plants

The zinnia is a member of the Family Asteraceae, which includes the Aster and contains seven species. It is an annual that is native to Mexico and is found from the southern United States to Chile.

Herbal medicine making is a powerful practice rich with intention, connection, and healing. In our modern world, the potency of plant medicine is often overlooked. Yet when we trace its roots, we see that Mother Earth’s remedies are long honored across many traditions and cultures.

The pansy is a member of the genus Viola – it is closely related to the violet and of the species Viola tricolor. Its common name is derived from the French word “pensée” meaning “thought” because the petals of the flower can resemble a human face that nods downward in contemplation.

Most people think plants love summer – but that’s not exactly true.  Summer can mean more bugs, too much sun, too little water, and too high heat, and some plants handle these hurdles a little better than others.  Even for plants that don’t thrive in the throes of summer, there are things you, the gardener, can do to help them get through the heat.  Here’s a list of 11 essential tips for every summer gardener.

Tip 1: Place birdbaths throughout your garden.

Geraniums belong to the genus Geranium L. – Geranium P. which contains forty-four species. The plant is native to South Africa and can be found throughout the world in temperate regions and tropical mountains. They grow prolifically in the eastern Mediterranean.

S.C.O.B.Y., the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast needed to produce kombucha, is a necessary by-product of the fizzy, good-for-you fermented tea that’s grown in popularity over the last few years. It’s not pretty: most scoby are disc-shaped (they grow to fit their containers, usually a large glass jar), rubbery feeling, and slimy looking, with the occasional grayish-brown strands that can result from yeast blooms.

We've grown so used to supermarkets providing food for us that we have forgotten how to find food for ourselves. Well, not everyone (but the majority of people have). Believe it or not, people actually trust the grocery store more than the plants growing around their home. Whenever I even suggest the idea of foraging to most people, they look at me like I have three heads. The problem with grocery stores is you cannot see the process the food undergoes. You cannot watch it grow, know who picked it, or understand how it was treated.

As spring really start to takes off – and then all of a sudden becomes full-fledged summer! – it can be all too tempting to frolic bare-legged amidst all the greenery. But be on guard; amidst all the lovely-smelling foliage emerging also hide some poisonous plants that you don’t want to stick your nose in…or any part of your body, for that matter.

Helichrysum italicum is a flowering plant that’s a member of the Asteraceae family and a relative to the daisy. Helichrysum is native to the Mediterranean and thrives in the dry, rocky, and sandy ground. One of the plant’s nicknames is the Everlasting Flower due to its rejuvenating skin benefits, as well as the plant’s ability to naturally improve your complexion.

For all those who wanted to have a fruit tree, but have no land to plant the seed in -- pot a bonsai instead…

Fruiting trees are marvelous creations of nature. They are rather attractive, come in all shapes and sizes, add to the oxygen content around, offer up delicious fruits and bloom into beautifully scented flowers that really add to a fragrant garden.