Medicinal Plants in the Gardens

As things become more unstable in the world, it's always a good idea to be looking at ways to care for yourself and family. For example, if someone becomes ill and you're not able to get to a doctor or store, or if as we've seen recently, supplies are hard to find.

In this article, I'll share with you a few things that I have in my garden that you might want to consider adding to your flower beds, or even start a medicinal garden in a corner.  Realize too, that a lot of things that are considered "weeds" are also edibles.  

Disclaimer: "I am not a medical doctor and I am not giving medical advice in this post

Purple Cone Flowers - (echinacea pupurea):  This is one of my favorite flower bed fillers.  The stems are tall and sturdy, and the flowers themselves are lovely purple and attract bees and butterflies.  The seed heads are easy to collect, I just let them dry on the stalk and then collect the seeds into a ziploc bag or other airtight container in the fall.  The seed heads are very prickly, so it's not a job for small kids.

Echinacea (shown below) can be used to build the immune system, combat cold and flu symptoms, help with congestion, relieve pain and help with mild urinary tract infections.  You can make a tea of dried flowers, leaves and roots and store it in an airtight container for later use.  

Feverfew - (tanacetum parthenium):  Feverfew looks very similar to daisies, and is easily confused with chamomile.  The plant has lovely clusters of white flowers, and grows in bush like clumps similar in shape to mums.   The yellow center of the flower, when dried, produces the seed head that can easily be collected.

Feverfew (shown below) can be used to combat migraines, body aches, fevers, arthritis and has been known to help with cancer as well.  The leaves and flowers can be dried and made into a tea, or you can eat the leaves fresh during the summer months.

Horseradish - (armoracia rusticana):  Horseradish can be used to make spices and sauces.  However, the root is also a great expectorant and works well to loosen mucus, is a diuretic, and helps with cancer as well   Please note, horseradish is also very pungent, and you should process the root in a well-ventilated area to avoid discomfort to eyes, nose and throat.  The roots can be stored in the refrigerator, or honestly left in the ground until needed.

Onions can help prevent and treat heat exhaustion, treat joint pain and can be used as an expectorant.  They also can be used to cure migraines, treat amoebic diarrhea and can help with ear aches and cataracts.

Garlic has antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant properties.  It can be used to treat acne, help with insulin resistance and helps to prevent cancer.  Studies show that garlie is as effective as penicillin in treating infection.

Lambs ear - (stachys byzantina):  This velvety soft plant is both fun and functional.  The leaves can be applied to open cuts, as it has antibacterial properties and speeds healing.  It can also be used to treat bee stings, bug bites, sore throat, gum issues and asthma.  And added bonus, is that it can also be used as toilet paper without issue.

I also have purple basil (shown below), bee balm, lemon balm, calendula, peonies, mints, sage and evening primrose all growing in various spots in the garden.  Each of these have wonderful medicinal qualities as well.  However, if space is limited, I highly recomment the items that I've discussed above to be  your "must have" additions to your garden.

I hope you will take time to find out more about medicinal herbs and flowers, and incorporate them into your garden and landscapes as much as possible.  Happy gardening!

My Gardens - 2016 Edition

I've been a bit lax in posting to this blog in recent weeks and months.   I'm hoping to rectify that at some point, humor me, ok?

I thought I'd take time to share some photos of this year's garden.  This post serves a dual purpose, first you get to see my lovely flowers, and it we get the terrible storms in out forecast for this afternoon and overnight, I may not have anything but photos of the flowers by morning.

My mailbox garden is one of my favorites, I love the day lilies.

 My rosebush has taken on a life of it's own.  I need a trellis for next year.

 My shade garden is on the left side of my drive way.   I have evening primrose, hostas, day lilies, lambs ear and lamiun growing under there.   I also have some little white flowers, but I'm drawing a blank on the name.   I have a couple of wind chimes and homemade gourd bird houses hanging in the branches of the big pine tree.

This next little back yard garden has all sorts of things in it, a rosebush, lambs ear, lamium, fever few (which has taken over) black eyed Susan's, columbine, irises, obedient plants, chrysanthemums and purple spider wort.  Not everything is currently in bloom obviously.

The garden below is my the upper corner of my back yard.  There are day lilies, lily of the valley, cone flowers, spider wort, red hot pokers, a wisteria vine and a hydrangea bush.

The vegetable garden (below) is coming along nicely.   I'd thought the late frost had killed the squash, but they have rebounded, and all of them now have blooms.   We have 8 squash, 13 tomatoes (4 varieties), lettuce, spinach, endive and onions growing.   We've already harvested all of the radishes, so I'll replant those come early fall.   I also have a huge patch of sunflowers growing by the garden gate.

 

Lastly, here's my little garden shed garden.   It has white peonies, cone flower, mums, day lilies, spider wort, parrot irises, lambs ear and a few other little odds and ends that haven't come up yet.

I missed getting photos of my peonies and red hot poker gardens this year.   Here area few close up photos of some of my lovely flowers.

Thanks for touring my gardens with me!

Mid Summer’s Garden

We’ve had an unusually wet July and my vegetable and flower gardens are loving it.  Unfortunately, so are the weeds, ahem.   Thankfully, we had a break in the rain and the miserable humidity this week and I was able to spend several days working in the great outdoors.   Everything from pruning hedges, weeding flower beds and mowing the yard and the neighbors yard happened this week.

Here’s a peek at some of the lovely flowers that are currently in bloom.   My hollyhocks and sunflowers are a lovely contrast in color.  This is the view right outside my sunporch.

My cone flowers (Echinacea) have managed to hop from one bed to the other this year.  I’m not sure how they managed to move so far from where I’d planted them, but they seem to be more happy in their new home.

My gladiolas are sparse this go around, but the ones that survived are lovely indeed.

I’m not a huge fan of yellow, but I love black eyed Susan’s and they add a lovely pop of cheeriness among my purpley garden.

The last of the day lilies are fading, but here’s a lovely orange/red one that I just love.

Now let’s move over to the veggie garden.  Our yellow squash have mass produced this year, and the butternut squash looks even more prolific!   There are lots of tomatoes on the vines, but they have not ripened yet…I.can’t.wait!

Another grouping of sunflowers stands guard over the garden.   I love seeing these sunny faces from my kitchen window.

I hope you are enjoying the fresh summer produce.  Even if you can’t grow your own, try to find a farmer’s market and taste the difference, you’ll be glad you did!

Spring in Virginia–The Sequel

If you read my post Spring in Virginia, you know that I showed you lots of flowers, and warned you that there would be more photos coming.   True to my word, here I am, preparing to blast you with more photos, grins.

First up is my capon roses (I think that’s how it’s spelled).   These stalky, fuzzy grey plants burst to life with magenta blooms during most of the spring and summer.  The stalks have engulfed my Bradford Pear tree trunk, and have taken over most of the lambs ear.

My coreopsis has spread and popped up in various places that I hadn’t planned on it growing.  None the less, the bright yellow looks lovely as it contrasts my roses and spiderwort.

The red hot pokers have now turned a brilliant orange/red.   The little birds are eating all the blooms off, so they won’t last long.

My rose bushes are stunning!   There are so many blooms this year! I have a total of four large rose bushes, this is the most stunning.  I love the way the red pops out in contrast to the silvery lambs ear.  In the back of this flower garden are my fever few plants.  These little boogers tend to pop up everywhere as well.

Aren’t the little blooms on the fever few just the cutest things?

Just a few more photos ya’ll, really.   Spiderwort, some bell shaped flowers that come back every year, but not sure what they are, and lastly my hollyhocks.

Lastly are my hollyhocks.  I’ve planted these for years and have never had any success.   Finally this spring this beauty popped up and surprised me, isn’t is lovely?

The summer flowers will be different, so um, yeah…expect more photos.

Spring in Virginia

Virginia has unique weather in the spring.  In a 24 hour period we’ve been known to drop from the 90’s to having a freeze warning, with heavy hail and hard rains in between.   Never a dull moment ya’ll.

Despite that, I don’t think there’s any prettier place to live.   I love the mountains (although those who live out west would consider them hills).    I especially love the flowering trees, wildflowers and the long planting and growing season we have here.

I thought I’d share a little of what my flower beds are looking like this spring.    Prepare for photo overload.

My dear friend Vicki heard me say how much I like seeing poppies, but I never had success getting them started.  Last fall she surprised me with several poppy plants from her amazing garden.  Only 2 plants seem to have survived the transplant, but they bloomed and were stunning (although it’s a brief bloom span).

I love the smell of peonies and their huge blooms are just so stunning.    I have two varieties (but may add more).   There is this lovely fuchsia peony by my sun porch window, and then lovely white peony is in the garden behind my garden shed.

I also have various types of irises.   I have the standard purple, but also white and these yellowy/burgundy ones.

My evening primrose is beginning to bloom along the driveway and curb.   I LOVE these pink flowers that stay in bloom most of the year.

My azalea’s have started to fill out this year.   I picked these both up on clearance at Lowe’s for 50 cents because they were closer to death than life.   Amazing what a little TLC can do.

I don’t remember what these little flowers are, but I love their sunny little faces.

My red hot pokers are starting to turn.   These are also outside my sun porch window.  Once the poker part turns red, little birds come and pick the seeds off.  I sit by the window with a cup of tea and watch them work.

Oh, and I mustn't forget my columbine!    

There are so many unique flowers in my yard, and each one makes me smile.   Sadly, I’ve noticed that my yard is the only one in the neighborhood with any flowers at all.  Sigh.

Flowering bushes line the back fence and the garden beneath our bedroom windows.  The pollen is bad, but the smells are lovely!

My tiger lilies and day lilies have not started to bloom yet, those throw lots of pops of orange and yellow throughout the yard, and contrast nicely with all the purples.

Now that I’ve shown you bits and pieces of my gardens, I’ll show you a few full garden shots.   The azalea/tulip/wildflower garden isn’t shown….it needs work (it’s on the schedule for the weekend).

There are still more flower beds to show, but they bloom later in the year….so brace yourself, there WILL be more posts about flowers coming soon!