Time to Harvest Parsley Seeds
Pull up the yellowed parsley plant, place a sheet of paper on the table, Cut the florets off the plant. Rub the seeds freely from their moorings. gather the paper into a funnel shape. Tip the seeds into a narrow tall jar. Shake the jar of seeds. Remove the little sticks and hairy bits from above the seeds. Then gloat at the nicely harvest of Parsley seeds. Remember to plant them before 17 days or earlier after harvest. Make sure that all the weeds in your garden are Parsley!! 
Positive Criteria for Judging Herbs
1) Mature, Healthy, Spritely Leaves
2) Straight or Gently Curved Sprigs or Stems
3) Flower Petals Intact, Buds and Seed Pods Neat
4) Potted Herbs: Fresh but Compact Top Potting Mix or Soil
5) Plant in Proportion to Pot
6) Whole Clean Pot to Schedule Criterion
7) In a Bunch of 3 or 5 Herbs Same Number of Each Herb
Aromatic
Comfrey Five Bunches of Herbs Warragul Greens
The Odd Spot is a tiny feature on the front of ‘The Age’ newspaper. Recently two fascinating horticultural reports have been published in that section of the paper:
A British group of scientists have evolved a potato plant which produces potatoes underground, but simultaneously produces Aubergines, Egg Plants on the stems above ground. This genetically modified Solanum is being sold as the racy name of “Eggs and Chips”.
Space Scientists have grown Orange flowered Zinnia, without gravity, in space! The petals are edible. Other articles on the web have revealed that cucumber and zucchini were grown in space in 2014.
‘
Eggs and Chips
Space Zinnia
The aroma of sweet peas is unique, especially when a huge bunch is placed in a vase indoors on a cool marble shelf. The confined place intensifies the scent, heaven sent! Mauve, white, palest pink and vivid heliotrope purple blooms give a superb fragrance, rich and heady. Pure bliss.
Early Summer is here. The Nettles, Urtica dioica, have gone to seed, all are harvested as the seeded plumes dry on cloth in the full sun and the seeds collected in a paper bag for sowing later. The red chard seeds are ripening, while the pink Asiatic Lilies lasted in full glory for only one splendid week. Now the Feverfew, Tanacetum parthenium, with whitely brilliant flowers out shines the tiny palest mauve Vervain flowers, Verbena officinalis, and the subtle scented white blooms of Valerian, Valeriana officinalis. In full glory is the swathe of Basil Mint, its rounded leaves, richly green. In a very hot spot show- casing gorgeous magenta flowers is the single Rose, Rosa rugosa ‘Rugspin’.
Nettle Urtica dioica
BasilMint Mentha x piperita f.citrata’Basil’ Rosa rugosa ‘Rugspin’
Glorious Roses in Denmark photographed at an experimental roses nursery by Norma Hornung
A Too Early Summer
A surge of unusually hot weather has brought the Sweet Peas to bloom very early in October. The crimson stemmed Ruby Chard has raced to the sky, while the massive St Mary’s Thistle has one spent and several more purple Flowers. The new Nectarine tree’s curly leaves have been pruned off carefully so they do not fall onto the soil. Marshmallow plants had been hung in the branches to deter distorting leaves. So now the new perfect leaves surround the small forming fruit. A rewarding pleasure is the Salad Burnet with its green raspberry like buds waving its lovely cut-leaf plumes. Borage is so beautifully blue of flower with bees sipping nectar near the Foxglove’s first central spire which is dropping flowers, while the side shoots are energetically branching. Sage cuttings have struck over the last eight weeks and now are in mauve flower. The Hops plants are springing out branches to cling and the Calendula are forming tightly packed seed heads. Time to prune them so that new buds will open. The Angelica is lusciously green and the Penny Royal is fragrant and in bud. However palest pink flowers of Evening Primrose and the single leaf of Golden Seal in its third year in a glazed terra cotta pot are marvellous.
Sweet Pea Salad Burnet
Spring has come with Daffodils in full glory waving in the warm northern breeze.
Herbs Which Work Best For Cough Syrups
Cough syrups are herbal medicines which can calm that annoying cough and soothe that sore throat while still being tasty for the patient. Keep enough on hand for the winter months. Here are ten herbs to get you started. There are many more that can be used, but these are simple to find and most herb gardens contain at least a few.
1. Thyme
This is one place that thyme really shines. Make your cough syrup with Thymus vulgaris.
2. Peppermint
The soothing mentholated flavor that mint adds to a cough syrup, can’t be beat. It makes a lovely flavor that even small children enjoy taking. Add mint to almost all herbal syrups. It adds a soothing taste, and helps brighten some of the other, heavier herbal flavors.
3. Hyssop
As a medicinal herb, hyssop is at the top of the list for useful cough syrup herbs. It has a lovely taste, and doesn’t need to be covered by other flavors to be administered. Hhyssop is a herb that is best harvested and used right away, instead of purchased dried. It seems to age quickly once dried, and there is no way of knowing how old the supply is that you buy.
4. Violets
Violets are perfect for a soothing cough syrup. Pick them during the spring, when they are prolific, and enjoy the reward of this unique syrup for the family. Use the flowers or the leaves. I use flowers fresh and leaves either fresh or dried for syrups. Both have a mild flavor that blends well with any other herbs.
5. Horehound
A classic cough remedy. This bitter herb is the best cough syrup!
6. White Pine
Often viewed as just a tree, White Pine is an extremely useful plant. Many times, the bark is used in remedies. A remedy, especially for a deep barking cough, use the pine needles for great results.
7. Yarrow
Yarrow is easy to grow and especially good as a cough syrup herb.
8. Sage
Sage is often referred to as the Throat Herb, with good reason. It has a rich history of being used for mouth and throat ailments. Making this strong tasting herb into an herbal syrup is a good way to get it down. I have found that sage is a bit too medicinal tasting on its own, especially for the younger ones. I like to mix sage lightly into my basic herb mix before making the syrup.
9. Mullein
Mullein is an important herb to add to a cough syrup mix.
10. Ginger
Ginger is a wonderful for a herbal cough syrup as it it has such a warmth and soothing quality.
Autumn has speedily become winter. The Stevia has flowered with tiny white blooms and now the leaves are yellowed, ready sweetly to harvest. Soapwort leaves are yellowing with mauve backs. Valerian and Tansy leaves are changing to pale yellow too. Hops canes have lost all their leaves and tiny green buds are swelling already. There are only a few leaves left on the Caper’s stems and the once magenta Yarrow flowers are dark brown and the complex leaves are shrinking to khaki. White Artemisia, Wormwood, has dead leaves under its pristine tops while
Horse Radish Root
Horse Radish leaves both the large wide and the skeletal leaves are gradually going yellow, but the roots are ready to harvest. Mint flowers are now dark brown and old leaves are yellow and dropping.
However Rue, Vervain and Violets have responded into vitality after rain. French Tarragon in a glazed china pot is in full leaf as it is protected from the cold. Roses are ready for pruning, except for one brave bloom, pink and yellow striped, facing west in front of the red brick wall.
Easter is a season for renewal. Christians believe in the empty tomb as Christ has risen from the dead. The empty egg shell shows that the chick is alive. Hollow eggs of chocolate echo that symbolism. The rabbit is a prolific creator of new generations and so is a symbol of new life too. Tansy’s bitterness was added to the bread during Lent the time of reflection and restraint before Easter. Good Friday is a day for grief and repentance. Easter Day is a great Celebration of restored life, a Festival. In Greece during Easter every doorway is guarded from the evil eye by Garlic, Green Beans and Hen Eggs boiled in Red Dye.
Green Bean Red Egg Garlic
Add Herbs to your Christmas décor:
The Pink robed gilded Angel was accompanied by tall stems of Pink flowered Yarrow, Balm of Gilead with its pinkish spent seed heads, sprigs of Salad Burnet with it soft red bobble flowers and of course, Angelica archangelica.
The Virgin Mary Joseph and baby Jesus of a German blue hued statue looked lovely with Motherwort and Lady’s Mantle for Mary, Ladies’ Bedstraw and Sweet Woodruff for the manger and a tall branch of Rosemary, whose flowers emulated the blue of Mary’s cloak.
The baby cupie doll, for Jesus, in a straw filled basket was surrounded by a toy lamb and a plant of Shepherd’s Purse, with a kneeling toy camel, boxes of Frankincense and Myrrh and gold cloth bags of Pot Pourris. The three toys were just fine for tiny children to touch, for they are their toys! Calendula or Marigold flowers, Cleavers leaves, and Ladies’ Bedstraw were added as relevant herbs for Mary and the manger.
Amaryllis is such a beautiful flower. The crimson and peerless white are equally dramatic. against a background of green leaves: Bay, Box, Horseradish, they make a magnificent Christmas welcome.
Advent is here the four weeks before Christmas. A Candle for each week. Three purple and the last one is pink. They stand squarely on a flat wreath of green herbs: Bay, Box, Rue,Rosemary.
Roses are in bud and bloom in Melbourne Australia. Tiny thrip, little sucking insects attack the little new buds. Use the hose water in a sudden burst to disrupt their damaging activities. No insecticide is needed. Enjoy the energy of all plants but especially the surge of green in Valerian, Vervain, Soapwort, Horseradish and Mints. Add old powdered cow manure to water and give each plant a dash of extra nutrients in this season of growth. Give Peonies Lime powder in water, but no acidic manure. Peonies prefer alkaline mushroom compost. Give roses small quantities of food every two weeks. Use the rose buds to dry for pot pourris or to use as decorations on bags of Lavender or other sweet smelling herbal bags. hand sew gold cloth into generous bags with double seams. Add Myrhh and Frankincense extract to a rose pot pourris. Fill the gold bag, tie it with a gold ribbon and tuck in a dried Rose. Now you have gifts of the three symbols of Christmas: Gold, Frankincense and Myrhh with the added aroma of a dried Rosebud. Ready for Christmas giving.
Spring is Here!
It is snowing white petals .
Manchurian Pear petals
Float peerlessly perfect
Tiny delicate flakes
A sign of the Equinox
It is almost the winter solstice so enjoy picking late roses and herb leaves to make a tussie mussie. This photograph includes a posie of herbs and flowers arranged around a central bud. Try to make your own tussie mussie. This is a relaxed tussie mussie.
Australian flowers which bloom in Summer at Christmas
Christmas Bush Christmas Bells 
Ceratopetalum gummiferum Blandifoliun nobilis
Danish Christmas Month
December is the Christmas Month for Danes. The shopping districts become alive with Christmas lights and fir garlands. Giant Christmas trees stand in squares, a tradition practiced since 1914, when the Danish Christmas tree, the symbol of long life, was first displayed on Town Hall Square in Copenhagen. The very first Christmas tree in Denmark dates back to 1808, and its popularity and the continuation of the tradition is attributed to the works of Hans Christian Andersen, author of: “The Elder-Tree Mother” (1842), “The Fir Tree” (1846), “The Little Match Girl” (1848), “Twelve by the Mail-Coach” (1861), and “The Cripple” (1872).
On or before Christmas Eve, families adorn their Christmas trees, the central symbol of Danish Christmas, with red and white, the national colours of Denmark, candles and trimmings, which they gather while cutting down their Christmas trees on the Sunday before Christmas. The Christmas Month used to begin on December 23 and end on February 2, or Candlemas.
The Christmas Days are Juleaften Christmas Eve, Juledag Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Churches are crowded. People visit family and friends to share the spirit of the season. There is a superstition that whoever visits a house without partaking in festivities will “take Christmas away” with them when they leave. On Little Christmas Eve (December 23), farmers neaten their land and barns and pay special attention to their livestock because, according to superstitions, animals stand up and honor the infant Christ in a ceremony at midnight. Farmers also scatter grain outdoors as a treat for wild birds.
Farmers bless their ploughs with the sign of the cross and cover them, because they believe that at this time of the year the mythical Shoemaker of Jerusalem might sit and rest on unblessed or uncovered ploughs jinxing it and bringing bad luck. Legend has it that a shoemaker taunted Christ not to tarry when He rested in front of the shoemaker’s door while carrying the heavy cross on His way to Calvary. Christ was said to reply, “I shall go on but you shall wander until I return.” The shoemaker has since wandered looking to pass his curse to farmers. If he has not succeeded, the shoemaker can be heard crying out as he disappears in the heath as church bells ring when the clock strikes midnight on Christmas Eve.
The Danes light a calendar candle every day of December in anticipation of Christmas Eve, a tradition that dates back to 1935. The four candles of the Advent Wreath, representing the four Sundays of Advent, are also lit four Sundays prior to Christmas. Children are given Advent calendars made up of 24 colorful windows, each containing a small present that the children must open one day at a time until Christmas arrives.
A traditional dinner is held on Christmas Eve, with caramelized potatoes, red cabbage, cold rice and almond pudding served with hot red fruits sauce, and roast duck, goose, or pork adorned with little Danish flags. Whoever chances on the almond tucked inside the rice pudding, risengrod rice porridge, receives a marzipan pig for dessert as a reward. Yule brew, a sweet light beer, is served during dinner. Families dance around the Christmas tree and sing carols. The Christmas tree candles are lit while Father Christmas distributes the presents under the tree to children. In ancient times, the Julenisse or pixies brought the presents to children until Father Christmas took over their duties in the 19th century when he was popularized by postcards from Danish emigrants in the United States.
Breweries treat adults with specially brewed Christmas beer made stronger than the ordinary brew. Danes drink free-flowing beer and mulled wine during Christmas Day lunch, which is a very informal and festive family event. Apple dumplings, a traditional pastry for many generations, are also served.
Christmas Month ends on Hellig-Tre-Kongers-Dag, Day of the Three Holy Kings, the twelfth day of Christmas, when all Christmas decorations are removed and stored for the next year. Before going to bed, young girls perform a ritual to foretell their future husband. They walk backwards, toss a shoe over their left shoulder, and pray to the Holy Kings to discover their fate. They go to bed knowing the identity of their future spouses will be revealed in their dreams.
Herb Quiz Questions
1 Which herb has been tested by the
medical profession and prevents migraines?
Feverfew
2 Give the botanic first name for the Sage Family.
Salvia
3 What is the common name for Borago officinalis? Borage
4 Name the pelargonium with the most intense lemon fragrance.
Pelargonium Mabel Grey
5 This cryptic herb is a synonym for ‘wed’ plus a word meaning ‘bullion.’ Marigold
6 What is the name given to Coriander greens in the USA ? Cilantro
7 What is the botanic name for the Dog Rose? Rosa canina
8 What flavour do Fennel seeds have? Aniseed/ Licorice
9 Which part of the Crocus sativa is used
for colouring rice yellow
the stamens
10 What does crispum mean in naming Parsley? Curly
Which Herbs are growing here ?
Herb Society of Victoria’s
Healing Herbs Seminar
Saturday August 17th
Medicinal Herb Plants at the Healing Herbs Seminar were shown along with a mortar and pestle, an antique inhaling vessal and an 1850’s pill making machine. All but one of the herbs were established pot plants from my garden. They included: Aloe barbadensis and Aloe vera, Pot Marigold Calendula officinalis, Comfrey Symphytum officinale, Horehound Marrubium vulgare, Pennywort Centella cordata, Greater Celandine Chelidonium major, Sweet Violet Viola odorata, Nettle Urtica dioica. Juniper Juniperis communis, Wild Strawberry Fragaria vesca, Feverfew, Tanacetum parthenium, Chickweed Stellaria media, Periwinkle Vinca major, Garlic Allium sativum and the root only of Ginger Zingiber officinale.
Small leaved Comfrey in flower in October
Mortar and Pestle at left for grinding herbs or spices
Antique Inhaler right
Antique Pill Making
Machine 184o below 
Hot Spicy Apple Punch
Ingredients
Apple Juice 3 Large Bottles x
Dried Apple Rings One Packet
Oranges with Skin Cut in Four 3
Cinnamon Sticks 9
Fresh Ginger Slices 6
Powdered Ginger dessert spoon
All Spice Seeds 9 Black Pepper Corns 9
Green Cardamom Seeds Split 9
Ginger Paste or Crystalised Ginger
Cloves whole 12 Ground Black Pepper
Powdered Cinnamon
Star Anise Whole Stars 9
Brown Sugar 12 teaspoons
Huge Saucepan or Stock Pot Fine Sieve and Ladle
Method
Put all ingredients in the lidded pot. Bring to the boil. Take off lid. Lower the temperature. Put lid on. Simmer for one hour. I could not fit three bottles of Juice into the pot at once, so I boiled up two bottles in these spices and fruits. I ladled out the spicy juice into a jug. I poured the hot apple juice into the air-pot and large thermos flask. Then I put the third bottle of juice into the pot with the same spices and fruits for one hour. This last third was kept back in the pot to be heated later. The left over in the thermos was hot next day at 10am for morning tea!
Thank you Beverley for the great idea of a fruity, spicy
theme of Apples and Oranges for a cold wintry night!
I used two recipes that Beverley found in her books:
namely ‘Hot Cider Punch’ and ‘Spiced Apple Cider’.
Now we know that when two recipes are blended
together with a herbal and spicy imagination
that a tasty brew ensues!!! Cheers!!
Winter is almost with us. It has rained and so the Chickweed has grown in a lush blanket of green. Its botanic name is Stella media which recognises the star shaped tiny white flower of the mature herb. The herb is rich in calcium and a wonderful free green which harvested with scissors, washed and finely cut with scissor again can be added to soups, stews, pasta sauces, curries and pasty fillings. 
Chickweed
Spurge
Chickweed is bright green has Don’t confuse it with Spurge
pointed leaves and minute a fuller rounded leaf and a
white starlike flowers yellow green tiny leafage
on the mature plant tips on the tips of the plants
‘Autumn Season of Mellow Fruitfulness’ John Keats
Capsicums Chillies
Autumn is the season of harvest of vegetables, cereals, fruits, herbs and seeds. Now is the time to remember that most plants depend on bees for pollination. Planting seed for spring flowers is absolutely important now. Many bee colonies have been invaded by virus and other killer entities, especially in the USA. Australia has been exporting bees to the United States. All plants people can contribute to supporting bee populations by growing flowering plants. The drought in Australia, noticably in Victoria and New South Wales has changed many peoples’ approach to their gardens. Succulents and cacti and hard leaved grasses and evergreen shrubs have become the survival choice of plants. Flowers have been less frequently chosen as they are viewed as being water needy.
Now is time to redress this deprivation of food, namely nectar for bees! Plant seed of Hollyhocks, Shirley and Flanders Poppies. Sweet Peas, Borage with its peerless blue flowers which are specially attractive to bees! Lavenders, Rosemary, Sages and flowering Salvias all give sustenance to bees. Keep the bird bath full of clean rain water while the warm rainless weather of autumn prevails. Why? to give water to bees as well as birds.
Cat Thyme, Borage
attract bees
Easter celebrates the empty tomb in which Jesus lay before his resurrection. The Easter egg is meant to be hollow, a symbol of new life because the baby chick has new life, just as Jesus has new life and Christians have new life. The pasque festival is an ancient celebration of Spring and the renewed lif of the earth. Easter is based on the timing of the pasque time, the Sunday after the full moon after the equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere that is the Spring or Vernal Equinox. For the Southern Hemisphere it is the Autumn Equinox. The rabbit is connected to the life of the ancient pasque festival. There is certainly prolific new lifeas far as rabbits are concerned!
The Herbs of Easter include the flowers of Spring or Autumn depending on whether the Northern or Southern Hemisphere is relevant. In Greece the Leek and Bean are hung with a red shelled egg above each doorway to deter evil spirits. In Australia chrysanthemums and Easter daisies are often used for decorating churches.
Please scroll down this page for further details about Easter Herbs.
Christmas Herbs and Traditions
Herbs play a rich and varied historical role at Christmas. Many favourite traditions surround these wonderful plants and their uses. Here are some traditional Christmas herbs stories based on a website by Michelle Anderson, Wendy Langton’s little book, ‘A Garland of Herbs for Christmas’, John Lust’s chapter on herbal traditions from ‘The Herb Book’, Mrs. Grieve’s ‘A Modern Herbal’ and ‘A Biblical Herbal’ by Blair Montague-Drake.
Marigold: It is the floral emblem of ‘Lady Day’ as the feast of the Annunciation is known in England. March 25th is the date when the Angel Gabriel told Mary she was to have a child. In ancient times it was thought to be the day on which the world was created. Until 1715 it was officially reckoned as the first day of the New Year. It sets the date of Christmas. December 25th, nine months later! Mary’s Gold, definitely has a place in the herbs associated with Christmas. One very old legend says that Mary chose the Calendula to wear in her bosom, in preference to any other flowers. Medieval monks dedicated this flower to her honour, added Mary to the old descriptive name for Calendula ‘Goldes’. Thus Marigold was named. Shakespeare called the flower affectionately ‘Mary’s Buds’. From ‘A Garland of Herbs for Christmas’.
Rosemary: Traditional legends say that anyone catching the scent of rosemary on Christmas Eve will have happiness and good fortune. This herb was scattered on the floors in medieval times so that the pungent pine-like scent rose as people walked across the room. A small Rosemary bush would be a refreshing aromatic Christmas tree for a herb family. According to legend, this plant bloomed and bore fruit, out of season, on the night Jesus was born. Another tradition recounts the Rosemary’s flowers changing to blue as the Virgin Mary’s cloak brushed the herb.
Costmary: This fragrant leaved herb exudes a wonderful balsam scent and is called ‘Bible Leaf’. Legend has it that Mary created a healing ointment from Costmary for various ailments. Costmary obtained the name ‘Bible Leaf’ in Puritan places of worship where the sermons were unendurably long. A leaf was placed between the pages of the Bible; when fatigued it was taken up and sniffed or else nibbled in an effort to keep one awake. It still makes a fragrant and fun bookmark and has the added benefit of repelling insects, especially the small ones that like to feed on paper. Costmary comes from the Latin word, costus, a root commonly used as a spice and preserve, and also from “Mary” in reference to the Virgin Mary. It was often referred to as the “Herbe Sainte-Marie” in France during the Middle Ages.
Rue: This herb is considered to be the ‘Herb of Grace’ and the Anglican and Roman Catholic Church used brushes fashioned from Rue to sprinkle holy water during mass. Grace is a very important part of Christmas and Rue is still used in several countries to make Christmas crowns for celebrations. The leaf was used to design the club of playing cards! Rue is an extraordinary herb that grows in any soil even in dry arid ground. Rue is an evergreen herb used for centuries in church ceremonies; small brushes of the herbs were dipped in holy water to sprinkle the congregation. Rue is often dried and hung in the home to banish evil.
Lavender: This herb is associated with Christmas as it is believed that Mary washed Jesus’ swaddling clothes with this fragrant herb. It is said that Mary draped Jesus’ robes and blankets on lavender bushes to capture the scent. This herb is also credited with changing Mary’s robes to blue from the blue of the flowers. Lavender, a very important and familiar fragrance, can help treat insomnia.
Our Lady’s Bedstraw: Gallium verum is in the same family as Cleavers, Rose Madder and Sweet Woodruff. Its leaves are arranged in whorls on the stem, four in each whorl, suggesting the form of a cross. This gave rise to one of its earliest names” ‘Crosswort’, the soft branches used to be dried and stuffed into matresses. It is believed that this herb may have been used in baby Jesus’ manger. It may have formed Mary’s bed. It is said that on that night its flowers turned colour. Bedstraw has a sweet honey aroma that is released when warmed. The herb root is used to make red dye.
Sweet Woodruff: It is in the same family, its botanic name is Gallium odoratum and it may have been part of the Virgin’s bed in the stable. In England one name for it is Our Lady’s Lace. Langton. In USA the sprigs are pressed and used as bookmarks in Bibles, to deter book worm.
Penny Royal: This herb Mentha pulegium is revered as a manger herb. It is said to have burst into fragrant bloom at midnight on Christmas Eve for the first time. Its flowers are mauve.
Sainfoin: or Onobrychis viciaefolia was possibly another manger herb, as it was a common fodder plant, one of the legumes. Three of its traditional names are Holy Hay, Baby’s Cradles and Everlasting Grass wrote Langton. A French legend says that a wreath of it circled the Holy Baby’s Head and the flowers tuned from white to pink with joy.
Tansy: Mrs Grieve says that Tansy was dedicated to the Virgin, so can be termed a Christmas herb.
Thyme: according to Wendy Langton was one of the herbs included in the straw of Jesus’ manger. It is also a herb which is a symbol of bravery, certainly the Holy Child would need that bravery to endure future suffering. Thyme was widely used in the ancient world for the bees to produce the sweetest honey, and it is consequently recognised as a symbol of sweetness. Mary and Joseph would know much sorrow and would need great courage and patience too.
Frankincense: was given to baby Jesus from the Three Kings. Balthasar, Melchior and Caspar. It is made from the resin of the Boswellia tree. It’s commonly burned during Christian masses, when it is called incense. It is added to holy oil that is used for anointing individuals during Baptism. There are twenty two references to frankincense in the Bible, sixteen related to religious matters. It is mentioned in an Egyptian papyrus of 2000 BC.
Myrrh: is a resin from the Commiphora myrrha tree. It is either naturally exuded or from decisively incised cuts in the trunk of the tree. of Myrrh is commonly used as incense in church ceremonies. It is one of the gifts given to baby Jesus by the Three Kings. During ancient times, Myrrh was to embalm bodies. It was many times more valuable than Frankincense. Myrrh was used in temple rites in Egyptian and Israeli cultures. It was given by the Magi or Wisemen to Jesus on the Epiphany, January 6th, the twelfth day of Christmas. Myrrh presaged the death of Jesus because it was an embalming herb from ancient times.
Sage: Legend holds that Mary and baby Jesus hid in a large blooming sage bush when King Herrod was searching for them. For this reason, Sage is known as the herb of immortality.
Bay Laurel: A bay tree makes a lovely decorative miniature Christmas tree and is easily planted in the spring to provide bay leaves for soups and stews. This herb can also be used for dramatic wreathes and table arrangements as well.
Ginger: It simply would not be Christmas without gingerbread biscuits, and cute gingerbread houses. This spicy flavour warms us and is wonderful for treating digestive issues. Ginger powder is used in many breads, biscuits, cakes and meat dishes. The root may be ground and used in dishes too. Ginger root may be candied or used to produce ginger ale and ginger beer, popular drinks during celebrations.
Clove: The lovely rich spicy fragrance of cloves is very much part of Christmas and was traditionally used this time of year to provide lovely aromas in the warm rooms of the home. Clove studded oranges, pomanders, are a very traditional aromatic Christmas craft.
Bayberry: is known as Myrica or Wax Myrtle. The wax found on the fruits of this shrub is often made into candles that are used during the Christmas season.
Cinnamon: comes from the bark of the Cinnamomum verum tree. During Biblical times, Moses said that holy anointing oil should be comprised of sweet cinnamon and cassia. Cinnamon was a prized spice and was given as a gift to varomatic decorations for the home.
Holly: There is a duel in ancient Norse Legend between the principals of masculinity and femininity. The holly represents masculinity, which out powered the feminine ivy, as the old carol states: ‘Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.”
Ivy: This is one of the green herbs of the Norse tales. Ivy shows the tenacity of the feminine principal, despite losing the obvious competition for power with Holly.
Mistletoe: Its name is uncertain. perhaps from the German word Mist for dung and Tang for branch. The name may have come about because it can be spread through bird droppings as the birds hopped from tree to tree. Another idea is that Mistletoe is derived from the old English word Mistel which was also used for Basil. The fruit of the Mistletoe appears at the time of the Winter Solstice, or the beginning of the New Year. The Druids considered it to be a symbol of immortality. Mistletoe was used by the Druids in magic rituals and as a medicinal herb. They began the custom of hanging up Mistletoe branches to ward off evil.The modern Christmas tradition of kissing under the Mistletoe dates back to the Victorian era. However John Lust states that it goes back to the Middle Ages. This may be a throwback to the Druid belief that Mistletoe brought about fertility.The Roman historian, Pliny the Elder recorded that the Druids ‘believed Mistletoe was sacred’. Pliny stated in his Natural History, XVI, 95 that: ”The Druids – that is what they call their magicians – hold nothing more sacred than Mistletoe and a tree on which it grows. Mistletoe is rare, and when found, it is gathered with great ceremony, and particularly on the sixth day of the moon.” John Lust states that kissing under the mistletoe goes back to the Middle Ages. Why is it associated with Christmas? An old Christian tradition said that Mistletoe was once a tree which furnished the wood for the Cross. After the Crucifixion, the plant shrivelled and became a parasitic vine. The berries are toxic to children and small animals, causing acute gastrointestinal problems and diarrhoea. Mistletoe has played a role in Christmas celebrations for centuries and many people have fond memories of being kissed under this herbal sprig. It is interesting that this herb was a symbol of love before Christmas. The berries on the mistletoe sprig are supposed to be removed as each kiss is taken; however, since these berries are poisonous this is probably a tradition best left in the past!
_________________________________________
What is this plant? Photographed in the Melbourne Botanic Gardens
Rose Heaven Late Spring in the Southern Hemisphere
The Glory of Roses is here! Did you know that roses are herbs? They have many uses. Their beauty uplifts the spirit. The perfume of the red rose is a wonderful anti-depressant. The petals, minus the white or yellow patch at the base of the petal, are used to make rose vinegar and rose petal jam. The rose hips are extremely rich in vitamin C. During the Second World War rose hips syrup was the source of that vitamin in Britain as imports of oranges were far too difficult.
Today several universities in Uraguay, Argentina and Chile are researching the medicinal benefits of Rose hip oil.The seeds in the hips are pressed to release the oil, used to lessen scarring from acne, burns and scalds and to limit wrinkles! The rose oil from thousands of petals has been a treasure in the creation of superb perfumes and skin care products for centuries. Galen’s rose cream recipe is still followed to make a softening skin cream.
My favourite roses are the climbing rose ‘Black Boy’ and the David Austin rose ‘William Shakespeare’. Both have a wonderful intense individual perfume. Their petals are in the Puce, Crimson, Magenta colour range. The petal arangements are so different: Black boy has about thirty petals based on the central focus, whereas William Shakespeare has about fifty petals many of which clump together to form a packed cushion surrounded by a fringe of conventional petals. Keep feeding your roses now with old powdered cow manure soaked in a bucket of water and poured onto the soil over the roots each fortnight.
Spring is Here!
The green leaf buds are about to burgeon and some delicate blossoms are already floating on the rain puddles. Bright pink Crab Apple Blossom is rising from the twigs and many herbs are sprouting vigorously. Penny Royal is hugging the earth in glossy green beauty, Horse Radish is rising in clumps and Thymes are already tiny bushes of energetic growth.
Horseradish leaves
Winter Herbs
Winter Savory Satureja montana has spires of dainty white or lilac flowers, with purple spotting on the lower lip. It is a perennial shrub with leaves which are narrow, dark-green and glossy. It prefers light well drined soil in full sun. Harvest fresh leaves as needed. Winter savoury is a native of the Mediterranean region but grows world wide in temperate zones. Savory can be propagated from cuttings or root division or seed. Satureja hortensis summer savory is a close relative.
In traditions and folklore Savory was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, and later imported to Europe. The American colonists took both winter and summer savory to North America, and both are mentioned by the seventeenth-century botanist John Josselyn. Savory was planted around beehives to flavour the honey. The genus Satureja is named for the satyrs, ancient Greek mythical demigods of the forest who where known for their lusty habits and half-man, half goat shape. Legends held that the satyrs wore crowns of savory, and the herb was once held to be an aphrodisiac.
Nicholas Culpepper wrote in 1653: Mercury claims dominion over this herb, neither is there a better remedy against the colic and iliac passion, than this herb; keep it dry by you all the year, if you love yourself and your ease, and it is a hundred pounds to a penny if you do not. Reference: Grieve, Maud Mrs. “A Modern Herbal” (1931)
Chervil or Anthriscus cerefolium is known as French Parsley. It has small leaves, a bushy form and grows lushly in winter if protected from extreme cold and well watered. Plant Chervil north facing in winter. Its mild aniseed flavour is warming in scrambled eggs, omeletes or on tuna patties. The top leaves can turn a burgundy colour, very attractive next to pink flowers in the garden.
Chervil
ANZAC Day remembers and gives thanks for all who died in World War 1 and all later wars to protect the peace of all. ANZAC Cove the site of the deaths of thousands of soldiers on April 25th 1915 has wild Rosemary growing. Legacy makes little sprigs of Rosemary for students to wear at the Memorial Service at the Shrine in Melbourne each year. Many people wear Rosemary to the Dawn Service and in the March on ANZAC Day. Lone Pine is another site of the Great War. The Pine which grows in Turkey is a second herb, related to ANZAC Day. 
Rosemary
Passover commemorates the Jewish delivery from slavery in ancient Egypt. Special bitter herbs are associated with the traditional meal of matzah bread with the most commonly used herbs being grated Horseradish Root, Endive and Romaine Lettuce. 
Roumaine Lettuce
Easter Day is Sunday April 8th 2012. The Christian festival celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death and leaving the tomb empty. The empty tomb indicates new life. The new rabbit and the empty egg shell hark back to new life in earlier traditions. The chocolate eggs given at Easter are hollow, empty. The imaginery chick has hatched. The herbs of Good Friday are Myrrh which annointed Jesus’ body and Frankincense which symbolises the prayers to God. Herbs of Easter include Chervil, Tansy, Hyssop, Vervain, Rosemary, Rest Harrow and Mistletoe. Chervil, along with Tansy and Vervain symbolise the Resurrection. Chervil is the symbol of the return of life and is a traditional ingredient in Maundy Thursday soup. Chervil is a hardy annual which often self seeds over winter to live again in the northern hemisphere spring of Easter. Tansy, derived from the Greek word ‘anhanasia’, meaning immortal, was used from Ancient times as a meat preservative. Representing everlasting life, Tansy was used to rejuvenate the body after a long winter of salted meat and fish. Later it was used to purify the body after fasting for Lent.Hyssop is mentioned throughout the Bible. John19:29 reads ‘There was set a vessel full of vinegar; so they put a sponge full of vinegar upon Hyssop and put it to His mouth.’ Many experts think the Hyssop in the Bible was not the herb we know today, but a type of Marjoram. Vervain is an ancient herb, sacred to the Druids, Egyptians and Romans. The Latin name means ‘sacred bough’. Vervain one herb of the crucifixion, was used to staunch Christ’s wounds. Rosemary, according to Helen Noyles Webster, recalls the presence in the garden, a memory in the Garden of Gethsemane with the quiet solitude of old Olive trees under which Rosemary grew and blossomed. Rest Harrow Ononis spinosa is said to have been used to make the crown of thorns at the crucifixion.The flower is like sweet pea, but the plant has rough, woody leaves and thorns. Rest Harrow was well known in Ancient Greece where it was used to cure delirium. The wild herb was believed to have such strong powers it was said if placed upon a stone, the stone would dissolve. While we consider Mistletoe a Christmas plant, in France’s Brittany it is known as herbede la cross. It is believed to be the wood used for the cross, when Mistletoe was once a tree. For this offence the tree was degraded to a parasite and no longer independent.
Rodale’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs 1987 Rodale Press was used for some of these explanations. 
Tansy
Myrrh Tree
