A Green Faerie's Herbal, - from author and gardener Antoinette Beard...: How to Dry Herbs,

The "Green Life" Is Such Fun...

I can hardly remember when I wasn't interested in plants. I love it all, - from wild woodlands where everything grows in a tangled jumble, to sculptured, formally structured gardens, like you might see on a castles grounds. [Although, I must confess a definite preference toward the wild side of gardening.]

***Please note: I live in Zone 5, in Ohio, U.S.A., if you plan to garden, according to my suggestions, you might have to adjust to your own growing conditions. The weather where I live gets to be hot and humid to frigidly cold, - 90 degrees, F., in July, - and can reach lows of -15 in January with mild lovely Springs with plenty of rain, and brisk glorious Autumns.

It's amazing, the variety of plants that can be called herbs: Did you know that roses are considered herbs?... Yes, roses are, of course, used in aroma therapy, and they are among the edible flowers. [I have eaten rose hip jelly. It's delicious!]

Some of my favorite herbs are: oregano, basil [Ah, that basil pesto!], rosemary, lavender, sage [I love the purple stemmed variety.], Lemon balm, the wide variety of mints and the scented geraniums - rose, lemon, apple and mint.

If you know me at all, you know that I love folklore. There are many faerie folk tales involving woodlands and the "green" life. Faeries love all wild natural places, all over the world, and detest that their environment is constantly being taken over by civilization and mechanization. I believe that this is the main reason why faeries are so vulnerable to iron and metals, and why anything to do with the fey should never, ever include such things!

If you want to make a faerie garden it should be in a peaceful place with sun and shade and where there is water, even if it's just a bird bath. It should have pretty shiny rocks and, perhaps, ferns and moss. Include some garden sculptures of gnomes, winged faeries and animals.

Happy gardening!...

Yes...

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

How to Dry Herbs, - [Harvesting, drying and storing]...

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