The herb gardener's essential guide: creating herbal remedies and oils for health & healing

1233 Pages·2016·5.13 MB·English

by  Kynes

About the Author Sandra Kynes is a
yoga instructor, a Reiki practitioner,
and a member of the Bards, Ovates
and Druids. She likes developing
creative ways to explore the world and
integrating them with her spiritual
path, which serves as the basis for her
books. She has lived in New York
City, Europe, England, and now
© Jessica Weiser
coastal New England. She loves connecting with nature
through gardening, hiking, and ocean kayaking. Visit her
website at www.kynes.net.
Llewellyn Publications
Woodbury, Minnesota

Acknowledgements
My thanks to Amy Glaser whose vision started this book, Stephanie Pui-Mun
Law for her beautiful artwork, and Lynne Menturweck for her direction in
pulling it all together; Liz Parsons and Rosanne Graef for inviting me to join our
neighborhood apothecary garden project;
and my family Lyle Koehnlein and Jessica Weiser who share a small oasis of a
backyard garden with me.
Contents
INTRODUCTION
Part 1: Creating an Apothecary Garden C 1: A History of
HAPTER
Herbal Medicine C 2: Garden Design Past and Present C
HAPTER HAPTER
3: Choosing Your Plants C 4: Bugs and Birds C 5: Tools
HAPTER HAPTER
and Personal Gear C 6: Let’s Get Going C 7: Preparing
HAPTER HAPTER
the Soil and Planting C 8: Maintaining Your Garden C
HAPTER HAPTER
9: Window and Porch Gardens Part 2: Preparing Herbs for Storage
and Making Herbal Remedies C 10: Harvesting the Bounty of
HAPTER
Your Garden C 11: After the Harvest C 12: Essential
HAPTER HAPTER
and Carrier Oil Basics C 13: Making Your Own Herbal
HAPTER
Remedies C 14: Other Forms of Remedies C 15:
HAPTER HAPTER
Culinary Uses of Herbs for Good Health Part 3: Herb Profiles
Angelica
Anise
Basil
Bay
Borage
Caraway
Cayenne
The Chamomiles
Clary
Coriander/Cilantro
Dill
Fennel
Garlic
Hyssop
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Lemongrass
Marjoram
The Mints
Parsley
Peppermint
Rosemary
The Sages
St. John’s Wort
Spearmint
Thyme
Valerian
Yarrow
CONCLUSION
APPENDIX A: Herbs for Ailments, Conditions, and Support for Good
Health APPENDIX B: Measurement Equivalents GLOSSARY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Disclaimer
This book is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of
medical advice and treatment from your personal physician. Readers are advised
to consult their doctors or other qualified healthcare professionals regarding the
treatment of their medical problems. Neither the publisher nor the author take
any responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, action, or
application of medicine, supplement, herb, or preparation to any person reading
or following the information in this book.
INTRODUCTION
T
here is a special beauty to herbs. We may know many of them as
unassuming garden plants, but their use is intertwined with human history.
For thousands of years they have provided people with fragrance, taste, and
healing. My interest in herbs has affected several aspects of my life—cooking,
gardening, and the desire for natural healing—which has led to an interest in
essential oils. Before going further, I must explain that I am not a trained
herbalist nor am I certified through any program or school. I am like the many
thousands throughout the ages who have gone before me to learn from others,
observe, and study on my own. I grew up in a household where the first line of
defense against illness or discomfort and the first aid rendered after injury came
from the kitchen or my grandmother’s garden. While commercial products
eventually made their way into the medicine cabinet (“new” and “convenient”
were the buzzwords of the early 1960s), my mother often drifted back to
remedies she knew as a child. Because of that, I became familiar with them, too.
However, while I consider herbs comforting, my preference for herbal remedies
goes beyond childhood memories. Like many people today, I think nature offers
a better way of dealing with common, basic health issues, and I prefer not to use
medicines made from synthetic chemicals.
As I mentioned, I am not an expert. I work with herbs and essential oils for my
own purposes and not to provide treatment to other people or sell products.
While it may seem odd that I have written a book on herbs and essential oils, my
purpose is to encourage others to explore the healthful bounty of the plant
kingdom without feeling intimidated. After all, our ancestors were not
“herbologists,” they simply used the knowledge that was handed down through
generations and did what they needed to do to relieve discomfort and stay
healthy. That said, we must keep in mind that herbs are powerful and they must
be used properly.
Like many books about herbs and healing remedies, details on how to grow
and prepare them for use is also included here. However, I have veered onto my
own path by integrating information on essential oils. After all, the history of
essential oils is intertwined with that of herbal medicine. While essential oils
require a great deal of plant material and few of us have the space to grow
enough or the equipment to distill it, I have included them because they expand
and enhance our herbal repertoire.