Sweet Melissa, a Balm in Cold Weather

Lemon Balm, Melissa officinalis, is an unassuming and vigorous member of the mint family. It is easy to grow. So easy, in fact, that like many mints, once you have it in your garden you’ll have it everywhere! I love this about it, and appreciate it wandering around our property. This year we even had…

Nature’s Intelligence: What Can Plants Teach Us About Connectivity?

We live in a highly technological world where much of human connection has begun to occur online. I am pretty guilty. Instead of calling a friend or going out to a family gathering, I may choose to “reserve my energy” and stay in. And what do I do while I stay in? …scroll away on…

Chamomile: The Underappreciated Multitasker

One of the first medicinal herbs many people encounter is German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla syn. or Matricaria recutita). It is a ubiquitous tea herb with a history of use going back thousands of years, found on shelves of supermarkets and referenced in both Peter Rabbit and pop music. For such a well-known herb, however, in…