Babe in the Woods

This one's for Cheryl .. I don't really go much for sharing personal things on my blog as the internet is such a vast public space and I'm a very private person. So I might even remove this in a few days time. But just one little (albeit quite anonymous) photo of the newby!



This is littleun's first trip to the woods - it has been so sweltering here in London that we headed for the shady trees at Queen's Wood, Muswell Hill. There had been a monumental thunderstorm and downpour the previous evening and it was so refreshing - it smelt clean and green and earthy.

Recycle for Wildlife

Just wanted to share this request I received today for us all to donate our old mobile phones to FFI who can get a £5 donation for each phone received to put towards their wildlife conservation work..

"Did you know your old mobile phone could help FFI to save gorillas and other endangered wildlife around the world?

FFI is today launching a campaign calling for individuals, companies and schools to send us their old mobile phones. It is designed to coincide with Recycle Week, the official UK campaign to encourage people to recycle more.

For every phone received, FFI will receive about £5. It's a great way to support our vital conservation work without spending a penny."




Full information on where to send your old phone at the
Fauna and Flora International website.

Midsummer

Just a little shot of the St Johns Wort bobbing in the breeze! One of my favourite plants.. I have to decide whether I have the heart to cut and use it to make an infused oil, or whether I want to enjoy it in the garden.

The buds were ready to burst at the weekend, but the lovely little yellow flowers always open the week after midsummer - which shows how aptly named it is, as St John's Day is June 25th, I think.

Nature

Nature is a wonderful thing. Visiting my somewhat neglected roof garden, I was amazed at how much was going on up there, mother nature left to her own devices and just doing her thing!

In particular, I got a handful of huge plumptious ripe strawberries to eat still warm from the sunshine...




... these grew from runners which planted themselves into neighbouring pots, giving me a tangle of strawberry plants with lots of luscious berries. Yum!

North London Herb Events

Just to let you know about some exciting herbal events taking place this summer/autumn in North London...

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Paula at Lemon Balm , a lovely new herbal shop and therapy centre in Camden, is conducting a

Special Midsummer Herb Walk and Picnic in Regent’s Park
Tuesday, 23rd June, 7pm
Meet at Lemon Balm, 76 Parkway, London NW1 7AH.
£10 per person (concs £5).
Book now on 020 7267 3334, or via shop@lemonbalmonline.com

"Join Medical Herbalists Paula Grainger MNIMH and Kristine de Block MNIMH as well as the Lemon Balm team to celebrate Midsummer’s Eve with an evening stroll through Regents Park and Canal, discovering all the wonderful herbal plants growing wild in the heart of the city. We’ll talk about the magic and folklore associated with these plants as well as their place in the modern Herbalists’ Apothecary. Please bring a contribution to the picnic."

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The lovely ladies at Sensory Solutions, who travel the country dispensing herbal wisdom from their airstream trailer, run a range of courses, including a

Superfoods Berry Day
Walk 'n' Workshop with The Wild Wicked Witches
Sunday 27th September
10.30am - 5.00pm
Lee Valley Village YHA, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.
£60 / £45 concessions - deposit £20

Fiona: 07830 195 745
Karen: 07865 081927

sensorysolutions@hotmail.co.uk

"Come and experience autumn through our Native Superfoods, the berries and hips that
grow around us. Autumn is the perfect time to gather all the last hips, fruits and berries to preserve them for those valuable vitamins to protect us from colds and flu's over the colder months. You will learn to recognise the plants and also how to make a delicious medicinal tincture. "

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Do let me know if you have details of other courses, workshops or events and I'll update the noticeboard regularly!

Forty Hall

A lovely day out in the sunshine at Forty Hall, Enfield on Saturday - the first time we had explored the beautiful grounds. Picnic lunch by the lake watching this family of Canada geese..



and a walk through the lovely walled garden, including beautifully laid out herb beds..





The extensive grounds are looked after by the London Borough of Enfield as Forty Hill Country Park and are open to the public free of charge - well worth a visit if you are in the area.

Chickweed

An extremely prolific weed, chickweed (stellaria media) is an abundant source of edible and medicinal foliage. It has traditionally been harvested as a vegetable, cooked like spinach or used in salads or soup. It has also been used as a healing herb for centuries. The name ‘chickweed’ derives from its use as food for birds and domestic fowl and ‘stellaria’ comes from the Latin ‘stella’ or star, relating to the shape of its flowers.

Chickweed is used internally to treat rheumatism and chest infections, externally for itching skin conditions, eczema, psoriasis, urticaria, ulcers, boils and abcesses.

The leaves infused in oil make a simple remedy for dry, itchy skin (try adding a tablespoon to bath water for eczema) and a poultice of fresh leaves in muslin can be used for inflammation or external abcesses (use the water you boiled the herb in to bathe the affected area). However, chickweed is mostly used in the form of an ointment which is cooling when applied to piles or sores.

A soothing, cooling herb that relieves itching and promotes healing.



Flowers bloom from March through to late autumn, the leaves closing up at night to protect tender buds and shoots.

Collect the whole herb from May to July, when in best condition.

CAUTION: Do not use during pregnancy; Excess causes diarrhoea and vomiting.

PLEASE NOTE: These notes on the history and use of herbs have been compiled for general interest and are not intended as medical advice, for which you should consult a professional herbalist.

BIBLIOGRAPY:
'A Modern Herbal' Mrs M. Grieve FRHS ed. Mrs C. F. Leyel (1973)
'RHS Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses' Deni Brown (2002)
‘Herbs and Healing Plants of Britain and Europe’ Dieter Podlech (1987)

Moon and Cloud

Popped my head through the hatch to visit my roof garden for the first time this year..



.. to be greeted by the moon and a single fluffy cloud in a clear blue sky!

Climate Change Film

Just wanted to pass on this message from Friends of the Earth - those of you in the UK can help campaign for climate change by going along to the cinema and watching a fab film ...



"The Age of Stupid is a new film about the consequences of dangerous climate change that's showing in cinemas around the UK. The makers of the film are also calling for action at the UN Climate talks in Copenhagen.

The more people who go to see the film early on the better the chance of a bigger global release. That will get the message about climate change out to new audiences."





You can find full details, watch clips and get a list of cinemas and times here.

Queens Wood

If you go down to the woods today, you'll never believe your eyes ..... well I couldn't anyway, the floor was carpeted in beautiful wood anemones which I had to stop and admire.



This is Queen's Wood, Highgate, and we were only passing, so I couldn't stop for a proper walk, only stretch my legs a little and drink in the fresh smell of the earth and trees and spring sunshine (5 minutes later it was hailing!). I'm hoping to visit again soon to see some of the other woodland flowers.



I also loved the way this fragile pretty blossom contrasted against the dark knarled bark of a tree trunk - old man winter garlanded with soft spring flowers.