After coming back from a mini break far from London (the excitement to leave for the first time in 18 months was insane) my first batch of St. John's Wort oil and tincture were ready for bottling. The second batch should be ready in a week or so. Though a small batch of oil, this... Continue Reading →
I've spent the last week walking around with what I can only call a "fuggy head". You probably know the feeling, like you've stayed up a solid 48 hours, you can't focus, pain behind the eyes and a general feeling of blurgh. Silly me, I thought it was a combination of not sleeping well and... Continue Reading →
It's been a funny few weeks and I've been having trouble thinking what to write about whilst I stew on "real life" and all that comes with it. This morning though, as I reached into my desk drawer and grabbed my propolis tincture, it struck me that this was probably the perfect topic. I've been... Continue Reading →
Binomial: Rosa spp., R. canina, R. Damascus, R. pimpinellifolia, R. rubiginosa Common names: Rose, Damascus rose, Wild rose, Dog rose, Queen of flowers, Rosa, Shatapatri, Witch’s briar Family: Rosaceae Parts used: Flowers, fruit (hips), the youngest leaves Native to: Persia Distribution: Middle East, N. Africa, Mediterranean, Europe, Asia, N. America Botanical description: There are thirteen... Continue Reading →
It's been a weird weather week but the jasmine flowers have started to bloom and that smells good no matter the weather. I've been wanting to try wanted to try enfleurage, the French perfumery method that can extract even the subtlest of scents, for a couple of years and finally decided it's now or likely... Continue Reading →
Herbal glycerites are a gentle form of tincture. Though many decree glycerites are “non-alcoholic”, this isn’t strictly true as glycerine is actually a sugar alcohol. However, it comes with none of the typical effects of alcohol, making glycerites pretty perfect for those who can’t or shouldn’t ingest alcohol, whether due to age, religion or health... Continue Reading →
Binomial: Nepeta cataria Common names: Cat mint, catnep, cat(s)wort Family: Lamiaceae Parts used: Aerial parts Native to: Europe and most of Asia Distribution: Worldwide Botanical description: A hardy perennial; catnip grows 1 ft – 3ft tall. As with others of the mint family, it’s stem is square, growing erect with branched opposing stems. A down... Continue Reading →
I love spring - spring and autumn are my favourite times of the year - but with spring comes allergies and they are something I really wish I could live without. The runny nose, the weepy eyes, the crusty eyes, the headaches, the tight chest, the foggy brain, the cough...so may symptoms that suck when... Continue Reading →
This week I tried some herby things that didn't really go to plan. Well, honestly, they absolutely blew! First, I was trying to make some cocoa body butter, something I've made so many times before that i thought there was no way it could go wrong...not true. Somehow I ended up having to add beeswax... Continue Reading →
I was having real trouble when thinking what to write about this week. I have been focussed so much on the day-to-day that writing barely even entered my thoughts. But a little inspiration struck whilst planting some new herbs and here I am. When buying herbs to plant, I sometimes find myself spinning out, wondering... Continue Reading →
Herbal She Wrote 