Elderberry Cordial Halloween Weekend Recipe

A plant with strong ties to Halloween is the elderberry, Sambucus nigra. A small, bushy tree with white flowers and almost black berries, the elderberry was associated with the Germanic goddess Holle (or sometimes Hulda) and was named Hollerbeier for her. 

Guardian of the dead, the goddess survives today in caricature as a Halloween witch. But as Frau Holle, she was a caring grandmother and wise crone. She helped souls cross over and took messages to them—perhaps written in elderberry juice ink. She is often seen as being half white and half black or being in both the world of the living and the dead.

Frau Holle, as she is known in Germany, was called The Queen of the Witches. The brothers Grimm tell a story of step-sisters who both go to visit Frau Holle in the 'nether realms'. They begin their journey to her by falling in a well........... Sandra Kleinshimdt, Encyclopedia Mythica

With the influx of German immigrants to the United States before the turn of the last century, these traditions were brought here.  In North America, European immigrants found their elderberry’s close relative, S. canadensis, and continued their traditions. People carried pieces of its wood for protection, tied prayers to its branches and left apples beneath it as offerings. Among the Pennsylvania Dutch it is the number one magical plant.

The elderberry is revered for its health benefits.  Since the time of Hippocrates, the benefits of taking elderberry in all its forms have been touted and shared. A tea from its flowers treats cold and flu symptoms, substantiated by the German Commission E (that country’s equivalent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration), and its berries are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. 

Flowering Elderberry courtesy of Tina Sams

So I felt it only perfect to share an Elderberry Cordial recipe for the weekend.  The dark purple color also makes it perfect for a Halloween gathering!

Elderberry Cordial

recipe adapted from Hollerbeier Haven newletter

1 quart fresh ripe elderberries, stems removed (frozen will do also, but not dried)

1 cup water

1/2-inch piece of ginger root

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon whole allspice 

honey and brandy (proportions below)

Combine berries with water.  Simmer over low heat for 40 minutes, or until berries begin to release their juices.  Mash with a potato masher to get all the possible juice.

Strain the pulp from hot berry juice and return liquid to a clean pot. Add the ginger, cloves and allspice and simmer for 15 minutes.  Strain again.

Craft the cordial by measuring the amount of spiced berry liquid you have and add an equal amount of honey and 1/2 of the amount of good brandy.  Bottle it and store until you can enjoy it on Halloween.

Elderberry Pie - A little late monthly theme

It has been a challenge to get these up, this month.  It has now snowed twice and the weather is more like December than November, making it harder to do anything.  It is sad the Zinnias have died and the garden is under a blanket of snow, but that does turn my mind to Pie and Holiday planning so there is that.

Today I have this pie recipe for you using the ultimate healing herb, Elderberry!

Elderberry Pie 

4 tablespoons flour 
1 cup elderberry juice
1 cup or less sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, separated
1 cup milk
Unbaked pie shell 

Directions:

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Stir in enough milk to make a paste. In a saucepan, bring elderberry juice to a boil. Stir paste into hot juice. Simmer, stirring often to prevent lumps. Remove from heat and stir in remaining milk to cool mixture. Stir in egg yolk. 

Beat egg white in a bowl until stiff; fold into juice mixture. Pour filling into an unbaked 9-inch pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

This excerpt has been reprinted with permission from The Old-Fashioned Fruit Garden, by Jo Ann Gardner, published by Skyhorse Publishing, 2012. 

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018. 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)
March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)
April 2019 - Seafood Recipes (SeafoodApr)
May 2019 - Cajun And Creole (C&CMay)
June 2019 - Vegetarian Dishes (VegJun)
July 2019 - Zucchini Recipes (ZucJul)
August 2019 - National Mustard Day – mustard recipes (MustardAug)
September 2019 - Quiche (QuicheSep)
October 2019 - Crock Pot meals (CrockOct)

November 2019 - Pies (PieNov)

December 2019 - Mocktails

Seven Medicinal Herbs For Winter Health

I get asked over and over to recommend herbs that will help people weather the seasonal effects of winter, including, but not limited to colds and flus that spring up each winter.  In answer to these inquiries, I created a list of the seven best herbs for curing your winter woes.  I collected this information from 101 Medicinal Herbs (Interweave Press, 1998) by Steven Foster, an Herbs for Health editorial adviser and, with Albert Leung, Ph.D., author of Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients (Wiley, 1996), and several other books about herbal health.   I recommend these seven plants as great treatments to have on hand as they will assist with all the effects of winter.

Insomnia: Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)

Chamomile is the dried flower head of an annual member of the aster family. German chamomile, the species most often sold on the U.S. market, is grown in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Argentina, and Europe. It’s been used for centuries as a mild sleep aid, and scientists attribute its gentle sedative activity to alpha-bisabolol, a constituent found in its oil.

A tea is made by steeping 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of dried flowers in a cup of hot water and taken three times daily.

People who are allergic to other members of the aster family, including ragweed, may be allergic to chamomile.

Energy: Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng)

In a 2,000-year-old herbal, Shen Nong wrote that ginseng is good for quieting the spirit, curbing the emotions, brightening the eyes, enlightening the mind, increasing wisdom, and, with continuous use, “longevity with light weight.”

Since the 1960s, scientists have extensively studied Asian ginseng. At least seven European clinical studies show that standardized extracts increase respiratory performance, alertness, power of concentration, and grasp of abstract concepts. A ­controlled study in France that evaluated complaints of patients suffering from “functional fatigue,” such as being worn out or having an empty feeling, showed that people who took ginseng experienced less ­fatigue, anxiety, and poor concentration compared with people who took a placebo.

Ginseng contains more than eighteen active chemicals called ginsenosides, whose behavior in lab tests matches the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) description of the effect the herb has on the body. In Germany, Asian ginseng products are allowed to be labeled as tonics to treat fatigue, reduced work capacity, and lack of concentration.

To make a tea, use 3 teaspoons of dried or sliced root per cup of water. Place the herb and water in a saucepan and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Strain. Drink a cup two or three times a day.  You should stop taking this and give yourself a break after a few weeks to avoid side effects.  I suffer from seasonal effective disorder.  I get so much sunshine in summer gardening and bicycling that when the days shorten I really begin to lose energy.  I buy this root in my local Asian market.

Some people have experienced overstimulation or gastrointestinal upset when taking Asian ginseng, and some women have reported breast tenderness or menstrual problems after long-term use. Avoid ginseng if you have high blood pressure or if you’re pregnant.

Eye Strain: Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)

Bilberry is a relative of the blueberry. A small shrub with sweet black berries, ­it grows in northern Europe, western Asia, and the Rocky Mountains of North America.

Bilberry was a popular medicine among sixteenth-century Europeans, who used the leaves to fight inflammation and in­fection. They also used the herb to treat ­diarrhea, prevent scurvy (a vitamin C deficiency), and disinfect mouth sores.

During World War II, pilots in the British Royal Air Force reported improved night vision after eating bilberry jam. During the 1960s, Italian and French scientists investigated these reports to learn whether bilberries could improve vision. As a result, preparations of bilberry fruit are used in Europe today to enhance poor microcirculation and thus improve eye ailments such as night blindness and diabetic retinopathy. Research shows that pigments in bilberry called anthocyanosides strengthen capillaries by protecting them from free radical damage and stimulating the formation of healthy connective tissue. However, most studies on bilberry have involved animals or only a small number of people.

Rather than fashioning a tea, perhaps try a tincture from the berries that you can use to flavor a plain green tea or make a jelly and eat it on your toast.

No side effects or interactions with other drugs have been reported.

Circulation: Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)

Ginkgo products come from the leaves of the only surviving member of the ginkgo family, a species that has existed for more than 200 million years. Most commercial leaf production is from plantations in South Carolina, France, and China.

Ginkgo leaf has been cultivated since the fifteenth century in China, where the leaves were used to “benefit the brain” and treat lung disorders, cough and asthma symptoms, and diarrhea. Today, ginkgo is one of the best-selling herbal medicines in Europe.

Most research focuses on using ginkgo to increase circulation to the extremities and the brain, and more than 400 scientific studies support its use for this. Scientists attribute ginkgo’s health benefits to unique compounds called flavone glycosides and ginkgolides, which inhibit development of cardiovascular, inflammatory, and respiratory disorders. Ginkgo is a strong antioxidant—it directs its free-radical scavenging activity to the brain, central nervous system, and cardiovascular system. This is what makes it promising in the treatment of age-related declines of brain function.

Unlike other plants if you find a capsule containing at least 40 mg of standardized extract, this is recommended to trying to craft a tea.  A typical dose is three capsules daily. It must be used for six to eight weeks to produce results.  I had two older members of my church who swore by it and when these 80 year olds hiked through the mountains of Guatemala with me, I believed in its potency.

Ginkgo can cause gastrointestinal upset, headaches, or skin ­allergies.

Depression: St.-John’s-Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

You may have heard the news: St.-John’s-wort can offer the benefits of prescription antidepressants without the side effects. It is the dried flowering top of a plant native to Europe; in some parts of the United States, it grows like a weed.

During the Middle Ages, remarkable and even mystical properties were attributed to St.-John’s-wort. By the nineteenth century, U.S. physicians used it as a mild sedative and, in 1997, St.-John’s-wort was the focus of national attention after ABC’s news program 20/20 reported on the herb’s ability to quell depression.

At least twenty-three controlled studies involving more than 1,800 outpatients show that it works. In one recent study of 105 outpatients with mild to moderate depression or temporary depressive moods, 67 percent of those taking St.-John’s-wort improved, while only 28 percent of those taking a placebo did. Those taking the herb reported feeling less sad, hopeless, helpless, useless, and fearful.

St.-John’s-wort takes time to work, though—allow six weeks of continuous use. To make a tea, steep 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the dried herb in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes, then drink. The recommended daily dose for a tincture is 3 to 4 droppersful twice daily.

Hypericin from the flowers may cause people with fair skin to break out in hives or blisters upon exposure to sunlight. If you take St.-John’s-wort, stay out of the sun and the tanning salon.  The leaves can also be used to make a great golden yellow dye.

Colds: Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia, E. pallida, E. purpurea)

Few of us don’t know this herb, which is now one of the foremost cold medicines on the market.

Native Americans of the prairie used Echinacea more than any other plant to cure ailments ranging from colds to cancer. It was the best-selling medicinal plant in the United States until the 1920s, when antibiotics began to replace it. But in Europe it has been used throughout the twentieth century; in 1993, German physicians prescribed Echinacea more than 2.5 million times.

Research shows that Echinacea enhances the activity of white blood cells and other specialized immune system cells. It increases their ability to attack foreign invaders such as cold or flu viruses and helps accelerate healing if infection already exists.

No single chemical component has been identified as causing Echinacea’s medicinal action. A 1997 controlled clinical study involving 120 volunteers in Sweden showed that daily treatment with the juice of fresh flowering E. purpurea at the first sign of cold symptoms inhibits development of colds, and, if a cold is in progress, cuts the duration of the illness in half.

Because the typical capsule dose is so high, I recommend making a tea or a tincture, you will still have to drink the tea several times a day.  For the tincture take 60 drops three times daily. Use at the first sign of cold or flu; take continuously for two weeks.

People allergic to members of the aster family, such as ragweed, may also be allergic to Echinacea. The German government recommends that it not be used in cases of diseases of the immune system, including multiple sclerosis and HIV infection.

Flu: Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis, S. nigra)

Elderberry comes from the honeysuckle family. Medicinally, elder fruit from the North American S. canadensis and elder flower from the European S. nigra are used. American herbalists combine the dried flowers of S. canadensis with peppermint to treat fevers and colds. Native Americans used a tea made from the plant’s inner bark to induce vomiting; Europeans used black elderberry to treat colds and fevers.

Most of the chemical research on elderberry involves black elderberry. Current interest in this species stems from the research of Israeli scientist Dr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu, who, along with her colleagues at Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem, developed an elderberry extract standardized to contain three flavonoids. In a 1993 clinical study performed during a flu outbreak in Israel, she found that the extract reduces the severity and duration of flu symptoms compared to a placebo. Apparently, the extract’s compounds inhibit the ability of the flu virus to enter cells, and thus disarm the virus’s ability to infect.

The Germans prescribe elderberry flower to induce sweating in order to treat fevers and increase bronchial secretions associated with full-blown colds.

A typical dose is 40 drops of tincture every four hours. To make a tea, simmer 2 to 3 teaspoons of dried flowers in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes and drink up to three times daily.

Safe use of elder always relates to the dried or cooked fruits and flowers. When fresh, all plant parts can produce allergic or other adverse reactions.

If you are intrigued to make your own tinctures, please stop back on Thursday where I will give instructions to make these concentrated herbal concoctions.

http://www.backyardaptch.com/

by Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh

Elderberry and Fresh Mint Tea - Tea Blend of the Month

Cooler weather, being indoors and vissiting with family and freinds often brings many airbourne illnesses, so I thought a tea you could keep in the refrigerator to use as an energy and immuity booster.  This is a two part tea you brew separately and mix together to serve. You can use any combination of fresh mint leaves you may have on hand to create this.

ELDERBERRY AND FRESH MINT TEA

Make a concentrated elderberry tea:

1 1/4 cup water
1 tsp dried elderberries
1 Tbls raisins

Bring water to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer, add elderberries and raisins, close pot and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat, allow to come to room temperature and strain off the liquid.  You can keep the concentrate in the fridge for a week.

Make mint tea:  

Any combination of mints will work, so if you have a flavored mint, like lime, chocolate, orange or more, add those.  For a base I used spearmint and applemint in mine.

With fresh herbs we used 1 Tbls of fresh mint per cup of water (1 tsp of dried mint).  Bring water just to a boil, turn off heat. Place herbs in a teapot and pour over water.  Steeping with the lid closed on the pot for 3-5 minutes.  Remove the herbs.

Mix the two teas together, altering the ratio depending on whether you want more mint or more fruit flavor.  The raisins will give some natural sweetness, but you can also add honey.  Great as an iced tea, but excellent to keep handy in the fridge to heat up in the winter for your daily boost.  Drink daily 

 

Pleasant Home Tea Blend - Tea of the Month

 In Late January I did one of several programs called Curative Properties of Tea (see program page if interested). As part of this program we sip tea while learning about herbs and thier various properties.  At the Park District of Oak Park, Pleasant Home facility, 12 people braved the cold and the snow to join us.  As the final part of the program we use our new knowledge to create a tea bland to sample.

It was described as smooth, flavorful and light by participants.  It is a light pink to red color with a ton of medicinal properties from the herbs included. We used a base of lemongrass with all of its anti-inflamatory and anti-bacterial properties and built on that with immunity boosting ingredients.

Lemongrass imparts a fresh, lemony, and slightly gingery flavor to dishes and beverages. It is great for digestive health, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.  It can reduce anxiety and aid sleep.  It will also help to detoxify the body with its diuretic effects.

Hibiscus – Used in tea to add a bit of color, Hibiscus has been studied recently to confirm that it can be helpful in lowering cholesterol, improving HDL “good” cholesterol, and lowering blood sugar.

Elderberry – a documented immunity booster, these berries are used for reducing the symptoms of the flu.  Only the berries and flowers should be used, not the stems or leaves as they can include cyanide.

Calendula – this lovely golden flower is an effective skin care treatment is does have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and would healing properties.

Rosehips- Rosehips are the seed-filled bulbs that grow at the base of the blossom of a rose. They have been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments. Native Americans have used rosehip tea to soothe sore throats and indigestion.  Rosehips contain vitamins C, E, and B as well as other minerals and antioxidants.  They also contain a substance that may ease inflammation.

Pleasant Home Tea 

2 parts Lemongrass

1 part Hibiscus

1 part Calendula

1 part Elderberry

1/2 part Rose hips

Blend the herbs in a jar and shake to combine.  Use about 1 to 2 tsp per cup of hot water and allow to steep 5 to 7 minutes before serving.  Sip in the morning or afternoon to enjoy the health benefits.

Hope you enjoy this tea as much as we did!

Seven tips for surviving the Flu

Simplify your diet to veggies, grains, soups, bone/seaweed/and/or miso broths, tea and fresh water.

Take an immune booster every 1–2 hours; try Echinacea tea, elderberry syrup or St. John’s wort oil.

 

Elderberry

Sleep a lot.

Keep warm—cover up your feet, neck, ears and lower back.

Flu virus is transmitted in the nose and mouth, so keep them clean with light rinses of sea salt water or a drop of tea tree oil in water.

Do an electricity or media fast to let your nervous system recuperate and to give your adrenal glands a rest. Turn off the radio, TV, computer, cell phone, newspapers, magazines, junk mail and shopping. This practice helps you slow down, hear your internal voice and de-stress.

Avoid sweets and milk products (raw milk is okay) for a few days. Sugar feeds bacteria and increases inflammation; pasteurized cold milk increases mucus and congestion.

Make this wonderful herby broth and sip it from mugs while you bundle up on the couch with a good book.

Noodle Soup Broth

4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 ½ cups water

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground dried ginger

1 teaspoon thyme or oregano

1/2 cup carrot, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced (optional)

Thinly slice shiitake caps (makes about 2 1/2 cups.) In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine broth with water, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and herbs; bring to a simmer. Add mushrooms and carrot; simmer until mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in sesame oil, and if desired, green onions.  If you want something heartier, add ramen noodles and chicken or tofu cubes when you add the carrots.  Serve warm and sip slowly.

Berry Sorbet-sicles

I love push up frozen pops.  LOVE them.  I also love lemon ice and recently I have been all about simple herb syrup.  A frozen pop can combine all of that.  I have made them in the past with a product called zipzicles, which is a pouch you can freeze your simple syrup creations into to freeze and eat as a popsicle.  You can order some through the mail here:  Zipzicle pouches

Syrups are the tastiest and sweetest types of herbal infusions you can make. Here are instructions for creating your own yummy syrup at home:

elderberry along Kline Creek were I once lived

Elderberry Syrup

1.                  Simmer 2 ounces of elderberries, dried, in 1 quart of water over low heat until the mixture reduces down to 1 pint of liquid.

2.                   Strain the herbs from the liquid, and place the liquid back into the pot.

3.                   Add one cup of sweetener (see note) and warm over low heat until the sweetener and herbal liquid are completely mixed.  NOTE: Sweeteners used can be honey, vegetable glycerin, agave nectar, maple syrup, or sugar.  If using raw honey, be careful not to simmer or boil the syrup, as this will destroy some of the beneficial properties of the honey. 

4.                   At this point, you may add a flavoring extract or fruit concentrate if you wish to flavor it.  Lemon juice may be added for sore or tickly throats, or brandy can be added as a relaxant and preservative.

5.                   Remove from heat, bottle and place in refrigerator.  Your herbal syrup will last for several weeks to months within the refrigerator.

To make a perfect popsicle with this syrup, add 1/2 cup of sparkling soda or seltzer water to the pint of syrup then pour into the pouches to freeze.

Fruit Syrup

You can use a slightly different method to make syrup if you are using berries or fruits.

1.       If using fresh berries, I first squeeze the juice of a lemon into a pan, and then simmer the berries along with a broken cinnamon stick, slices of ginger and a cardamom pod or two. Sometimes if there are some old vanilla beans around, I'll toss one of them in too.
2.          I smoosh it every so often with a potato masher.
3.          After 30 minutes or so, I strain the berries in a mesh strainer, and then pour them into a square of tight knit cloth (I cut up old t-shirts specifically for this job) and squeeze as hard as you can to get as much juice as possible.
4.          If you're using dried berries, use about 1/2 cup of berries to perhaps 2 cups of water and the juice of a lemon.  Continue as above with the fresh.
5.       Measure the juice. Add an equal amount of sugar (I usually add an additional 1/2 cup or so), and bring to a boil for about 3 minutes, skimming off any foam that may rise to the top.
6.        Cool the mixture then add to pouches to make popsicles or freeze in a shallow pan to make a sorbet.

Check out the previous step by step "How To" make an herb popsicle with lemon verbena and lemon balm here: Herb Popsicles.

Planting a Spa Garden - Designing Theme Gardens #2

January gave me great weather for herb garden designing.  It has been too cold or snowy to do anything else.  I have been repeatedly trapped in my apartment with nowhere to go and a book shelf full of books on landscaping, flowers and herbs.

Since this year we plan to get back into a house and I can actually have a pretty garden in addition to my production garden, I am pondering, scheming and planning.  I thought I would share some of the garden ideas I have pulled together.

Today I have for you a garden filled with herbs that can be used to craft personal Spa items. What could be better than a garden planned around plants that can be used to make luxurious, pampering potions for the bath and body? So many herbs make wonderful contributions to health and beauty, why not put them all in one place for easy access? Here are a few of my favorites that not only look great in the garden but will provide you with pure and effective spa treatments.

My first choice is calendula, Calendula officinalis. This sunny, easy to grow annual, also called pot marigold, can be used in lotions, balms, ointments, bath teas and facial steams. It prefers full sun, well drained soil and moderate watering. Calendula blooms all summer into fall and gives you lots of volunteer seedlings the next year. Harvest the yellow and orange blooms for a bevy of skin soothing treatments.

Comfrey, Symphytum officinale, is a must for the spa garden. Rich with allantom, a chemical that promotes cell regeneration, the whole plant is used in soaps, lotions, creams and salves. Very soothing to dry, irritated skin. Give it partial shade and a little extra water and it will return yearly.

Chickweed, Stellaria media, is another of my favorite plants. Considered a weed, it is a pretty little groundcover plant covered with white flowers. It is full of vitamins and minerals and is a tasty replacement for spinach in the kitchen. I harvest it throughout the winter where it hides under the snow. It likes to grow where it is cool, shady and wet. Very soothing for dry, irritated skin, I use it in salves, lotions, poultices and bath teas.

 

chickweed

Nettles, Urtica dioica, is a bristly plant full of trace minerals used for its anti-inflammatory effects on allergies, but it has been used for years as a hair tonic. A strong tea of the dried leaves used as a hair rinse will leave your hair soft and glossy. The seeds made into oil and rubbed into the scalp are reputed to prevent baldness. Nettles like to grow on the shady side with extra water. They can spread quickly if you provide the ideal conditions, so keep an eye on them and harvest with gloves.

Other herb rinses for hair health include rosemary (Rosmaria officinalis) for removing traces of accumulated hair products, sage (Salvia officinalis) to help darken and condition grey hair, and chamomile (Matricaria recutita) for blond highlights. Grow all three of these herbs in full sun, rosemary and sage like it on the dry side.

 

sage

Roses (Rosa) are a beautiful addition to your spa garden. The petals can be steeped to make rosewater, and combined with glycerin will provide a simple, effective lotion that will moisturize and tone dry, inflamed skin. Try dipping a washcloth into strained, cold, rose petal tea, wring it out and place over red, irritated eyes to relieve and refresh. Give roses full sun and rich soil to keep them happy.

Aloe is renowned for its healing properties. Squeeze the gel from the leaf onto burns, rashes, and irritated skin to provide immediate relief. Aloe likes full sun, little water and needs to be taken inside once it gets cold. They make great houseplants.

Catnip (Nepata cataria) is often discounted as an herb for people, but it is soothing, calming, a light sedative, purifies the blood, relieves colic, works as a digestive aid, and is mild enough for small children.

 

catnip

Lavender, Lavandula officinalis, is very soothing to skin and easy to grow, give it a hot, semi-dry area. I use the leaves and flowers in everything, from skin spritzers, creams and salves to hair rinses. Medicinally, lavender packs quite a punch.  It has antiseptic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsive, anti-depressant properties. Lavender benefits stress, anxiety, exhaustion, irritability, headaches, migraines, insomnia, depression, colds, digestion.

 

lavender

Use an elderberry bush for something tall in back of your garden. It will provide you with fragrant flowers to dry and use to tighten pores and clarify skin. Used in a bath it will soothe and moisturize irritated skin. And take internally to avoid illnesses and boost immunity.  Elderberry will grow in sun or part shade and appreciates regular watering.

Some other plants to include are witch hazel, lady's mantle, raspberry, peppermint and lemon balm.

And to get you thinking how to use these herbs.  Here are a few recipes to get you started:

Rose Water

Cover 2 cups of unsprayed, fresh rose petals with 2 cups of boiling water. Steep until cool or overnight, strain and use. Keep leftovers in refrigerator. To make a stronger brew, after straining the first batch, reheat, but don't boil, and pour the rose water over a fresh batch of petals to steep.

Herbal Hair Rinse

1 tablespoon each of dried nettles, rosemary, lavender, dried rose petals and chamomile. Pour 1 cup boiling water over herbs and steep until cooled. After shampooing and conditioning, pour tea over hair and wring out excess. Dry as usual.

Lavender Catnip Honey for Women

Honey can help shed water weight, clear lymph nodes and balance lymph fluid, dry out sinuses, increase circulation, aid in the healing of ulcers, sooth sore throats and coughs, and help reduce allergies (if using for this purpose, make sure you use local honey.

Combine 1 cup honey with 1 Tbls. fresh or dried catnip and 2 Tbls. fresh or dried lavender flowers.  Warm the honey in the microwave or saucepan and allow to steep for 1 to 2 weeks.  Rewarm and strain out the herbs.  Then use in tea, or as an ingredient in lozenges or take off a spoon for a sore throat. 

Lavender Hand Cream

3 tablespoons grated beeswax

½ cup dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons spring water

2 to 3 drops lavender essential oil

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a heat-resistant container or double boiler.  Gently heat (do not boil) the mixture in a microwave or on the stove top over medium heat, stirring often, until wax and oils melt completely.  Pour the mixture into a container or jar and allow it to cool.  After it has cooled completely, give it a final stir before capping.  To use, massage the cream into clean hands.

Always make this in small batches as it has no preservatives and you do not want it to go bad before you use it.  I think a 6 to 12 month shelf life is about all you can hope for.