Sunflowers towering over the lower garden, with arnica, calendula, mints, and so much more below…
2018 Tulsi tunnel
Enjoying the young Valerian plant and avoiding mosquitoes!
Sweden
Summer in the garden in Sweden, August 16, 2015
In the greenhouse, August 16, 2015
Harvesting meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria), July 30, 2014
Harvesting calendula flowers, August 11, 2014
Clary sage (Salvia sclarea), July 8, 2015
Tulsi Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum), July 15, 2014
Second year marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) returning from its winter sleep, May 8th, 2016
Comfrey (Symphytum × uplandicum), May 10, 2016
Looking south, August 22, 2015
Full Moon, June 30, 2015
Distillation
Herbal steam distillation is a domain where chemistry meets alchemy. The plants themselves are the products of the Earth’s own distillation of sun and moonlight, earth and rain, as well as the caring energy we put into our cultivation work.
During the distillation process, the medicinal qualities and healing energetics of herbs are extracted by forcing steam through a mass of plant material. The steam carries away chemical compounds present naturally in the plant, and in the resulting solution there are produced both an oil based extract of the plant (known as essential oil) and a water based part (known as hydrosol or hydrolate). The oil and water separate naturally during distillation and both contain aromatic chemical constituents of the plant distilled in concentrated and unique forms.
Wild rose (Rosa dumalis) ready for distillation, July 8, 2015
Distillation of Calendula officinalis, August 13, 2014
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil, collecting in the separation chamber during distillation, August 13, 2014
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and Rose Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) ready for co-distillation
Wild blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) ready for distillation, July 15, 2015
Rose (Rosa rugosa) distillation, August 13, 2014
Chaomomile (Matricaria chamomilla) essential oil collecting in the separation chamber during distillation, August 17, 2015
Wild Harvest
We are fortunate to live near wild fields and forests. Not far beyond the edge of our gardens Nature’s own gardens begin. We are able to seasonally harvest many edible and medicinal plants from our nearby surroundings.
Wild forest blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), July 21. 2015
Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius) growing in the forest near our home in Sweden
Freshly harvested chanterelles, July 29, 2015
Wild Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum multiflorum), May 10, 2016
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