Mother Earth provides medicine for all forms of healing, helping in many aspects of our overall well-being. Her medicines are strong and they heal our minds, bodies, and spirits.
Psychiatric Disorders such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and phobic conditions can be treated naturally just as any physical ailment or disorder can. Mother Earth’s medicine is amazing in that way.
Due to the recent Zika spraying, massive use of neonicotinoid pesticides, and other environmental factors, bees are now on the endangered species list, effective October 31, 2016. If bees go extinct, honey won't be the only thing we'll be missing: A third of the food humans eat would disappear with the bees. To put things in perspective, that means no more blueberries, apples, pumpkins, or almonds – all those plants (among others) need bees. Worried yet?
Did you know that your flower bed may contain medicine? That’s right -- Mother Earth provides us with medicine of many sorts.
Houseleeks, Daffodils, Heart’s Ease, Lily of The Valley… the list really could go on, but I’m guessing out of those 4 flowers you recognized at least 3 of them. Think of how beautiful a medicinal flower garden could be…the possibilities are endless! Today I would like to share with you 7 garden flowers that contain healing powers.
Flower essences have been around since the end of the nineteenth century and can help heal a number of emotional situations, such as fear, shock, jealousy, and even hatred. Perhaps the most influential person in the field of flower therapy was English physician Dr. Edward Bach, who came up with one of the first healing systems that utilized flower therapy. Thus, Bach Remedies was born - an alternative to traditional medicine that was simple, safe, and natural.
There’s something especially cheering about a garden bed bursting with sunny marigolds. If you agree, here’s how to get the most out of this humble plant…
Our concept of food runs the gamut from roots to genetically engineered food. While some may consider one more appetizing than the other, there is a clear boundary between edible and poisonous. So when a friend of mine loved his meal so much while dining out that he decided to finish off the plate by eating the decorative flowers, it got me thinking about our concept of edible. Yes, flowers are edible. But how often do we make a stop at the grocery store for some marigolds or pick up pansies for dinner?
Tinctures are a wonderful addition to the household medicine cabinet. A tincture is a concentrated liquid herbal extract. Tinctures are really easy to make and highly effective. They are made using consumable alcohol and medicinal plants, herbs, roots, berries, or bark. For those of you who do not use alcohol, a similar product can be made using apple cider vinegar, vegetable glycerin, honey, or white vinegar.
If you have a small section of your yard, you might want to consider planting a butterfly garden with your child. Children will watch and study insects of all types for long periods of time, and with a little wise planting, you will have an instant source of entertainment and learning.
Many common flowers attract both butterflies and hummingbirds. Here are a few:
2014 saw public outrage as up to 51% of plants sold at Walmart, Home Depot, and Lowe's contained neonics at levels harmful to bees. What’s more concerning is these were the plants that were labeled as ‘bee friendly.’ In response to the public pressure created by these harrowing results - and a general trend toward concern for pollinators in the recent years - many larger chains have started to phase out neonicotinoids.
While looking at the overgrown parts of my vegetable garden, I felt a combination of regret and amazement. Regret because I have obviously been neglecting the garden, hence the overgrown weeds, grasses, and vegetable plants that have flowered and gone to seed. However, I was also amazed because I could still harvest quite a lot from it.