the Buds blog
Tag: herbs
Calendula's Flower Power: food, medicine + beauty
European folklore associates Calendula with the Sun. It is said to strengthen and comfort the heart, soothe agitation, and draw out evil spirits. Who doesn't need more of that? Not only soothing for our psyches, Calendula has long been relied upon as healthy food, gentle medicine, and healing skin care.
Surviving the change of season
Change of season is a time many people get sick, so it’s a good idea to keep a couple go-to remedies on hand. Calendula and St. Johnswort are helpful for many different complaints, including cold and flu...
Plant party- You're invited!
Gardening isn't always a party, but hanging out with the plants feels like being with friends. I suppose partly because I spend so much of time with them, but also because it's easy to see them as "people".
Kitchen Herbalism: Bee Balm
Do you know Bee Balm? Bee Balm (Monarda spp.) is a North American native plant in the Mint family loved by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. It's both a medicinal and culinary herb, comparable in use to Oregano or Thyme.
St. Johnswort. What’s in a name?
Did you ever wonder how St. Johnswort, so closely associated with Summer Solstice, witches, and magic, got a Christian saint's name?
Kitchen Herbalism: Sage
When you think of herbal medicine, do you think of Sage? The same Sage that’s on your kitchen spice rack is antibacterial, anticatarrhal, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiviral.
Echinacea makes a sailor girl feel yar
The quest for yar! Thoughtful design and a quality build gives a sailboat her yar. Am I the only one who sees the connection to vegan botanical skincare? Yar is an idea I use to create my recipes. I want each balm, serum, salve, mask and soap to be right and everything it should be.
Wear your herbs: Basil Hair Rinse
When I say “basil”, do you think “pesto”? Pesto made with sweet basil happens to be my enduring obsession, but with over 50 different varieties (possibly as many as 150!) distributed around the world, basil is about much, much more.
Kitchen Herbalism: Calendula
To say this cheerful flower is one of the most important plants in the herb garden is really not an exaggeration. Calendula (Calendula officinalis) has a long history of use as medicine, food, cosmetics, and fabric dye...
Wear Your Herbs: Echinacea Salve
Echinacea (or Purple Coneflower) is one you probably know as an immune-stimulating medicinal herb, but its anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties have an important place in your first-aid kit too.