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Stoney Ground Herbs

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

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New Herbs and a Secret Herb!

September 23, 2018 By SandRa Timmins Leave a Comment

Hey, how’s it going?

Old English potato masher turned soil patter

I’ve been celebrating sunshine by sowing seeds (albeit still with heatpads and glasshouses!).  How are your garden plans coming along?

Black elder plants for sale, new zealand

Elder, Sambucus nigra

 

I have new herbs available for you this season.. I have Elder, Basil Mint and Pennyroyal, I have Greek Oregano, Rue is back and there’s more hopefully coming in (just waiting for those seeds to pop).

Rue, Ruta graveolens

Rue, Ruta graveolens

Are you building a new herb garden or wanting to fill in some gaps?  Looking for plants for your food forest or some companion plants for the vege patch?  I very well will have the herb for you.  Always pays to ask even if you can’t see it here on my website.

Now.  There’s one herb that I’m not advertising on my website because I’m not actually sure if I’m allowed to sell it… So if you’re reading this and know the plant I’m going to be talking about, you’ll be as excited as I was when I clapped eyes on this plant in a friends garden…

It’s Aconitum napellus, AKA Monkshood, Helmet Flower, Turks-Cap, the Aconite in your homeopath kit..

Aconitum napellus

Aconitum napellus

This is the quintessential plant of the occult.  An infamous herb that the Christians of the 15th century loved to peg onto witches.  “How is the ointment with which you you rub your broomstick made?”  Seriously, this is one of the questions asked in a witches trial, the answer they’re looking for is “Yes sir, I made my flying ointment out of Aconite and Belladonna”.  They (they being the witches of course) also made an ointment out of Aconite and other beastlies that would put witches in a “sabbatical” state in which they could leave their physical body to communicate with the spiritual world.  DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME KIDS!!

From the roots to the seeds this plant is poisonous.  It is also quite gorgeous with tall spikes of purple flowers quite similar to delphiniums.  If you’re at all interested (and I suggest you should be) here is a list of other gorgeous poisonous plants.

Unlike a lot of other herbs, Monkshood does best in rich soil and some shade.  It’s dormant during the winter so make sure you remember where you’ve planted it.  If you do have young children make sure they are well educated of its dangers or err on the side of caution and wait til they’re older and wiser before introducing this plant to your garden.

If you’re interested in this fascinating plant use the contact from on the right near the top to get in touch with me.

Right, I’m getting back out there whilst it’s still sunny; can you believe day light savings is next week already??!!

 

 

Filed Under: Herbal Lore, SGH updates Tagged With: Aconitum napellus, basil mint, elder, Helmet Flower, Monkshood, new zealand, pennyroyal, plant of the occult, plants for sale, rue, Turks-Cap, witches herb

Catnip, mrreow!

November 14, 2016 By SandRa Timmins Leave a Comment

Catnip.  Cats.  Cats on high.  General thought pattern when thinking of Catnip (Nepeta cataria) eh, but oh there is so much more to Catnip than another cats fun…

Keep calm and carry on

Now is probably a really good time to know about Catnip.  Especially if you have children that are nervous about these earthquakes, as any cat worth its whiskers will tell you catnip has a sedative action on the nerves giving it relaxant properties.  Catnip was actually the tea of choice in Britain before the tea from China came along…

Catnips’ most common and valuable use though is for fevers.  Catnips’ brilliance lies in its ability to induce sleep and produce perspiration without increasing the heat of the bodies system.  If the fever is part and parcel with a cold blend it with Elder and Yarrow, it makes for a pleasant tea that children might even drink (can sweeten with honey if desired).

Catnip can also ease sore tummy’s, diarrhea, nervous headaches and colic.

So how to, how to…. The leaves and flowering tops are the parts used.  It is best prepared as an infusion which is near enough like a tea.  Two teaspoons of the dried herb (or 4 teaspoons of fresh) with one cup of boiling water poured over, cover and leave for 10-15 minutes.  Dosage wise children may have 2-3 teaspoons frequently, adults in doses of 2 tablespoons.  A tincture of the herb can be made but I must admit it’s not incredibly palatable (personal opinion).  Mrs M. Grieve tells me that “The young tops made into a conserve, have been found serviceable for nightmare”  Catnip jam on toast before bed?  And if you’re feeling particularly wealthy but poorly with scarlet-fever, small pox or colds and hysterics a tea made with equal parts Catnip and Saffron is said to be excellent.  You’d better bloody hope so with the price of saffron!

Catnip, Nepeta cataria

Catnip, Nepeta cataria in full flush not yet flowering..

Growing wise Catnip is not fussy with soil but likes to moderately moist if it’s hot.  Can be grown in full sun or partial shade, take note though that it can get quite tall and bushy so plant it where it’s got room to groove and won’t overshadow anything more dainty.  Catnip is considered a perennial, some say a short lived perennial with a life of 4-5 years.  If cats are a problem throw a dishrack over the top of it until it’s big enough to withstand the feline loving.

In our last place I never saw the culprit but I knew it was a white cat from the ring of white fur around my squashed catnip!  Always sprung back up though.

Catnip (Nepeta cataria) plant for sale, nz

Squashed, but coming back!

Now, Catnip is different from Catmint (Nepeta musinii), where Catnip is tall Catmint is low growing with a trailing habit.  Catnip is the preferred plant for medicinal use.

I best state here that I am not a qualified herbalist and all information here is not professional medical advice and for anything acute and or serious please go see your local qualified herbalist or doctor!  But I do grow and sell the plant!

 

 

Filed Under: Herbal Lore Tagged With: catnep, catnip, catnip as a relaxant, dosage, how to grow, medicinal uses, Mrs m. Grieve, nepeta cataria, new zealand, plants for sale

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

Grown
with passion
and persistence.

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