Clary Sage. Up close and inspirational.
It’s difficult starting again, but as always the plants show me the way. Here’s what I have growing now. Some began as seed and some from seedlings that I purchased.
Clary Sage- An incredible flower to distill. The hydrosol is perfect for hot flashes and any preparation containing the essential oil goes right to the head, heart and soul. It can be quite euphoric.
Clary sage, a different point of view
Rose Geraniums – 6 Lovely little plants which are growing and will make a nice distillation for hydrosol at the end of the summer. I mix the oil into my Deep Sleep blend which has great balancing effect opposite Frankincense and Jatamansi.
Potted Tulsi or Holy Basil or Ocimum Sanctum (from my own seeds) and there will be more of this but It would really benefit from a hot greenhouse. Hopefully soon! An ultimate in adaptogenic stress relief.
Ocimum sanctum
Holy Basil, not your regular basil.
Lots of Mint – growing well despite the torrential rains. And Lemon Balm, and Lemon Verbena.
Lemon Verbena
Aloysia citrodora
Skullcap, Valerian, and Chamomile – mainly for tea (and maybe tincture) but I wonder what a co-distillation for hydrosol might be like? Maybe I’ll try it…
Valerian
Chamomile
Two kinds of Arnica – Chamissonis and Montana (from my own seeds)
Arnica chamissonis, spreading.
Inula helenium or Elecampane – Awesome herb for coughs when used properly
Acmella Oleracea or Spilanthes (from my own seed) – Also known as the toothache plant.
A great place to get medicinal herb seeds from is Strictly Medicinals (formally Horizon Herbs)- They also sell some plants but only within the U.S. It was a hard blow to discover that I could not order plants from them to Canada. I had made big plans but I was fortunate that some one at Strictly Medicinals answered my email and suggested Richters Herbs here in Canada and that has been helpful getting started with some great plants. I’ve just discovered a few other possibilities and will try to give all the helpful information as I get it. Here’s one: https://www.onplants.ca/, a site that sells Ontario native plants.