An Herb by Any Other Name...

I am fascinated by herbs. In my mid-twenties, I first visited an herbalist to help me with PMS related symptoms. It was an eye opening experience for never before had I deeply considered the medicinal properties of the plants around me. And soon, I realized the diversity of the smells and tastes of herbs could enhance my life to a great degree. Before this time, I thought of herbs as dried and sprinkled on chicken. Occasionally, fresh herbs were used for making fabulous mozzarella and tomato appetizers. After my herb conversion, I began using herbs on a regular basis for cooking, aromatherapy, pain relief, and beauty.

A couple of my closest friends are naturopathic doctors. From them I have learned about herbal poultices, herbal teas, and other herbal remedies. The other day I had the pleasure of walking through my neighborhood with one of these friends and was delightfully surprised when she began pointing out herbs on our local tour. Growing along the side of the road we saw burdock, wild carrot and other generally overlooked, but precious, plants. I have learned over the years that herbs extended beyond rosemary, parsley and thyme. Botanically speaking, an herb is any plant with a non woody stem. However, we generally call only the plants that have some practical benefit to man "herbs." It is amazing how many plants along the side of the road fit the bill.

When I arrived home from my walk, I offered to dig up one of my favorite wild flowers for my friend. My jack-in the pulpits have spread through my front yard over the past year. Their unusual flower and unique trefoil leaf seemed a fair trade for the jacob's ladder that my friend Sara dug from her woods for me the week earlier. While researching herbs online this evening, I learned that jackin the pulpit too is considered an herb with a wide variety of medicinal uses. This realization rings bells in my head. I think of all the land clearing that we humans perform. We have been warned of the dangers of losing flora that may benefit us by such practices. My walk in the neighborhood really brought this issue closer to home.

My favorite use of herbs is for aromatherapy. As others put on a pot of coffee in the morning, I plug in my aromatherapy burner. I usually warm lavender, but sometimes add rose, jasmine, chamomile, patchouli and a number of other favorites from my collection. The scents can change my mood and even fix ailments such as headaches. My favorite accessory is a Tisserand essential oil warmer and I highly recommend one for anyone who is interested in aromatherapy. Throw out your Glade Plugins and other scents. Once you use an aromatherapy warmer and your favorite fragrance you will be hooked. The natural smells permeate the house and can overpower the toughest unwanted odors. (I had a friend last week ask me why my house always smells so good.)

This year, one of my gardening goals is to expand my herb garden as much as I can and to learn about various uses of herbs. Many years ago, I purchased what I thought was my first herb. This St. Johnswort is a beautiful little bush with yellow flowers. After ten years and three St. Johnswort plants I have still not tried to make use of the plant, but just knowing that I have this common depression fighter cheers me for some reason. This year, I am learning that I have many more herbs than I realized and they are among the best growers in my garden. These gems include yarrow, evening primrose and bee balm. Their newly discovered status elevates them in my mind somehow. An herb by any other name is still an herb...I am anxious to discover which ones hide under pseudonyms.

A Healthy Garden is a Happy Garden

The true state of my garden is revealing itself. On April 27th I posted about my Jack-in-the-pulpits, wondering if they were to return to me this year. Whereas last year there were only a couple, I counted at least four in my garden today! This is a wonderful sign!

Everything looks lush and healthy. I've been pruning more heavily than ever before, pulling out shrubs and moving them. My plants seem to be breathing a sigh of relief. They have room to blossom. Old dead leaves that have accumulated over the years under overgrown branches are being dug out. The previous owners of my house had landscapers. I do all my own work and have learned a lot over the past year. My new found knowledge is reflected in the garden's health.

In addition to pruning I am also adding manure to every garden. I've removed layers of mulch and plan to rely mostly on compost instead. I have begun fertilizing with a fish based fertilizer and to do so regularly. I'm weeding regularly and hoeing, with a goal of putting in at least 1/2 hour into gardening a day. So far, I think that the average has worked out to more.

Here are some snags I've run into:
1. I have piles of pulled up grass, branches and other cuttings that need a home. They are accumulating in my woods and I don't know how to get rid of them. The piles are so big I envision days of work and possible exposure to poison ivy, etc. to do the work. Any suggestions about how to get rid of this rather than just heading to the dump with it?

2. Though I have vowed to go organic and have gotten rid of all chemicals except one bottle of Roundup, I haven't found a way to get rid of poison ivy without the chemical. I haven't researched it yet either, but I'm open to suggestions from my gardening friends.

Everything else is going well. I hope to get out tomorrow to take pictures of the yard. i don't think I've ever posted pictures of my own gardens.

Survival

It seems that almost everything survived in my garden this winter. I have only lost one grass plant. It is the second year in a row that I have lost a grass. I think I have learned that I must plant these early in the season, so that they have time to establish themselves before braving a New Hampshire winter.

Now I wait for the wildflowers to bloom. I hope they have survived. I hope that they will come back. I have a brook that runs down the side of my hilly property, past the house and under the driveway. The brook dries out in the summer, but leaves lovely marshy soil that has become home to Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Unfortunately, last year our brook flooded and took out some of the driveway near where I spotted the lovely orchid like, chocolate, striped bloom. We had the driveway rebuilt and I'm concerned that my Jack in the Pulpits might have been disturbed.

The first year I lived in this house we had a small stand of lady slippers in the backyard. The next year the lady slippers did not return. The year after that we had the weed field near the edge of the forest, where the lady slippers once resided, redone. It is our only flat piece of property. We wanted my daughter to have a safe play area and this seemed best. We had sod put in. It wasn't exactly where I saw the ladyslippers two years previously, but I wonder if all the machines brought in to take out rocks and such could have disturbed whatever was there. If anything was there. I am told that lady slippers come and go. I wait for my lady slippers to come back.

On the nature walks down our street, we've run into chickory, queen anne's lace and a host of other wildflowers. The wildflowers are not "mine" the way the grasses are, but they feel like it. Their survival feels personal. I hope for their return and wait with my breath held to see which come back to me. I can't tame them. I dare not move them for the sake of pampering. Each year the ones that make it are an extra special surprise - survival of the fittest, growing for me in an indirect way...perhaps growing in spite of me.