With a move back to victory gardens, edible landscapings and organic or homegrown food and drink, one easy project to try is a tea garden. Many of the common tea ingredients are from flowering plants or flower petals, giving gardeners the perfect opportunity to grow their own tea ingredients, while enjoy beautiful blooms in their […]
The Benefits of Growing Parsley in Your Kitchen Garden
Photo by Swanksalot Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) basically falls into one of two categories; Italian (flat) or French (curly). While they’re both hardy biennials, meaning they flower and go to seed every other year, like many herbs and vegetables, they’re usually grown as annuals. The general feeling among gardeners is that the French curly parsley is […]
Three Home Uses for Basil Essential Oil
Basil essential oil has a distinctively strong scent. It was traditionally used to heal chest infections, to relieve headaches and to treat colds. It is a general tonic and it is also known for its ability to stimulate mental activity. Basil is a good oil to use whenever you are feeling tired or recovering from […]
Nettles and Nettle Tea: Benefits and Uses
The humble stinging nettle is one of the most vitamin and mineral rich wild herbs. Nettles are high in vitamins, especially C and E, and several minerals including iron. They grow in abundance and are easy to find – too easy in many gardens. Instead of treating nettles as weeds, pick some and use them […]
How to Make Pesto – Preserving Your Basil Herbs
I love growing basil during the warm growing season as the tender herb lends such a flavor to many dishes in the kitchen. When you aren’t using basil as a home remedy, making pesto and then freezing it is a great way to preserve your basil harvest for use through the winter months! Basic Recipe […]
Rose Oil: The Queen of Essential Oils
Rose is the queen of flowers, and rose essential oil is said to be the queen of essential oils. It is also one of the most expensive essential oils available today, mainly because of the huge amount of rose petals that are needed for producing the oil and the amount of work needed for the […]
Culinary Herbs as Home Remedies: Coriander (Cilantro)
The herb that is called cilantro in the US is called coriander in many other parts of the world. Coriander has been cultivated as a spice and as a medicinal herb for thousands of years and it is mentioned in ancient scripts from India and from Egypt. In the Middle Ages in Europe it was […]
Culinary Herbs as Home Remedies: Sage
Sage has been used in cooking and as a medicinal herb for hundreds of years. Like many of the most popular kitchen herbs, sage (Salvia officinalis) originates from the Mediterranean region but grows around the world, in gardens and in the wild. Some cultures, including the Romans, considered it a sacred herb. It was once […]
Culinary Herbs as Home Remedies: Parsley
Parsley is one of the most familiar cooking herbs, and it has been used for thousands of years. Parsley is a native to the Mediterranean but is cultivated around Europe, the U.S. and Asia. Parsley Home Remedies In ancient Greece, a crown of parsley was placed on the heads of winning athletes. The Greeks also […]
Culinary Herbs as Home Remedies: Lemon Balm
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is an ingredient in many herbal teas, and it has been known and used as a home remedy for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks knew this herb, and it has been used as a herbal remedy throughout the centuries in many southern European countries. Lemon balm was believed to prevent […]
Culinary Herbs as Home Remedies: Thyme
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) grows all over the Mediterranean countries. The name of the herb comes from the Greek word thymon that means courage. Roman soldiers used to bathe in thyme water to gain strength and courage. In Scotland, thyme tea was drunk for the same reasons, and also to keep nightmares away. The ancient Egyptians […]
Culinary Herbs as Home Remedies: Rosemary
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) has been used for centuries in healing and in cooking, and in religious rituals. This popular herb has a wide range of uses as a herbal home remedy and also in natural beauty products. Facts and Legends about Rosemary Traces of rosemary have been found in tombs that date back to ancient […]
