup. The berries don't have quite the same strength medicinally as the leaves and flowers but they do have the same action. If you'd like to take some syrup home with you please bring a small glass jar with a tight fitting lid with you. Clean the jar thoroughly with boiling water before you come - if any impurities get into the syrup it can go off. It should keep very happily for at least six months and often for years. If you know anyone with heart failure or have a family history of heart problems in your family this is one herb you definitely want to know about! (we've going to have a crazy May Day celebration next Spring to 'bring in the May' (Hawthorn blossom) and celebrate the beginning of Spring so you'll be able to cut some and dry it for teas all year round.
Of course the other big occasion coming up is the Halloween party on All Hallows 'Ene (Samnhein) - Friday, 31st October! We've hoping you'll all turn up in costume. Do bring the kids. It'll be starting early evening and we're trying to organise a pumpkin carving competition for kids and parents, apple bobbing, toasted marshmallows (sweets not herbs!) and other tradional games; juggling (Stefan!); ending with spooky stories around the fire pit! And if you know any spooky songs or poems, bring them along because we hope they'll be a few people coming who can play the guitar. Bring red and black food! (no articificial colours or flavours of course!). If you fancy rustling up some suitably decorations to go around the fire pit or can help with the planning please let Stefan or Gareth know.
'Star of the Herbal Bed'
I realise I've been falling down in my promise of a 'star of the week' herb so I'm going to award a special 'star of the month' to Nettles (Stefan's favourite!). Nettle (Urtica dioica) is amazing. It's incredibly rich in minerals and can be used internally and externally for everything from anaemia to skin inflammations and arthritis (I've got a very simple receipe for a nettle lotion for arthritis). We use the dried herb as teas or in tincture form to treat patients with complicated conditions like Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (tincture of the seed) and Gout. The dried aerial parts also make very good tea! And - Stefan can show you how to make a friendship bracelet from nettle stems!
Lastly, if anyone is interested in learning more about the medicinal herbs we've got in the Garden, I've done a comprehensive list with parts used, conditions used for, types of preparations and cautions. There is a copy of this in the office. Of course, you can also ask me when I'm around - usually one a week one Fridays or Sundays.
Things are moving on apace with the herb garden - a very special thank you to you wonderful people who have been taking harvested herbs home to dry and bring back. I'm getting a proper 'harvesting diary' together so we can harvest and dry or make preparations from all the herbs at the right time next year so we will have stocks of them.
Did you SEE the amazing giant thistle flowers on the wild artichoke (sorry Stefan - the common name is Cardoon isn't it?) - WOW - I had a bit of a 'honey I shrunk the kids' moment standing under it! There is also a tamer version in the herb garden - though I think Stefan may have had the tops for tea a while back! Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is a wonderful liver tonic herb that also helps to reduce levels of unhealthy lipids in the blood. It is a gentle and effective herb for conditions ranging from poor digestion (as are all 'liver herbs') to more serious liver conditions. We would generally use a tincture from the dried aerial parts but you will get benefits from eating artichokes - and let me be honest, most of our medicines don't taste as good as that!
It's going off now but the lovely soft blue clouds of hairy borage (Borago officinalis) have been beautiful too haven't they. I hadn't realised what an important crop Borage is for bees - who apparently also love it. Borage is a gentle, supporting herb. We use a tincture or fresh juice of the leaves and flowers to treat conditions as diverse as coughs and cystitis but its most important properties are associated with its ability to support adrenal function. We use it professionally for conditions where someone has been stressed for a long time and is struggling with exhaustion - so the old saying "Borage for Courage" was right. One word of caution - although it is a wonderful gentle remedy, Borage is oestrogenic so should not be used be anyone with oestrogen-dependent tumours and only under professional supervision by women going through menopause.
We've been brainstorming to think up interesting ideas for future talks on the herbs - please do email me if you've got any subjects you'd like to see covered - remember that it should be on how you can use the herbs yourself at home so no complicated medical conditions that you would need a consultation please.
Hawthorn Haw (Berry) Syrup Making - Sunday, 21st September:
The next session is going to be making Hawthorn haw (berry) syrup on Sunday, 21st September at. Hawthorn (Crataegus oxycantha) is a legendary heart herb. Its very safe and should be taken over a long periods to get the full benefit. It strengthens and protects the whole heart function.
On 21st we're going to start by harvesting the berries which are bursting off the trees all over the garden at the moment and then retire to the office to make syrup. The berries don't have quite the same strength medicinally as the leaves and flowers but they do have the same action. If you'd like to take some syrup home with you please bring a small glass jar with a tight fitting lid with you. Clean the jar thoroughly with boiling water before you come - if any impurities get into the syrup it can go off. It should keep very happily for at least six months and often for years. If you know anyone with heart failure or have a family history of heart problems in your family this is one herb you definitely want to know about! (we've going to have a crazy May Day celebration next Spring to 'bring in the May' (Hawthorn blossom) and celebrate the beginning of Spring so you'll be able to cut some and dry it for teas all year round.
Of course the other big occasion coming up is the Halloween party on All Hallows 'Ene (Samnhein) - Friday, 31st October! We've hoping you'll all turn up in costume. Do bring the kids. It'll be starting early evening and we're trying to organise a pumpkin carving competition for kids and parents, apple bobbing, toasted marshmallows (sweets not herbs!) and other tradional games; juggling (Stefan!); ending with spooky stories around the fire pit! And if you know any spooky songs or poems, bring them along because we hope they'll be a few people coming who can play the guitar. Bring red and black food! (no articificial colours or flavours of course!). If you fancy rustling up some suitably decorations to go around the fire pit or can help with the planning please let Stefan or Gareth know.
'Star of the Herbal Bed'
I realise I've been falling down in my promise of a 'star of the week' herb so I'm going to award a special 'star of the month' to Nettles (Stefan's favourite!). Nettle (Urtica dioica) is amazing. It's incredibly rich in minerals and can be used internally and externally for everything from anaemia to skin inflammations and arthritis (I've got a very simple receipe for a nettle lotion for arthritis). We use the dried herb as teas or in tincture form to treat patients with complicated conditions like Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (tincture of the seed) and Gout. The dried aerial parts also make very good tea! And - Stefan can show you how to make a friendship bracelet from nettle stems!
Lastly, if anyone is interested in learning more about the medicinal herbs we've got in the Garden, I've done a comprehensive list with parts used, conditions used for, types of preparations and cautions. There is a copy of this in the office. Of course, you can also ask me when I'm around - usually one a week one Fridays or Sundays.
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Learn Herbal Medicine at workshops starting Sunday 10th August
Starting on Sunday, 10th August (at 11:00am) I will be running a series of informal workshops. The first one, “Looking after your family safely with herbs – Understanding how to use herbs for Health” will give you some information about what herbs do and how to use them (if you’ve interested in using herbs I recommend you attend this introduction – even if you think some of the future ones will be more fun!)
The second workshop, on 17th August (at 11:00) will be the first one on simple medicine making “Herbs for First Aid”. I’ll be looking for suggestions from you on subjects you would find interesting for future workshops (a special interest of mine is ‘Obesity, diet and Diabetes’).
The second workshop, on 17th August (at 11:00) will be the first one on simple medicine making “Herbs for First Aid”. I’ll be looking for suggestions from you on subjects you would find interesting for future workshops (a special interest of mine is ‘Obesity, diet and Diabetes’).
Star of the Herbal Bed
I thought I’d add a ‘Star of the Herbal Bed’ each week. This week this award must go to the ethereally beautiful Marshmallow (Althea officinalis) It’s in full flower at the moment and looking just gorgeous. We use all parts of this fluffy plant with the delicate pink flowers. It is very mucilaginous and healing both internally and externally.
IMPORTANT: please consult with a professional before taking herbs, particularly if you are already on any pharmaceutical drugs or have a serious medical condition – they are not all benign and safe.
IMPORTANT: please consult with a professional before taking herbs, particularly if you are already on any pharmaceutical drugs or have a serious medical condition – they are not all benign and safe.
The Herbal Diary
While I will use this blog to give information about future talks, the main purpose in writing it, however, is to give a personal sketchbook diary of what’s happening with the herb garden week to week – hope you’ll enjoy it – I’m always open to suggestions on how to make it more interesting:
Before I start my little meander through the day one word of warning – I will ALWAYS give the full Latin name of the herbs with their common names – not because I’m showing off because I know them (though that too!) – but because it is incredibly important to know the full Latin name, particularly if you are planning to grow and use herbs as medicines.
Sunday, 20th July: Blustery with sneaky showers and then, suddenly, it really surprised us by breaking into warm sunshine while we were huddled under the Willow Bough against the rain – scoffing humous and quails eggs for lunch – don’t you just love the weather in this country!
Two incidents kept me out of mischief today – I managed to induce a charming little new worker, May Ling Brown, to sample her first beautiful marigold (Calendula officinalis) flower head – I’m all for eating the plants (you are duly warned). I also persuaded Fiona to chew a Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) leaf and smear it all over her shin to treat a Nettle sting (Urtica dioica) (Plantain is topically very healing and anti-histimine).
The most exciting news this week was the arrival of the new ‘babies’ – a whole batch of new organic medicinal herbs from Jekka’s. Stefan had already bedded them in when I arrived on Sunday and I can’t wait to watch them grow.
Some of the stars of the new herbal beds are St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) – I want no depression In the Garden! (although this is the main use people associate St John’s Wort with now it is also a very good herb used topically for local nerve pain, and as a topical antiseptic for cuts, ulcers, burns, bruises and inflamed joints). CAUTION: please ask a professional before using this herb, particularly if you are taking any pharmaceutical drugs.
We’ve also now got Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia) which you will all know – lots of myths and mis-information surrounding the use of this herb.
Two of my favourites among the newcomers are Elecampane (Inula helenium) (traditionally used by the Greeks and Romans as a ‘miracle cure-all’ herb, we use it today for all types of respiratory conditions – for which it is superb). In the 12th Century an amazing Saint, mystic, healer, visionary, fighter and Abbess, Hildegard Von Bingen, wrote in her book ‘Physica’ on the nature of Elecampane “Let whoever suffers in the lungs drink this moderately daily before or after eating and the poisons will be removed…Drink this if you have sick lungs and no other illnesses”.
The other is Wood Betony (Stachys betonica) – a very special herb for conditions affecting the head – including nervous tension and headaches. CAUTION: Do not take high doses in pregnancy as this herb is a uterine stimulant. It is also a diuretic and “maketh a man to pisse well”!
Before I start my little meander through the day one word of warning – I will ALWAYS give the full Latin name of the herbs with their common names – not because I’m showing off because I know them (though that too!) – but because it is incredibly important to know the full Latin name, particularly if you are planning to grow and use herbs as medicines.
Sunday, 20th July: Blustery with sneaky showers and then, suddenly, it really surprised us by breaking into warm sunshine while we were huddled under the Willow Bough against the rain – scoffing humous and quails eggs for lunch – don’t you just love the weather in this country!
Two incidents kept me out of mischief today – I managed to induce a charming little new worker, May Ling Brown, to sample her first beautiful marigold (Calendula officinalis) flower head – I’m all for eating the plants (you are duly warned). I also persuaded Fiona to chew a Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) leaf and smear it all over her shin to treat a Nettle sting (Urtica dioica) (Plantain is topically very healing and anti-histimine).
The most exciting news this week was the arrival of the new ‘babies’ – a whole batch of new organic medicinal herbs from Jekka’s. Stefan had already bedded them in when I arrived on Sunday and I can’t wait to watch them grow.
Some of the stars of the new herbal beds are St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) – I want no depression In the Garden! (although this is the main use people associate St John’s Wort with now it is also a very good herb used topically for local nerve pain, and as a topical antiseptic for cuts, ulcers, burns, bruises and inflamed joints). CAUTION: please ask a professional before using this herb, particularly if you are taking any pharmaceutical drugs.
We’ve also now got Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia) which you will all know – lots of myths and mis-information surrounding the use of this herb.
Two of my favourites among the newcomers are Elecampane (Inula helenium) (traditionally used by the Greeks and Romans as a ‘miracle cure-all’ herb, we use it today for all types of respiratory conditions – for which it is superb). In the 12th Century an amazing Saint, mystic, healer, visionary, fighter and Abbess, Hildegard Von Bingen, wrote in her book ‘Physica’ on the nature of Elecampane “Let whoever suffers in the lungs drink this moderately daily before or after eating and the poisons will be removed…Drink this if you have sick lungs and no other illnesses”.
The other is Wood Betony (Stachys betonica) – a very special herb for conditions affecting the head – including nervous tension and headaches. CAUTION: Do not take high doses in pregnancy as this herb is a uterine stimulant. It is also a diuretic and “maketh a man to pisse well”!
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
This being my very first Blog for the Garden I thought I should start it by introducing myself – I’m Debbie Syrett and I’m the Garden’s resident Herbalist.
Quickly racing over the boring bits…I’m a Western Medical Herbalist with all the necessary impressive-sounding letters after my name – but I really don’t want to swell on what I do professionally…it’s what I’m hoping to do with the Garden that’s much more exciting to me – and, hopefully, for you.
My mission and my passion are to give people back the knowledge their grandmother’s had. I want to show you that you don’t need to run to the chemist or the GP for pharmaceutical drugs every time you get a cold, diarrhoea or an upset stomach. You can use natural, safe products that you’ve probably already got in your kitchen cupboards or that you can find in your local supermarket.
Quickly racing over the boring bits…I’m a Western Medical Herbalist with all the necessary impressive-sounding letters after my name – but I really don’t want to swell on what I do professionally…it’s what I’m hoping to do with the Garden that’s much more exciting to me – and, hopefully, for you.
My mission and my passion are to give people back the knowledge their grandmother’s had. I want to show you that you don’t need to run to the chemist or the GP for pharmaceutical drugs every time you get a cold, diarrhoea or an upset stomach. You can use natural, safe products that you’ve probably already got in your kitchen cupboards or that you can find in your local supermarket.
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