Oh wow, that's a terrible name. This herb could be the cure for cancer (unlikely, but follow me here), and everyone would overlook it because it's called mugwort. In the plant world, you've got to be in some serious purgatory to be slapped with a name like mugwort...or...that's how we'd see it now. In ancient…
A funny thing happened on the way to the drug store...ah, this is so me. We were on vacation in the Florida Keys, and I took a short walk across the street to pick up a few things at the drug store. I stopped to admire a pretty bush with silvery leaves, and something bright caught my eye. A neon orange, spikey fruit called the balsam apple dangling from a vine. I had to know more.
My French and English friends might be surprised that I'm writing about sorrel in a forgotten herb series. They haven't forgotten it. Americans have. So what it is and why do I grow it? ...
I admit it. I did not know what yard walks were. My friend bought a new house and instead of inviting me to a housewarming (so expected) she invited me to a yard walk...
A beautiful article from The Herb Society of America about a pretty herb that most people probably overlook. Add some Queen Anne's Lace to any flower arrangement. Snap the stem and breathe in the delicate scent of wild carrot, a cousin to the bigger roots you might eat with humus.
Chicory is everywhere, hiding in plain sight. But, it's not a wildflower at all. It's an escaped prisoner. The secret to chicory lies buried underground...
Weird name. Amazing herb. Close enough pronounciation "ca-len-juh-la" (how a "d" makes a "j" sound in English, I suppose it's my Connecticut accent.) Calendula is the weirdest looking seed I plant in my garden. Really, it looks like something from an alien nation. It's mildly spikey and curved, almost in an arrogant way. It grows…
There can only be one reason we forgot about clary sage: modern pharmaceuticals. close enough pronunciation "clare-E sayjuh" Clary sage was THE go-to herb for our female ancestors to reduce the monthly discomfort of menstruation cycles. Your great-grandmother probably looked forward to the relief of a cup of brewed clary sage tea as she busied…
Nasturtium flowers are vibrant, vining and easy to grow. The blooms are sturdy and edible.
