Results for Category: Botanical
California Poppy Benefits + Recipe
California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), the state flower of California, is a beautiful wildflower that has been an ally to western-dwelling Indigenous peoples for long before there was a United States, let alone a United States Pharmacopeia. In this post, I will share with you a materia medica on the beneficial California poppy benefits, which should…
How and Why To Start an Herb Garden
As a kid growing up in Ohio, I really looked forward to the growing season. My father always had a love for plants (mainly flowers...
Bioregional Herbalism
Bioregional herbalism is the oldest form of herbal practice. Before global trade people used what was close at hand. This taught h...
Herbal Trees
Trees are a lovely way to decorate and enhance the landscape in a multitude of ways. Some trees are large with dense canopies and these make for excellent shade trees. Smaller trees, often cross-classified as shrubs, can be great for landscaping or placement closer to a building. There are many flowering trees that add a…
4 Options for Herbal Ground Cover
An herbal ground cover is a great option for gardeners looking to fill empty space in their garden beds or fill patches in the yard where grass has a difficult time growing. Some people even grow ground covers as an alternative to traditional grass lawns, which require heavy watering and feeding to maintain. Ground covers…
How to Grow Echinacea
Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) is an herbaceous, flowering perennial native to North America. This plant has a long history of use and...
Seed Soaking: Herb Gardening 101
Seed soaking is a method of preparing seeds, specifically those with hard outer shells, for planting. Seeds that need to be soaked...
Seed Scarification: What Herb Gardeners Need to Know
Seeds are packaged by nature to survive the elements. A tough outer shell protects the tender plant embryo inside. Some seed coatings are tougher than others. Seeds with the toughest coatings can be hard to crack, which is why they germinate at much higher rates when exposed to conditions like fire, freezing, or digestive processes…
Echinacea and Goldenseal: When to Use One Over the Other
Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) and goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) are popular herbal allies during cold and flu season. These plants can help cope with cold and flu symptoms and aid the body in its recovery process. Both echinacea and goldenseal have antibacterial properties; however, understanding them in this narrow context doesn’t fully inform their whole range of…
5 Herbs That Thrive in a Southwest Garden
The first step to growing a successful Southwest garden is appreciating the environment in which you are growing. Depending on whe...
