Author: Laura P
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Herb in a Vase – April
Creative ideas crafted and shared by our local florist, Sophia Mason. This month we’re displaying: Cornflower Wild and wonderful Once upon a time, Centaurea cyanus grew like weeds in cornfields – that’s where cornflowers get their nickname. It grew happily throughout the UK since the Iron Age, sprinkling the landscape with its soft bluey purpleness…
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March Herb Walk
Our last walk before the Spring equinox, nature’s start to spring, when the unfurling begins. A visit to the Rackleaze Nature Reserve (behind Tesco’s in Cam) was a chance to catch the awakening in action! Promise of Spring Appropriately, our first plant was Primrose (‘the prime rose’ or ‘first flower’) – an embodied promise, heralding…
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Coltsfoot
Early in the year, round about late February or early March, especially if you’re wandering alongside a stream or river, where there is moist, heavy soil, you may see a yellow flowerhead looking, at first glance, like a dandelion. Take a closer look. You may find, instead of the toothed leaves and smooth stem of…
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Wild Resources
We’ve reached the time of year when green shoots entice us outdoors more, and their growing abundance may lead to ideas of gathering and foraging. Our definition of herbs as ‘plants with a purpose’ recognises the many ways herbs can be used for medical, creative, culinary, utilitarian, or other purposes. However, we’d still caution care…
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February Herb Walk
Typical of most our days this February, it was raining on the morning of our monthly herb walk. However, a trusty group were undeterred so the dozen or so of us, and slightly fewer umbrellas, enjoyed the walk along the Cam in Littlecombe. First leaves Our first pause was appropriately by the willow. This is…
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Violets in the Spring
One of the first woodland flowers to bring delight, once the initial flurry of snowdrops is passed, are violets. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch their scent on the air when a patch of their purple or white flowers is nearby. Gerard summed up violets as ‘delightfull to looke upon and pleasant to smell’ John Gerard…
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Aphrodisiac Herbs
History has many tales of herbs being deployed to stimulate connection between lovers. While the warmth of sharing a pot of carefully brewed herbal tea is charming enough, it’s fascinating to hear about some of the herbs that have been deployed for their stimulating properties. We turn to Hilda Leyel as our guide for curious…
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Wellness Wisdom from Dr Viv
As we have passed the Winter solstice and are peeping into the lovely lighter days of Imbolc, I wonder what herbs are resonating with you? Teas for renewal As many people tend to have rested, feasted and recuperated over thewinter, the New Year could be where we want to focus in on better habits. Pine…
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January Herb Walk
Breakheart Quarry was our chosen location for our January herb walk as a space of renewal, a good place to start the new year. This 54 acre area of land has been a community space now for over 15 years. In nature’s terms this is still young, a gradual recolonisation taking place so we expected…
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Begin with Birch
Ground never remains bare for long, nature will soon move in. One of the first trees to establish itself is often birch. Young birch trees will grow quickly and provide the shelter that enables the rest of the habitat to develop. This is one of the reasons birch has traditionally been associated with new beginnings.…