Thursday, July 8, 2010

A Yellow Harvest Festival

Yellow Sweet Clover by dowcet on Flickr
This time of summer is so exciting!  Everything is blooming and it's hard to keep up with posting about it all.  I noticed today that nearly everything I harvested today is yellow or creamy white!!

New to my herb basket this year is sweet clover.  Both yellow and white varieties are blooming here right now.  For this herb, you harvest the ariel parts of the plant (flowers, stems and leaves).  This plant grows nearly 7 feet tall right into my driveway!  Needless to say, those plants are getting harvested first so they are out of the way! (no, of course I wouldn't let DH chop em down before they bloomed! LOL!)  Not only does this plant have medicinal value for increasing circulation, reducing varicose veins and healing hemorrhoids but it is also a suitable cover crop for increasing nitrogen in the soil.

St. John's Wort by gmayfield10 on Flickr
Just coming into bloom is the ever delicate and fabulously yellow Saint John's Wort.  Take the time to hold one of the leaves up to the light and discover why its latin name is Hypericum Perforatum - a fun discover for the whole family!  Included in this great article, is a blurb about making Saint John's Wort oil (great for sunburns, shingles flareups and other skin disorders).  Saint John's Wort has been heavily studied and there is a lot of information available about its benefits as a naturally uplifting herbal supplement.  It is important to read a few resources about this herb and make sure that you have current information - and be aware of drug interactions if you are already on medications.

Linden Blossom
by American College of Healthcare Sciences on Flickr
Another naturally uplifting herb comes to us from another blossom - the Linden Tree blossom.  It was a treat just to stand under these majestic trees today and inhale deeply.  Their sweet scent is intoxicating - uplifting all on its own!  Use a tea that includes these incredible blossoms to bring a lift to any dull day.  These blossoms reduce inflammation and are astringent and  have been used to help break fevers and treat colds, coughs and stuffy noses.  Truly one of my favorite to harvest and add to any tea for a hint of sweetness and a beautiful aroma.

Linden Tree
by American College of Healthcare Sciences on Flickr
Be sure to keep an eye out for other beautiful yellow blossoms!  In my yard there is also Hop Clover and Evening Primrose... what else do you have in your area?

Yellow blessings,
Val :)

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