Herbs, Flowers and Trees - Welcome to Our Temple

and thin out the seedlings. The chervil and coriander will begin to shoot and grow
leggy soon after midsummer, but basil, especially the compact bush basil, will
continue into the winter months.
Sweet marjoram and summer savory also grow well indoors and are both annuals. For
a basic supply of perennial, evergreen culinary herbs, plant thyme species, winter
savory, a clump of Welsh onions and the prostrate rosemary. Decorative dwarf golden
sage can be included, and the biennial parsley. None of these are invasive herbs and
can be planted together, but mint needs a pot of its own and plenty of moisture. If
you have room for a deep tub or barrel on a balcony or roof, then it may be possible
to grow tall herbs such as angelica, deep-rooted caraway or horseradish; otherwise
these species are obviously unsuitable for indoor growing.
Another series of pots or a large box could be used for growing herbs for tisanes. Plant
peppermint and lemon balm (whose roots may need confining), the annual German
chamomile, the little rock hyssop, lady's mantle and trailing ground ivy.
Herbs grown for their scent might include dwarf lavender species, clove carnation,
dwarf santolina and upright and trailing pelargoniums. There are literally hundreds of
pelargonium varieties, each with leaves of a different scent and shape, and all make
admirable houseplants, being easy to grow and easy to propagate from cuttings. Use
the leaves to flavor custards, creams and gelatins and in potpourri mixtures.
Several Several Ways Ways of of Preparing Preparing Herbs Herbs for for Use
Notes: Always keep a record of the work you do. If using herbs for healing, remember
you are not a doctor, use them only for adjuncts not replacements for medical
treatment. The traditional Herbal Craftsperson will meditate as the work is done and
after it is completed, in this way learning is continued.
The Water in the following preparations is brought to boiling then poured over the
herb, the herbs are not boiled in the water, for that would cause a breakdown of the
vitamins and minerals in the herbs that are so vital to the healing process.
Making An Infusion
This process draws the properties you want out of the herb for healing. An infusion is
basically a strong tea. The normal mixture is one pint of water to one ounce of herb.
It takes experience to learn how long each herb needs to steep, some take longer than
others, the average length of time is hour but with practice you'll learn which take
longer and which take less time.