Herbs

See our post about our herb spiral and natural drying.

Bay Leaves

Use: A popular culinary flavouring and stimulate of the appetite. Bay leaves release their flavour during slow cooking; consider adding bay leaves to casseroles, stews, soups, marinades, pasta sauces. Bay leaves also impart a great flavour to white, cream/cheese sauces.

Basil Mint

Use: Mainly used in cooking. Add late in the cooking as the mint aroma fades quickly. Its usage is a lot like sweet basil. Try basil mint pesto, basil mint sauce for lamb or simply add to salads and vegetables dishes for an exotic flavour.

Chives

Use: Mainly culinary flavouring and garnishing where a mild onion flavor is required. Also a stimulant and digestive; high in vitamin C.

Fennel

Use: Made into tea to treat indigestion and colic.

Soft growing tips are widely used to flavor and garnish fish dishes, soups, and baked foods.

Lemon Balm

Use: Lowers blood pressure, and is used in infusion to treat colds and flu, nervous tension, insomnia, indigestion, and other stomach ailments.

It can be used to flavour teas, soups, milk, custard, sauces, and added to liqueurs.

Lemon Basil

Use: Leaves used fresh or dried in vinegars, fish, vegetables, and soups.

Lemon Grass

Use: Made into a tea for liver complaints.

Leaf buds and chopped stems are added to oriental dishes (e.g. Thai fish and Lahsa noodles), and fried with garlic and fish sauce to garnish sausages or fish.

Mugwort

Use: One of the nine Saxon magic herbs, used to make a tea for gastritis and digestive ailments. Can treat menstrual disorders.

Oregano

Use: As a tonic, digestive and expectorant, also used to treat coughs and sore throats.

A popular spice to add to pasta, soups, or stuffing for a roast.

Parsley

Use: Tea made from leaves or roots to treat jaundice, coughs, and menstrual problems. Juice soothes conjunctivitis and eye inflammations.

A popular spice to garnish on salad, pasta and soup, and also tasty in omelettes.

Perilla

Use: Used as a medicinal tea: To ¼ cup dry herb add 1 pint of boiling water, allow to steep 10 to 15 min. Drink throughout the day for colds, flu, sore throat, and congestion. Also can be boiled and the steam inhaled to clear the sinuses. Rub leaves on skin and clothes on hikes to repel ticks.

Culinary purpose; can be added into salad dressing, used to pickle plums, baked in butter cookies.

Rosemary

Use: Leaves are for treating depression, migraine, and disorders of the liver and digestion. Also good to boil with lavender to treat dry skin.

Popular culinary flavouring added to meat dishes (e.g. roast chicken or beef) and baked food (e.g. Rosemary parmesan short bread)

Sage

Use: Leaves are antiseptic, used in gargles for laryngitis and tonsillitis. Tea can be taken to counteract sweating.

Cooking: Popular as a potent condiment for meat, fish and Mediterranean dishes. Try sage omelette, sage and onion for stuffing, or pumpkin sage cookies.

Mint tea

The aroma of peppermint tea can boost mental performance and promote focus. The menthol in a hot cup of herbal tea can help loosen congestion and relieve coughing associated with colds and allergies. Peppermint tea can relieve bad breath caused by smoking, drinking alcohol, eating onions or garlic. Drink the peppermint tea hot or iced. Alternatively, gargle with cool peppermint tea.

Lavender and Lemon Balm tea

Benefits include; antispasmodic – eases menstrual pains and tension as well as other emotional issues related to the menstrual cycle, antiviral, antibacterial, mild diaphoretic, carminative, nervine, tonic

Lavender can help to ease headaches and reduce stress, promote sleep and reduce anxiety. It is for these particular reasons that Lemon Balm is most affective for nervous system disorders also. The herb is also good for the digestive system (reduces flatulence, indigestion and colic). It is a mild sedative yet it uplifts the mood making it an ideal herb for depression. This is a tea which does not require any sweetening as it has a mild taste and a beautifully fresh fragrance.

Chia tea

Chia leaves (fresh or dried) steeped in boiling water make a therapeutic tea. Use the tea as a blood cleanser and tonic, also for fevers, pain relief, arthritis, respiratory problems, mouth ulcers, diabetes, diarrhea, gargle for inflamed throats, to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels and to strengthen the nervous system. Try the tea sweetened with honey and a few drops of lemon juice added. Women who suffer with hot flushes may find relief, by drinking chia leaf tea, regularly.

Lavender and Mugwort Tea

Drinking the calming, liver cleansing lavender and mugwort tea before sleep seems to keep you longer in a conscious dream state (REM sleep).

Mugwort tea is also used to help improve digestion and the production of digestive juices that help return the digestive system to a normal balance.