Now that spring is here, my mornings begin with a fresh cup of tea. And when I say fresh, I mean fresh. I take my scissors into the garden and snip away at anything green, nutrient dense and herbalicious! In fact, it’s become such a ritual over the years that if I am unwell, or just because, my 10 year old will start the morning by taking the scissors out into the garden.
Our garden is tiny and has evolved over the years according to my desire to be able to access medicinal plants on my doorstep, both wild and cultivated. And so we move around visiting one patch and then another. A bit of mint, lemon balm, oregano and rosemary, throw in some dandelion, bramble and birch leaves, some herb Robert and daisy. Lastly, a really good helping of thyme, our favourite!
As summer progresses we have the additional options of raspberry leaves, lavender, calendula, chamomile and self-heal. Last year I introduced nettle, elder, cleavers, and violet into the patch that runs alongside our house which is accessible, (via a secret path our children have created and cut back year after year), wild, full of birds and entirely dog-free! We now even have our own patch of wild garlic under the shade of the birch and hazel.
What we cut usually depends on our fancy and it all goes into the pot. I use a thermal coffee pot as it has a plunger to push down the material when it’s time to drink. Filling the pot with boiling water is almost as delightful as collecting the herbs. They rise to the top and take on a compelling green vibrancy as well as the releasing of a medley of aromas that instantly lift the spirits. After 10 minutes brewing time we meet at the table, indoor or out, ready to pour. This time the lifting of the cup and mood is accompanied by the soothing warmth and texture of a really fresh cup of tea.
The ritual in itself fosters grounding, connection, love and serenity. Inviting in the vital energy of nature, which has no choice but to live in alignment with the natural laws of the seasons, reminding us of our own wild roots. And as a seasonal endeavour we get to watch the world come back to life and flourish, checking in daily with each new stage of growth. And whilst we nurture their existence, they too nurture ours.
Just from one pot we have a range of medicinal properties which are mood enhancing, antiviral, stimulant to the digestion, decongestant and anti-inflammatory, among many many more desirable actions. And these herbs are so fresh as to have literally gone from scissors to pot within minutes. Just think of all those fresh juicy nourishing plant micronutrients! Just think of how revitalising to the body they are! Topping up the levels of health on a daily basis. Strengthening tissues, improving functioning, energising. This is preventative medicine.
But is of course also totally awesome as a treatment for specifics as well. For instance, for ear, nose and throat, go heavy on the thyme, (always!). For gut issues reach for the chamomile. Feeling low? Chuck in more lemon balm and rosemary. Honestly, you just can’t beat this fresh green goodness! I feel this from experience, such as one ‘in-bed-illness’ last year when my daughter brought a pot of ‘fresh-as-fresh-can-be’ hot steaming tea up to me, I have never forgotten what a difference it made! I’d been taking every natural healthy healing aid I could get my hands on from the cupboards, and the one thing that seemed to make all the difference was the drinking of the hot tea throughout the day, (we just top up the pot with more hot water for the afternoon), which I’d totally forgotten to make myself.
I feel absolutely sure it is the living freshness and abundance of diverse phytochemicals that directly feed and nourish my body. Not to mention the association with care and relaxation that most of us have when we sit down to a fresh cup of tea!
I hope that you now feel the pull out into the garden to pop a dandelion leaf in your pot! I really love sharing my herbal health knowledge and so if you would like to learn more about using fresh foraged and garden herbs for medicine, look out for one of my local herb walks or come join one of my workshops, deepen your knowledge and make more ‘do-it-yourself’ fresh green nourishing teas!
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