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Stoney Ground Herbs

Beautiful, strong herbs for NZ gardeners and herbalists of all levels

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Hang! That’s a nice Kokedama!

November 5, 2019 By SandRa Timmins Leave a Comment

The naturalisation process of kokedama, how to look after your kokedama.
Rex begonia in kokedama finery

So, what is this kokedama that I keep going on about?

Kokedama is a Japanese art form like how bonsai is. “Koke” means moss and “dama” means ball (or jewel). Japanese dictionary.

苔玉

A plant has its roots surrounded by a soil medium then it is wrapped in sphagnum moss and bound by twine. The plant can then be hung or placed on a special dish or structure.

Corkscrew rush (Juncus effusus "Spiralis") kokedama
Corkscrew rush (Juncus effusus “Spiralis”) kokedama

They look stunning, they’re eco-friendly (as long as the sphagnum moss has been sustainably harvested and no peat has been used in the soil medium. That’s a tick and a tick for me and I even use fair trade organic hemp for my twine) and more often than not they contain houseplants for, obviously, inside. If you don’t know how much of a good thing that is, you need to read my article here on indoor plants.

how to look after your kokedama.
Bird’s nest fern getting a misting

Kokedama are super easy to look after too. To know when to water your plant you just check the weight of the ball, when it feels light it’s time to water. You water by placing your kokedama in a bowl or sink of water that comes about half way up the ball. Let it soak it up for about 10-30mins, then take it out and squeeze the ball, let it drain a bit then hang back up! A lot of plants like a bit of misting here and there, ferns especially. You can mist the ball too in-between waterings’.

how to look after your kokedama.
Happiness

Things can get hairy. Literally. A soft sort of white down can appear on your ball. This is really quite normal and will not harm any person or pet. You can rub it off next time you water it and maybe look at how much air circulation your kokedama is getting.

The naturalisation process of kokedama, how to look after your kokedama.
It’s all natural baby!

The sphagnum moss may start greening up too. It’s all part of the naturalisation process. The twine will eventually degrade and roots may appear through the moss. But by this time (1-2 years we’re talking) the roots will be holding the shape of the ball, it’s not going to all fall to pieces!

The naturalisation process of kokedama, how to look after your kokedama.
Green is the new black…

So what to do… you can wait to see what happens, it will eventually build its own little eco-system and come out the other end looking beautiful, or you can put another layer of sphagnum moss over the ball and re-twine it or staple in pieces of fancy/wild moss over the “unsightly” bits.

Whatever the case, they are worth it for the pleasure that they can give you as well as their aesthetic and architectural presence in your home, patio, courtyard or deck.

The naturalisation process of kokedama, how to look after your kokedama.
Lavender kokedama for outdoors.

At the moment I’m only selling my kokedamas at markets. Just need to work out packaging and how to make sure I have plants available online as well as at my markets. I’d love to know if you would be interested in purchasing kokedama off me, let me know through the comments section or the contact form on the right~

Filed Under: Care and Maintenance, Gardening Styles, Kokedama, Uncategorized Tagged With: how to look after your kokedama., Kokedama, kokedama for sale nz, rex begonia, sustainable house plants, The naturalisation process of kokedama

Coming Near You Soon!

November 1, 2019 By SandRa Timmins 3 Comments

Corkscrew rush (Juncus effusus "Spiralis") kokedama
Corkscrew rush (Juncus effusus “Spiralis”) kokedama

We had a an imposed computer free week this past week (it spontaneously broke, as computers do and had a bit of a wait for a replacement). It felt a lot longer than a week! We have our phones of course which are pretty clever (and now I’m on Instagram!) but there are a few things that are easier (or preferred) to do on the computer. Emailing, updating website, listening to music! I’m one of those people that find it hard to concentrate if I don’t have music on, I’m sure I’m not the only one…. Eh?

Fortunately it’s a busy time of year and have been occupied with plenty to do, from the mundane (but satisfying) weeding to having a stall at various markets. This weekend I’m at Te Horo Country Market on the 3rd November. Kapiti people, I’m looking forward to seeing your faces again!

I’m away in Australia the next week for my brothers wedding. It’s in NSW where their temperature lows have been our highs, hoo-wee, wish me luck in avoiding heat stroke!

Soon after I get back I’m at Woodvilles’ Mad Hatters Market, should be fun, 17th November is the date. I’ll have all my selection of herbs, plus dried herbs and my new product, kokedama.

My kokedama has been getting a really good reception. It’s about 50:50 of people that have seen kokedama before. So I’m guessing that 50% of you that are reading this may not of come across kokedama either. So please read my next article and I’ll tell you all about it.

Goldfish plant (Hypocyrta tropicana) hanging kokedama in my sons room
Goldfish plant (Hypocyrta tropicana) hanging kokedama in my sons room

One thing that I’ve been absolutely loving is how it attracts children (except when they start batting the hanging ones around!). Most kids just walk on by my stall, plants, boring. But hanging balls of plants makes them stop… “Oh, wow, cool!”…..”Oh, wow, is it a pineapple?” All fun!

So, hope your garden is getting into the spring swing of things, the weeds aren’t getting too tall and you can feel that summer vibe coming~

White sage, purple sage and climbing rosemary

Filed Under: SGH updates, Uncategorized Tagged With: corkscrew rush, Goldfish plant, Hypocyrta tropicana, Kokedama, new zealand, stoney ground herbs markets, Te Horo Country Market, woodville mad hatters market

Emerging Spring

September 22, 2019 By SandRa Timmins 1 Comment

Spring (Kōanga) is trying its best, we’ve had some super lovely days (about three, maybe four) and I can feel that it is slightly warming up. My sourdough starter is actually what I use as a temp gauge, once it starts getting looser and needing more feeds (and my bread in the morning has risen superbly) I know it’s getting warmer!

It’s an exciting time of year Spring – all those plants you thought had succumbed to winters harshness start coming back to life (hope you hadn’t dug them out!).

Echinacea popping

Echinacea emrging in spring from dormancy
Breaking free from its dormancy

Southernwood leafing up

Southernwood spring growth
A good time to prune if your plant is leggier than you’d like

Sage growing new leaves

New growth on common sage
I did actually think this one was a goner, yippee for being wrong! (Common sage)

Wild bergamot emerging

Wild bergamot coming back
Hard to believe it will grow so tall!

Peppermint coming up in places un-expected!

Peppermint coming up in spring
Discovered that the roots can go under pathways and come out the other side!

Chives becoming useful again

Chives
Remember chives are perennial, even when they disappear in winter and even after they flower, the chives live on, hoo ra!

Elder leafing up and flower buds showing

Elder budding up
Bring on the flowers! I need those for my xmas “champagne”

And of course all the blossoms. And of course the wind… oh that wind! Took out one of our plum trees, Early Duffs, enough to make a girl cry. We’ve propped it up in hope that we’ll still get some plums for Christmas, my hopes are not high, about as high as our tree is now!

Propped up a plum tree that fell over in the wind
We also needed to get it out of reach from the kune kunes and the chickens!

The wind also took out my glass (plastic) house and all the seedlings inside it. Boy oh boy, that made me ever so slightly livid. Nature huh!

But, making good from bad, I’m using the top frame of the glasshouse over top of one of my garden beds that I’ve just planted my new potatoes in, again, to protect from the pigs and chickens.

Making good from bad
See that steel bar on the ground? So many stones, that’s what I use to dig!

I don’t think I’ve introduced our kunes. They are total trouble, I love them to bits but they need a new home/more land. I fell for the line that kunes don’t root and just graze on grass. Turns out ours love to dig the ground and eat feijoa trees! Seems nobody wants 9 month old rooting kunes when there’s so many oh so cute piglets to purchase though. Ach well, they’re very loving so I’m fairly quick in forgiving them, even if they did eat my whole saffron crop, grrr!

Black and white kune kune
Truffles
Ginger and black kune kune (and blonde bearded collie)
And there’s our Snuffles.. and Loki the dog

Back to the wind. If you have plants in containers remember to keep watering them, plants lose moisture through their leaves as well and the wind can strip them of that moisture in no time.

OK, happy spring sowing!!

Filed Under: Animals, Care and Maintenance Tagged With: chives, echinacea, elder, kune kunes, peppermint, plant protection, plants coming back to life in spring, sage, Southernwood, wild bergamot, wind

Mahuru Māori

September 6, 2019 By SandRa Timmins Leave a Comment

I am in waay over my head!

So I signed up for for the Mahuru Māori challange that I talked about in my last post here.. Fortunately I said I’d do just one day a week for the month; so on Sundays (my chosen day) all of my communication must be in te reo Māori.

I think I will start my day with a cherry Mōrena! (Morning!) Then say this….

Gardening kupu hou

And stay out there for the rest of the day so I don’t have to talk to anyone!

Which is totally chickening out and not stepping up to the plate at all. But, we’ve all got to start somewhere. I am not a fluent speaker of Māori, I don’t even have a good grasp of it. I know LOTS of kupu (words) but putting them into sentences off the top of my head is another story. So my hope is that by doing this it will force me to at least learn, memorise and use phrases that is of use to me and my family. Because that is what Mahuru Māori is all about, getting te reo into more everyday speech and everyday living for all of Aotearoa.

He roa te wā e whakamāuitia ake ai he reo
Languages take time to be revived

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: kupu hou, Mahuru Maori

If you follow Maramataka Māori….

August 17, 2019 By SandRa Timmins 1 Comment

Me te rangi i whānau ai a Horu

A whakataukī (proverbial expression) for an unpleasant day

For that is what it is today here, which is a shame. For one; I’m sick of the rain and I’m ready for summer now. For two; Today is Rākanui, the day after full moon and according to Maramataka Māori (Māori moon calendar) “He rā tino pai mō te ono kai….” a very good day for planting and general gardening.

If it wasn’t pissing heaving down with rain.

I had grand intentions on doing my spring divisions today, basil mint, soapwort, mint, peppermint, some more bergamot and St John’s wort.

Fortunately, the weather is set to get better by Monday, Takirau māheahea, I have a window from dawn to midday where it is OK to do planting (Rākaumatohi, which is tomorrow is a very good day for planting and fishing – but I don’t think our weather will be complying by then).

Echinacea (Echinacea augustifolia)

I like to do my rooted divisions after the full moon, the plants still have energy in their leaves but that energy is moving down to the roots as the moon starts losing its brightness (waning). Perfect timing for the new plants to settle their roots into their new home and for the mother plant to recover its losses.

Come Tangaroa piri a roto (moon in its last quarter, 24th August) it will be all on for seed sowing. Being in a cool climate zone I’ve learnt that there’s not a lot of point in going crazy with seeds in August, unless they’re destined for the glasshouse or under cover. But Go! temperate NZ, Go!

As an aside, did you know that September is Mahuru Māori? It’s a nationwide challenge to kōrero te reo Māori (for whatever space of time that suits you) to normailise te reo in everyday life. If you get in quick to register you may be eligible to receive resources to help you as well as there being lots of online resources available. My friend did it last year and to promote te reo Māori and her business Dye Happy (beautiful hand dyed yarn) she posted on facebook Māori words for her craft, like “knitting” “yarn” etc, it was really cool. I’m not on facebook anymore, but I think I’ll do the same on here, (but you know, more plant based!) for me and for you~

Kei a koe mō te kawe i te mānuka? (Are you up for the challenge?) Go here for more information and to register for Mahuru Māori.

Filed Under: Care and Maintenance, Gardening Styles, Uncategorized Tagged With: dividing plants, dividing plants according to the moon, dye happy, Mahuru Maori, Maramataka Māori, rooted divisions, whakatauki for bad weather

Fill Your Life with Plants!

August 11, 2019 By SandRa Timmins 1 Comment

I have always loved herbs- they were the first plants I grew when I was a child (oregano and thyme, growing them is child’s play, you should buy your child/mokopuna a pot of oregano!)

Origanum vulgare, wild marjoram
Origanum vulgare

But I have another plant passion and that is house plants (my first was a cast iron plant). For the last 10 years that passion took a backseat, from when I had to give away my 60+ plant collection to friends when we moved from Wellington to Picton (we were going to live on a boat~ I really couldn’t keep them!). Thereafter we just moved around so much and had young children with fiddle faddle hands – there has never been much appeal to start the collection again…

Cast iron plant, Aspedistra elatior

And then along came kokedama… and me oh my, how I’m kicking myself for letting go of those plants! But nothing like starting afresh eh.

Kokedama, Japanese moss balls
Image by La Florida Studio from Wikimedia commons

So let’s talk about indoor plants for a spell then we’ll get back to kokedama..

Herbs are wonderful plants with a variety of features that make them useful and beneficial for humans (and animals). From gladdening your heart with their scent (I’m looking at you pineapple sage) or taste (basil), to their bittering principles (hello dandelion) and healing properties (all of you).

Image from Plant Life Balance

It’s my real belief though that indoor plants can be placed on the plant healing spectrum too. This plant healing spectrum below is of my own making, therefore it’s purely my opinion, you’re free to agree or disagree!

Plant healing spectrum, from preventative to healing/cure.  Indoor plants have their place on this.
Prevention is better than cure!

You perhaps have heard of certain plants that help with air purification in the home or office?

There’s a surprising amount of toxins in our indoor air, coming from our furniture, plastics, cleaners, cosmetics etc. there are certain plants that do a particularly swell job of absorbing these pollutants, filtering them through their leave s as they respire.

NASA did a whole lot of research on the subject and they actually examined the levels of various toxic chemicals in the air that could be reduced by indoor plants. Chemicals like, benzene, xylene, toluene and formaldehyde. You can see their results here.

Possibly more relevant for office spaces (and space stations) and/or poorly ventilated buildings than our homes that have doors and windows opening letting in outdoor air..

Plants for dark places
Plant Life Balance

But how’s this, there are some plants that actually work their photosynthesis magic (turning carbon dioxide into nutrients for themselves and oxygen for us, using the sun’s energy) at night! It’s called CAM (Crassulacean Acid Metabolism) photosynthesis. Want a more relaxed, sleep conducive atmosphere? Put these plants in your bedroom…

  • Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis)
  • Bromeliads
  • Moth orchids (Phalaenopsis spp.)
  • Mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata)
  • Air plants (Tillandsia spp.)
  • Zebra cactus (Haworthia fasciata)
  • ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)

(Take note of those botanical names in italics, there are many plants with different common names, for example you may of never heard of a Mother-in-law’s tongue but you do know what a snake plant is- they’re the same thing).

ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)

For more science-y information go here to Plant Life Balance; they also have beautiful pictures for your eyes to inspire you to have many plants in your home (I’ve used a lot of their images on this post).. You’ve been warned!

Image result for room full of plants

Mindfulness

The other health benefit of house plants, mindfulness and wellbeing. Studies have shown that plants in indoor spaces boost mental wellbeing. After spending time living and working alongside plants, those taking part in the studies found that, on average;

  • Their mood levels improved
  • They felt less stressed
  • They felt more productive
  • Their attention span improved (in some studies)

Even just one plant in a room can make a difference to the feel (and look) of a place. Here’s our (in need of repair) bathroom as an example!

Bathroom, so plain!
BEFORE. So plain!
Bathroom made new by plants
AFTER. A plant based transformation!

Lots of people have a fear (fact based or otherwise!) of killing house plants. Perhaps in the past (or right now) you’ve gotten the right plant but in the wrong place. A lot of indoor plants don’t appreciate direct sunlight for instance.

I used to be store manager at Ambience in Mt Victoria, Wellington. We specialised in unique and unusual indoor plants- I learnt a lot there. the owner Nicola Byrne was/is so knowledgeable and generous to boot. Not only did I learn from Nic but also the customers and I learnt that a super common mistake by those whom really want plants but keep on killing them – kill by love.

YOU CAN OVER WATER A PLANT! A more common mistake than clear neglect. Browning on the tips of leaves can be a sign that your plant is getting too much water. Some good advice can be found at this website Plants are Alive.

Most indoor plants come with light and watering requirements on their label, if in doubt ask the person that you’re buying the plant from. (Which could be me soon, once I get stock levels up~).

Right, I think kokedama can wait for its own post. I’m going to be doing a workshop on how to make them for our homeschool group in a couple of weeks, by then I would’ve had a lot more practise!

Plant Life Balance

Two books that I’ve been perusing at the moment and where I’ve gotten some of this info from are, Yates, Top 50 Indoor Plants and RHS Practical House Plant Book.

Filed Under: Care and Maintenance, Gardening Styles, Indoor Plants, Uncategorized Tagged With: Ambience mt victoria, CAM, fill your life with plants, health benefits, house plants, indoor plants, mindfulness, NASA clean air study, nicola byrne, night time air purifiers, plant healing spectrum rainbow, Plant life balance

Quietly busy times

August 2, 2019 By SandRa Timmins Leave a Comment

There’s been a bit of a hiatus on my writing posts of late due to having started studying,

I’m doing He Papa Tikanga through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and I’m loving it. I have no idea what it will lead into but it’s rocking my socks and that’s enough for me.

It’s great to have something to do whilst there’s nothing doing in the garden except navigating mud!

Though that’s not entirely true, I’ve just planted four new fruit trees- again through Edible Garden. This year we got an apricot (Moorpark), a plumcott (a cross between a plum and an apricot), a dwarf peach (Kotare Honey) and a dual pear (Red Bartlett and Doyenne du Comice).

I also have just recently pruned our other fruit trees. If you haven’t done this yet (get onto it!) and are new to the game I highly recommend Kath Irvines book Pruning Fruit Trees, A Beginners Guide. (Click here to get a copy or check it out.) It is bloody brilliant, easy to follow with great illustrations~ reading it is like having a conversation with Kath, where you’re asking all the right questions! I have used it for my ancient apples and plums, my second year apples and my new bare rooted trees, my currants and my espaliered fig.

Kath Irvine's book Pruning Fruit Trees: A Beginners Guide
Worth every penny… or make someone super grateful to you (thank you Glenbo, I am grateful!)

Filed Under: SGH updates, Uncategorized Tagged With: edible garden, fruit trees, kath Irvine, pruning fruit trees, Te Wananga o Aotearoa

I Got Me a Knife!

June 18, 2019 By SandRa Timmins Leave a Comment

He asked me if I wanted a knife.

I said, yeah, I’d like a knife.

What kind of knife? He asked.

Oh, a cleaver would be handy, I said, to you know, cut up pumpkin and cut up slices etc…

I got me a knife.

Industrial Fusion, hand forged cleaver cutting a pumpkin
You call that a knife?

Take that pumpkin!

Industrial Fusion, hand forged cleaver cutting a pumpkin
Nah, I call it a cleaver..an industrial cleaver.

If you didn’t know, my husband is a full time blacksmith. You can find his amazing creations on his website here; Industrial Fusion. It’s how we live, so it really pays to support him whilst you’re not buying my plants (which I don’t have at this time of year, I forgive you) dried herbs and tinctures!

Cleaver made by Industrial Fusion
Boom!

The whole piece is hand forged out of spring steel with an epoxy infused cord wrap. She ‘aint light but she does make short work of a pumpkin (cuts a pizza pretty good too!).

cleaver hand forged by Industrial Fusion
Nice touch with the touchmark

Touchmark there of JT (Josh Timmins), like a signature on a masterpiece!

Excuse the goose pimples! I have his touchmark too~ (Does that make me a masterpiece? Hmm, I am of my own making, his touchmark is a detail on my own canvas).

So let me run you by that again, Josh Timmins designs at industrialfusion.co.nz Go check it out.

(Promise my next post will be about herbs!)

Filed Under: Pretty Pictures, Uncategorized Tagged With: Hand forged cleaver, How to cut a pumpkin, Industrial Fusion, Josh Timmins, new zealand

Salvia Show Off

June 2, 2019 By SandRa Timmins Leave a Comment

The Salvia genus is where we find all our sages and it’s very easy to fall in love with this group of plants from the mint family. Take mind, it is huuge! So many members, ranging from annuals to perennials, medicinal, culinary, hallucinatory and ornamental. Something for everyone!

It’s a wet miserable often hailing day today. But I have a stash of photos put away here, so I’d like to introduce you to my wee collection, it’s by no means huge but I’m proud of it!

Let’s start with Salvia officinalis, common sage…

He that would live for aye
Should eat sage in May.
OLD ENGLISH SAYING
Common sage, Salvia officinalis
Common sage, Salvia officinalis

Salvia officinalis is a wonderful herb if not an essential herb to have on hand. Apart from its culinary uses I use it a lot in winter for sore throats, either as a tea/infusion or you can make a decoction and use it as a gargle. The volatile oils sooth the mucous membranes, useful for the inflammation of mouth, gums, tongue, throat and tonsils. Sage can also help women at various stages of their life; due to the tannins and estrogenic substances found in sage, taking the infusion frquently can help dry up mothers milk, lessen excessive bleeding during menses and reduce sweating during perimenopausal time. DO NOT TAKE SAGE MEDICINALLY WHEN PREGNANT. There are many other uses, but these are the ones that I have used sage for.

Salvia purpurea, can be used just like Salvia officinalis. Salvia Icterina, varigated sage, is more ornamental but can be used culinarily in a pinch as can the beautiful tri-coloured sage.

Purple sage, Salvia purpurea
Purple sage, Salvia purpurea
Varigated sage, Salvia icterina
Varigated sage, Salvia icterina
Tri coloured sage
Tri coloured sage

Unfortunately I must admit that both my varigated and tri-coloured sages did not survive the transition when we moved here over a year ago, very sad.

Next in the line up is the all time most popular herb that I sell.. Salvia apiana, White sage…

Salvia apiana, white sage
Salvia apiana, white sage

White sage, in New Zealand is mainly used for smudging, personally, I use it more as a “keep-me-calm-and-happy” tonic by putting a fresh leaf in my (or my kids, or all of us!) water bottle to sup on for the day. I’ve also used it in a headache balm I made with lavender and peppermint. For more info on white sage, go to the side bar to find my articles on growing and caring for your white sage plant. If you would like to grow your own, contact me and I’ll put you on my “White sage email list” to let you know when I have more in stock.

Onwards to Salvia sclarea, Clary sage. The particular clary sage I grow is “turkenstania” which is a powerful white flowering variety, it is amazing as an ornamental, back filler and/or fragrant herb.

Salvia sclarea and bumblebee
Salvia sclarea and bumblebee
Clary sage foliage
Clary sage foliage

Medicinally Clary sage is probably most well known as an essential oil which is made from the seeds. The seeds are also what give Clary sage its country name “Clear Eyes”, the mucilage that the seeds create can help soothe eye irritation caused by foreign bodies. I tried this with my husband.. don’t think I did it right… poor man!

Moving on… Another wonderfully scented salvia is Salvia elegans, Pineapple sage. Mmmm hmmm, this is one delicious smelling plant and because it’s the leaves not the flowers that are scented you’ve got it all year round.

Salvia elegans, pineapple sage
Salvia elegans, pineapple sage

A lot of salvias have flowers especially made for hummingbirds, Pineapple sage flowers give you a perfect example of tubes fit for a long skinny hovering beak (FYI seeing a real life hummingbird is on my bucket list). On a cultivating note, over the last two years I’ve noticed that my pineapple sage plants that are in semi shaded positions are doing better than the ones in full sun. This is something that I know other people have noticed with their plants that usually are “best” in full sun, basils for example, this will most likely come up more and more as our environment deteriorates.

Lets meet Salvia confertiflora now, sometimes known as red velvet sage, but I recently, can’t think where, saw a plant labelled red velvet sage and it wasn’t confertiflora. Knowing botanical names and ensuring plants you buy have their botanical names on their labels is really very important if you care about knowing what you’re talking about!

Salvia confertiflora
Salvia confertiflora

The leaves have a very pungent smell, not entirely pleasant but quite unique. I don’t know of any medicinal uses with this plant, but gives your garden a lovely tropical feel and wax eyes love their flowers. If you live in a frost free area they can grow quite tall.

Did you know that chia seeds, the super food that most people have heard of these days is a salvia? Yah ha, so I planted some this year!

Salvia hispanica, Chia
Salvia hispanica, Chia

This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago, it’s flowering now, glorious purple spikes a lot like the following photo. Next season I will sow earlier (I sowed in late November) because I don’t think I’ll have many seeds to harvest before knarly weather and frosts do their worst to the plants.

Salvia farinacea, Victoria blue
Salvia farinacea, Victoria blue

This is Salvia farinacea, Victoria blue. It was my understanding that it was an annual, but it’s still growing strong in its second year, I’m not complaining, the flowers are an amazing colour. This is a pure ornamental salvia, the leaves don’t even have a scent.

There is another salvia that I have where the leaves have no scent, which surprised me and made me quadruple check that what I had (I had been given a cutting) was actually what I was told it was… Salvia divinorum. If you know what this is please don’t get over-excited, I’m still getting my own plant established (and learning how it grows best) before I can consider propagating off it to sell plants.

Salvia divinorum, the diviners sage
Salvia divinorum, the diviners sage

Salvia divinorum has psychoactive properties and Mazatec shamans have a long and continuous tradition of religious use of Salvia divinorum to facilitate visionary states of consciousness during spiritual healing sessions (thank you Wikipedia). Considering it comes from the montane cloud forests of Oaxaca, Mexico, I might have a good chance of it growing well here in Eketahuna!

So not a massive collection but I love the diversity of it and hope to keep on finding new and interesting salvias to add to it. I’m not selling any plants at this time of year but I’ll be starting cuttings soon so let me know if you’re interested in any of these.

Keep warm and embrace the sun when you see it!

Filed Under: Herbal Lore, Herbs in Use, Pretty Pictures, White sage Tagged With: Chia, clary sage, commonn sage, pineapple sage, purple sage, salvia apiana, salvia confertiflora, Salvia divinorum, salvia elegans, salvia farinacea, Salvia hispanica, salvia officinalis, salvia sclarea, the diviners sage, tri-coloured sage, turkenstania, varigated sage, Victoria Blue, white sage

Making the Most of Your Smashings

May 12, 2019 By SandRa Timmins Leave a Comment

Do you have kids under the age of 14?

If you answered yes, I’m guessing that like me, broken cups, mugs, bowls and plates are a part of life.

I actually save our flour bags specifically for broken glass (we do have hard tiled floors). Plastic isn’t an option – and you know, it’s good to learn that not everything bounces!

Not all goes in the flour bags though. we usually have quite pretty plates (ie. random selection of floral op shop finds) and I can’t bear to throw them out nor have the patience (or desire) for mosaic crafting.

broken plates used in the garden

So in the garden they go…

broken plates used in the garden

Sometimes, cups and mugs don’t smash but merely crack- usually unbeknown to me until my coffee starts pooling up under and around my cup! If the cup is another can’t-bear-to-throw-out number they make lovely containers for succulents or small cacti. Goes for bowls too.

what to do with cracked mugs
Cups new lease of life

Do make sure you put small stones in first for drainage.

what to do with cracked mugs

What about broken plant pots? Terraced garden! Almost tempting to break a pot on purpose for this one~

what to do with cracked mugs, plates and pots
Or you could make it into a fairy garden..

I’m sure there are plenty of other fantastic ideas out there for broken crockery, which ones are yours?

Filed Under: Gardening Styles, Uncategorized Tagged With: broken garden pots, broken plates, fairy gardens, succulents, what to do with cracked mugs

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