Electuaries & Algae

Electuaries

Facing one of our last days in the classroom we elected to make electuaries – traditional homemade lonzenges of honey and medicinal herbs.  Too tempted by all the possible combinations, we could not agree on one only, so decided to make two different mixtures: one for the digestion and the other for soothing sore throats and aiding sleep. Both are made in the same fashion – very simply indeed:

Melt together over low heat, allowing to simmer gently until it starts to set:

Digestion Drops

½ jar of Honey (preferably a firm, crystalline set honey)

¼ tsp ground Cinnamon

¼ tsp ground Allspice

6 whole Cloves

Of course honey is fantastically good for you in its own right (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, anti-bacterial, antiseptic and a nutraceutical) - and the combination of honey and cinnamon is even better. Articles abound on how it can prevent arthritis, boost your immune system, battle a common cold, fight or cure cancer and increase your lifespan.

Sleepytime Soothers

½ jar honey

Grated zest of ½ lemon

1 tablesppon of toasted white poppy seeds (soporific and sedative)

Once mixture thickens (and has fudgy consistency in the mouth – yum) pour quickly into moulds and allow to set for a couple of hours.  Remove from moulds and dust with Slippery Elm (soothing) powder before storing (or eating…)

Herbarium

Next on the agenda was a visit to the RBGE Herbarium to have a look at the seaweed collections (I need a bit of help with my identifications...), Helen Hoy greeted us and very kindly gave us free rein to explore the Algae. With the austere corridors of the Herbarium hallways are innocuously titled enormous tin cupboards that contain worlds within worlds of life, history and art.  

We delved straight into the 'Miscellaneous' drawers and extracted a 19^th century collector's journals of Pacific & South Sea plants and algaes. Beautifully inscribed in cursive ink script, they retain a ghostly beauty and glimpse of sunny days gone by. Further notebooks revealed sojourns along Scottish and Irish shores and whimsical collages of seaweed baskets.

Our final hours were spent out in a patch of glorious sunshine, weeding and tending our herbal beds. They have taken on a new life with the rains of last week and several hours were spent quelling the boisterous growth.

Finding Comfort

7 June 2011

Artistic ingredients for Linctus

Our team was substantially reduced today, so Catherine, Christa, Amy and I took our time in a luxurious, leisurely way to tie up some loose ends and play in the gardens and laboratories of the RBGE.

Christa & Catherine preparing Spirit Collection

Christa was off with a start to complete her Herbarium Spirit Collection.  Arriving with a beautiful Columbine flower, she suspended it upside down, piercing the stem into a thin honeycomb seal and neatly bottled it in Copenhagen spirits.

Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace'

We then set off through the main gardens towards the West Gate in search of the elusive Black Elderflower, Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’ in order to concoct a linctus this afternoon.  Having searched high and low we found the one garden specimen in the throes of a sharp pruning exercise at the hands of the trainee horticulutralists. Scrambling through the severed branches we were able to retrieve a handful of the delicate pink purply flowers – just enough for our purposes. 

Children playing at the RBGE

A quick stop at the Herbarium, allowed us a brief meeting with Kate Eden who was busy mounting up new species, but who loaned me an exquisite book on mounting seaweeds and mosses, 'The Pressed Plant', published in 1881. There are not many seaweed specimens in the Herbarium it seems, and this Victorian tome is still the most instructive manual in use. 

Wild harvested Elderflowers 

In the afternoon we made our Elderflower Linctus.

1) Infuse a handful of crushed and pounded Linseeds in 1 cup of very hot water for 1 hr or more. Add about 10 umbels of Elderflowers to infusion and another ½ cup of hot water and infuse for 30 mins to 1 hr.

2) Strain infusion and measure out 1½  cups into big pan.

Linctus ingredients

3) Crush in pestle and mortar 1 cup Gum Arabic and add to infusion. Heat gently until dissolved. Crush a handful of mixed spices (equal amounts of Star Anise, Allspice, Cinnamon, Cloves, etc)  along with 3 dessert spoons of dried Elderberries. Add to pan and allow to simmer 5 mins.

Elderflower goo

4) Strain mixture and return to pan. Add 2 cups icing sugar (or honey/raw cane sugar) and dissolve slowly.

5) Blend 1 cup Slippery Elm powder with 1 cup very hot water and mix to paste. Gradually add to linctus mix.

6) Simmer until mixture thickens and has a syrupy consistency.

7) Remove from heat and allow to cool or spoon directly into sterilised glass jars.

Finished product - Black Lace Linctus

Amy at her weeds!

The last hours of the day were spent back up in the Herbal nursery beds, continuing the perpetual weeding process and taking stock of what we had in the ‘cupboard’ for our exam preparations.

Recommended reading for the week

Fascinating ideas and images of the transformation that takes place in water when exposed

to positive and negative messages and meditation....

The Hidden Messages in Water

The True Power of Water

both by Masaru Emoto

First Aid

31 May 2011

We began the week with a look at vulnerary remedies: antiseptic rinses, poultices, compresses, ointments and salves. The idea being to create the component parts of a First Aid kit or to be able to knowledgeably apply specific herbs when in the field. But first we had a tasting of Ally and Christa's Bogbean Brandy to get us going

Herbologists with Bogbean Brandy

Antiseptic Rinses

Really a wash with antiseptic and astringent properties to clean, disinfect and in some cases start the healing process.  Most commonly used are a mixture of a herbal tincture and water or ‘tea’ for:

Skin: Myrrh, Goldenseal, Marigold, Thyme, Sage, Spagnum moss, Witch hazel

Eyes: Marigold, German Chamomile

Nose: Yarrow, Eucalpytus oil

Throat & mouth: Goldenseal, Sage, Cinnamon

Mucuous membranes: Goldenseal, Echinacea, Myrrh

Poultices: A classic poultice is defined as a direct topical application of herbal matter to a wound. Traditionally this is done by preparing an infusion of dried or fresh herbs in hot water (or steaming them as you would spinach) and then wrapping them in muslin and applying this to the skin.  The choice of whether to apply the poultice hot or cold will depend on the type of wound.

Hot poultices are best for superficial wounds.  The heat helps to draw blood to the surface, open the pores and assist the assimilation of the herbs through the skin.

Cold poultices are best for deep wounds (contusions, bruises, fractures, etc). the affected area will usually feel ‘hot’ and so the coolness of a prepared poultice (made either by preparing herbs with cold water, or by cooling a previously prepared one)  will act as an analgesic, and help to draw the beneficial effects of the herbs down deep into the tissue.

Some herbs lend themselves to direct application, such as Comfrey, Bogbean and Primrose. Depending again on the desired affect, placing the veiny side of the leaves against the skin will draw poison away from the tissue (through osmosis), whereas the soft side of the leaf will send healing elements downward, and protect the skin. Poultices can also be used to comfort, such as those applied to sooth bronchitis, rheumatism or menstrual cramps.

Compresses: are best described as a cloth soaked in a herbal infusion. The infusion can be hot or cold, and before applying the cloth is squeezed fairly dry - they should be changed frequently to maximise effect. Compresses are best applied to ‘open’ wounds, specifically where there is a requirement for bandaging or swabbing prior to subsequent treatment. Chamomile, Calendula and Hypericum are all good compress herbs, helping to cleanse and to start the healing process.

Ally working on herbarium specimen

Vulnerary Herbs

Arnica Montana (Wolf’s Bane). The dried flower heads are used to prepare topical preparations, usually as a rinse or lotion (mixed with Witch Hazel water) where skin is unbroken.

Comfrey (Syphytum officinale)  use root and leaves. Comfrey has allantoin in with which really helps to repair tissue at cellular level; good for lacerations and bruises.

Chamomile – is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent and relaxant. German or wild (Matricaria recutita) is stronger and most commonly used, although Roman (Chamomile nobile) can be more appropriate for children.

Chickweed (Starflower) – best for its anti-itch properties (use the whole plant) it also imparts a coolness to tissue, working well as a cold compress, and combines beautifully with Chamomile.

Hebridean Moss (Carragheen) use fragments and fronds to make an extraction of the gel and freeze.

Goldenseal (Hydrastus canadensis) is the most potent antiseptic after Myrrh,yielding a beautiful yellow pigment from the resinous roots. Use as a replacement for iodine.

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) 'Pewterwort' is a natural source of silicic acid, which helps to preserve the elasticity of connective tissue and is essential for skin, nails, hair and teeth.  It also increases coagulation of blood, stimulates white blood cells, and is a remineraliser (silica, selenium, zinc).

Marigold (Calendula officinalis) helps to stop blood flow, especially in tinctured form and is superb for beestings.  Tinctured in 95% alcohol, flowers will release their resinous properties thus increasing antibacterial and antiseptic potential.

Others include:

Marshmallow – excellent demulcent and mucilage

St John’s Wort – oil is antiseptic and acts as an analgesic on nerves

Slippery Elm – super to mix with other herbs as emoilient, and demulcent

Oats – excellent skin softerner for irritated, tickly skin

Self-heal – high in vitamins A,B, C and K

Linseeds – traditionally used for coughs (as poultice on chest) and in linnament for burns and scalds

Woundwort – has allantoin (like Comfrey) and is quite easily found in the wild

Yarrow – a classic astringent for open wounds

Gardeners' Salvation

We then set off to make our own salve to combat the battery of cuts, grazes and contusions faced by gardeners.

1) Place a handful of dried Calendula flowers in 200 mls of Sunflower oil and heat slowly in a bain-marie for 40 mins. 

2) Infuse a good handful each of: Chamomile, Chickweed and Marshmallow root in 100 mls hot water.

3) Strain Calendula oil and return to clean bowl, add 40 gms beeswax and melt together slowly. 

4) Remove from heat and add 2-3 drops Goldenseal oil

5) Whisk oil together with strained herbal infusion and jar quickly before setting point is reached. 

Busy Bees

Our afternoon was spent with Alan, the RBGE’s Communications maestro, but for 36 years also its Head Beekeeper.  Bees hives have however been banned from the main gardens in recent years due to helath and safety, but Alan still keeps a hive going up at the nursery beds. So we spent the afternoon following their activities regaled by Alan’s stories of capturing wandering swarms and terrifying trips in cars with bees on the loose.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

 Learning to grow a Herbal Garden

The road to the RBGE nursery beds

As an integral part of our course we must learn to grow, nurture, harvest and prepare medicinal herbs.  We are allocated a nursery bed within the official RBGE training gardens to do so and the final efforts will form part of our grade.

Herbal Beds - Requirements

The requirement for this aspect of the course is to:

1) Create a medicinal herb bed with at least 5 recognized medicinal herbs from selected botanical families,

2) Evidence an aspect of organic and/or biodynamic horticultural practice, 

3) Prepare a simple herbal remedy using one or more of the herbs grown.

We first explored our ‘plots’ located up in the Botanics nursery gardens off Inverleith Row in October 2010.  Highest on the gently sloping hill, they are aligned east to west in one long double row, divided into 8 plots, approx 12’ long by 4’ wide.

At that time of year they were bursting with flowers, overgrown foliage and emerging seed heads.  There was a marvellous array of gigantic Fennels, huge Comfreys, copious Calendulas and sprawling Nasturtiums. The previous Herbology class had laid claim to seed gathering and so ours was simply a viewing expedition.

   

Proper sowing technique

Our second trip was with baskets in hand to collect wayward seeds so that we might learn to sow them and to start the clearing process in order for our own dreams to take root.  

The Assessment Criteria:

• Herb bed presentation & plant husbandry
• Quality of medicinal plants grown
• Medicinal herbal content and knowledge of the same
• Physic garden horticultural practice and techniques
• Green pharmacy preparation (soruced from herb bed)

Sophie surveying the scene

In November we divied up the plots, each taking our preferred position and set to on clearing under the guidance of Duncan Ross.  Having spent an hour on hands and knees weeding, hoeing and pulling, it suddenly occurred to us that we would  be best to leave it all alone until Spring.  But black plastic came to the rescue and we pulled it close and tight over our hard work.

Work began in earnest again in March, when we had to place our orders for plants from Pontyzfield nursery and to get our seeds growing.  What seemed like voluptuous gardens were now reduced to mud puddles as the impact of all that snow revealed.

Our planting scheme must include at least one medicinal  herb from each of the following plant families:

• Boraginaceae
• Compositae (Asteracae)
• Labiateae (Lamiaceae)
• Umbelliferae (Apiaceae)
• Leguminosae (Fabaceae)

15 March 2011 - rockery goes in

By late March things were beginning to take shape.Our tiny herbs, arrived from the Black Isle, carefully wrapped in moss with ice lolly stick labels were gently bedded in to their new homes.

New arrivals from Ponztzfield

Mid April and there was a torrent of activity, some of the rooting and destroying type, other of the bowing to nature’s will after one of the hottest and sunniest Aprils on record  We valiantly plotted our gardens’ designs, wove willow whips into trellising and borders, cleaned the pond, and laid stone bricks into paths.

Early May 2011

Mid May and the riot had begun.  Anyone who chose to leave their plot alone, untouched by winter weeding, suddenly had a 6 foot tall plant to contend with in a very small space.  (Might be good in a great sized garden, but is slightly overwhelming here.)  Maybe that Horn of Dung and Valerian should be only added every 2 years…

Weeding again, with final additions going in, June beckons and its only 5 weeks til Judgement time!

Margaret & Sophie at the plots

Late May 2011

Pishwanton to Aberlady

24 May 2011

We travelled from the halls of the RBGE to the hills of East Lothian and the shores of the Firth of Forth today. Following the windswept roads, only just recovering from yesterday’s gales, we heading high into the hills above Haddington to the heather clad fields of the Lammermuirs in search of Scotland’s only Goethean institute.

Pishwanton Wood Visitor Centre

Dr Margaret Colquhoun, Executive Director of Pishwanton Wood, part of the Life Science Trust, welcomed us into the earth covered centre to illuminate us in the ways of the community. No phones, cigarettes or alcohol is allowed, the ethos is of finding harmony with nature to gain the greatest understanding of the relationship between science and art in a rural context. The centre is primarily a place of learning; from the arts of forestry and biodynamic gardening to the domestic crafts of spinning, weaving and herbal medicine making.

Pishwanton Wood Meadow

The landform of Pishwanton is redolent of times gone by; a march of rolling mounds reveals itself as an ancient burial ground, aligned to the Voltadini forts nearby, whilst the homespun fences, gates, woodpiles and tree guards evoke a harmonious and ageless settlement. The layout of Pishwanton; the herb garden, vegetable garden, birch woodland and Scots Pine grove revealed itself to the trustees, taking the form of a human organism, with space for physical activity, internal circulation and digestion and spiritual contemplation.

Birch wood walk

We filled our brief hour with a walk across the free-range cultivated meadow to the new learning centre and back through the woods to the planted gardens. For a brief moment we stopped to commune with the wild hawthorn growing at the crest of the farm, absorbing its vibrant patterns of growth and self-preservation. Margaret, a Weleda scientist of 20 years standing, has listened to this plant deeply and feels that the medicine it produces is excellent for the heart and circulatory system; Hawthorn flowers best taken in a tea or tonic in the morning, with a tincture of Hawthorn berries in the evening.

Biodynamic compost mounds

As we left, the skies released an icy shower of hail and rain, so we scuttled back down the roads towards the sunnier climes of the coast. After a brief stop at Gosford Bothy to refuel with tubs of lentil soup we wound our way through the village to the small parking area at Aberlady bay.  

Footbridge to Enchantment, Aberlady Bay

Once fortified, Greg Kenicer, our class Botanist-par-excellence, led us across the Footbridge to Enchantment (so named by author Nigel Tranter who walked it daily), to explore the flora of the salty bogs and marshes beyond.

Herbologists botanising

We met new friends and old; Sea Buckthorn, now bare of fruit and covered in lichen, tiny Orchids of pinks and purples, lush Coltsfoot, young Meadowsweet, yellow Marsh Marigolds and Pontentillas, early Bogbean flowers, Horsetails and fading Cowslips. 

We leaned to distinguish between sedges and grasses, and to look for the tiny, rare Astragalus that hugs the banks of the path. 

Greg Kenicer & Catherine Conway-Payne

We also knelt down to dig through the spongy clumps and uncovered a number of spreading leguminaceaes amidst pockets of Wild Angelica. Tiny frogs and caterpillars kept us company as we absorbed the natural beauty of the flora around us.

Heading back across the windy fields we stopped only long enough to gather a few handfuls of Elderflowers and to catch a glimpse of the first flowering Silverweeds edging the estuary and the bridge back home.

Salty Hawthorn in bloom

Aberlady Bay Nature Reserve

May Tonics & Syrups

17 May 2011

Tonics
Catherine started us off with a challenge: create a Wild Bear’s Medicine using the herbs we had discussed last week and any others that we might find in the wild garden of the RBGE.

We duly set off, en masse, to explore the north-western corner of the Botanics, beyond the great beech hedge, into the little woodlands of Scotland’s natural heritage. Our first introduction was to Herb Robert (Germanium Robertianum F geraniaceae), which frankly is a miracle herb.  

Full of volatile oils, a natural bitter, and containing loads of vitamins A, B C, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and a little know mineral germanium, which makes oxygen available to cells.  Its qualities are as an astringent and antibiotic that not only boosts the immune system, but is also antiviral and anti-oxidant.  Known for millennia (mentioned even by Dioscorides) as a cancer curing drug, its advocacy in modern cancer treatment is only just being rediscovered.  If you have it in your garden or woodland nearby, pick 4-5 leaves a day and add to your salad, or mix the leaves with Aloe Vera to make an eyewash. A tea of 1 dried tsp leaves steeped in 1 cup hot water.

We then met up with:

Plantain - good for bleeding encourages repair of damaged  tissue; anti-inflammatory

Sweet Cicely - a digestive and and natural sweetener that restores spirits

Horsetail - full of Silica

Wild Garlic - a natural blood cleanser

Bog Bean - a hepatic tonic with lots of Vitamin C

Stinging Nettle - a fantastic detoxifier and re-mineraliser

Collecting handfuls and backpack full of herbs, we regrouped in our kitchen to concocot our potions.  Working in teams of two, Amy and I joined forces to make the following:

Spring Blast – (a tonic for exam-stressed teens). A deeply concentrated tea of Sticky Willy (for lymph cleansing), Horsetail (for replenishing silica), Bogbean leaves (to kick start a lazy digestive tract) and Wild Garlic leaves (to cleanse the blood). The aim is to drink this foul tasting liquor 3 times daily for 2-3 days and then follow it with:

Spring Blast Tonic brew

Re-Energising Tonic Cubes – Made of: Nettles leaves (to replenish iron, calcium and vitamins), Dandelion leaves (to counteract anaemia and clear the skin), Lemon Balm leaves (to soothe low spirits, calm the mind and alleviate stress), Sweet Cicely flowers ( because it is indicated as an excellent herb for 15- 18 year old girls), Herb Robert stems and leaves (for all it’s fantastic qualities and immune boosting properties). Ideally given more time, we would have added Barley (for calcium and slowing of cell aging) and its taste and Ginger which is an adaptogen and would act as a diffusive agent for all the other herbs. We froze the tonic into ice cubes, so that it could be taken readily in a multitude of drinks, whilst retaining its freshness.

Comfrey, Plantain, Horsetail & Hypericum
Poultice

We also created a poultice, and applied it to Amy’s sore arm, and then finally a ointment for cuts wounds and grazes, containing Comfrey, Horsetail, Plantain and Hypericum.

Syrups
The afternoon was spent creating two wonderful herbal syrups, which is in essence an equal mix of sugar to plant infused liquid.  The ancient Persians considered sugar as a powerful tool in their medicine kits and indeed it is an excellent way to preserve the therapeutic properties of herbs. Syrups release their potent therapeutic extracts readily into the bloodstream, helping to boost the immune system and body’s energy reserves.

Crushing hawthorn berries

Rose-infused Hawthorn Flower & Berry Syrup:

1) Infuse 4 heaped teaspoons of Hawthorn Flowers and 25gms of Rose petals in 300mls of hot/warm water for 10 minutes.

2) Crush 150gms of Hawthorn berries (can be soaked first/overnight in a little hot water) with a pestle and mortar (or grinder) and decoct in approx 200mils water over low heat for 1 hour. (Not too hard, Amy - you might break the bowl!)

3) Strain respective liquids and measure out 500 mls.  Combine with 500gms raw cane sugar and place in pan over low heat. Simmer until sugar is dissolved and mixture starts to thicken.

Hibiscus, rose & hawthorn

Dosage: 1 tsp three times daily.