Lavender is an evergreen perennial scrub but here in our zone 3 growing area we treat it like an annual. It has long aromatic leaves, gray green and downy that grow to the height of 2 feet. The blue-mauve flowers are intensely fragrant and walking in a field of blooming English Lavender should be on everyone’s bucket list, not only will you enjoy the look and smell of lavender but you will see bees gathering their nectar.
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Choosing Sites for Growing Herbs
Every form of garden is artificial and success depends on how well we can match or duplicate the natural environment of the plant in nature. Factors such as type of plant, the soil requirements, the sun exposure and the local temperature range all need to be considered.
Read the rest of this entry »Herbs for Healing
Fresh or dried herbs have been prepared for medicinal purposes for centuries, drawing on the accumulated wisdom and experience of generations of herbalists. Diagnosis and prescription are still best left to a qualified practitioner, although simple remedies can be prepared at home. Homer wrote of healing roots, one of the earliest records of the use of medicinal plants in Europe.
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English monarchs had Strewers of Herbs precede them in processions to scatter dried aromatic herbs such as rosemary, thyme and rue to ward off diseases. The medieval plagues were thought to be caused by foul air. Dried herbs and essential oils were incorporated into pot-pourris, snuff and scented water.
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