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Does your garden contain medicinal plants and herbs?

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I’ve always found it fascinating how most herbs and a number of plants have been used throughout history to cure what ails us.

I actually have a number of books about herbs and their medicinal uses. I should dig them out and write about some of the more commonly found herbs from time to time. As I said, I’ve always had an interest in this, just as when I find that plants that we’ve always thought of as being ornamental turn out to actually be edible too.

Well, until I begin writing some articles about herbs you might be interested in visiting a site that I found that’s called Natural Herbalism. This site has articles that discuss various herbs, their uses, chemistry, the history of herbs, how to grow them, how to prepare them, herbal recipes and herbs that have specific uses for men, women, children and even pets.

It’s quite an informative site.

Take for example the article about Bayberry. Most of us think of Bayberry as an ornamental shrub, but it actually has medicinal properties. Did you know that you can make a tea by boiling the bark and root and that when the tea is drank it has stimulant properties that are effective against diarrhea. The root bark also contains a natural antibiotic and can be used to treat skin wounds or even used in a mouthwash to freshen breath and fight gum disorders such as gingivitis.

Many of us grow celery in the garden, and if we don’t grow it we often buy it in the grocery store. Did you know that celery is a diuretic and that oils from the seeds were thought in the past to relive the pain of arthritis and rheumatism. Celery has also been used to treat anxiety disorders and insomnia.

If you are curious about the medicinal uses of some of the other plants that you might grow in your garden visit Natural Herbalism and look them up. I found the articles quite interesting.






Great article about the symbolism, history and meaning of lilies

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I always find the history of flowers interesting. I’ve discussed the meaning of roses and their colors before on this site, and now I’d like to point you towards an article that discusses the symbolism, history and meanings lying behind Lilies.

The article is located on the Clare Florist Blog. It’s the first in a series of blog articles that will discuss the myths and legends behind some of the most well known flowers.

I don’t want to tell you everything that’s in this wonderful write up about the history and symbolism of lilies, however I will give you a tiny tidbit to peek your interest:

Did you know that Greek mythology states that when the goddess Hera was nursing her son Hercules excess milk fell from the sky. Some of those drops landed on the ground and it was from this that the first lilies grew.

The article also tells how Lilies were recognized as a symbol of purity. You’ll have to read the article to find out exactly how this came about though.

While I was on the blog I happened to take a look at the floral selection at Clare Florist and they have a lovely selection. You might consider getting some Lovely fresh lilies delivered throughout the UK by Clare Florist if you live in their delivery area.

First Flower

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I’ve just watched a program on television that we taped. It was on Nova, on PBS, and the episode was called “First Flower”. I didn’t realize this but the origin of the flower has always been in question. It was one of the lingering mysteries that plagued Darwin.

In this program, botanists explore an area in Northern China where one paleobotanist believes the first flower originated. In this program they find a fossil that is believed to be the oldest flower fossil ever found.

You can read more about this program Nova/First Flower on the PBS.org site. There’s quite a bit of information about paleobotanists – scientists who study ancient plants and their fossils, and areas of China where todays modern flowers are believed to have evolved. They refer to China as the mother of gardens.

The program was filmed in high definition, the scenery, the mountains, the gorgeous colorful flowers – all are just spectacular to view as you watch this program. If you get a chance to watch this program you should. It’s just wonderful to look at all of the flora that’s discussed and of course to view the scenery of the Hengduan Mountains of southwestern China and other scenic places.

In this program, one paleobotanist states that flowers evolved rather late in the fossil record, but they came to dominate the earth. if it weren’t for the evolution of flowers it’s said that humans might not have evolved because without flowers we would not have the products of flowering plants to eat.

Isn’t that an amazing theory? Are we, modern gardeners, worshiping the plants that allowed us to live and evolve in the first place?

I never really thought of visiting China before, because when I thought of China I’d always think of over crowded cities, but now, after seeing this program I have a different view of China and you never know, I just might visit the country one day.

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