Need a Hostess Gift for the Easter Dinner? Give a Pot of Herbs

If you're invited to a friends house for Easter dinner, consider giving a pot of herb as a hostess gift instead of the usual Easter Lily. Potted herbs have a much more personal touch, and your hostess will think of you as she snips the fresh herbs for years to come.

Now is the perfect time to find herbs to give as gifts and share with friend right in your own garden. As long as you're invited out for dinner on Easter, you may as well take advantage of the time you save on dinner preparations to work in your little plot.

As you do the spring cleanup of the herb garden, you’ll probably find shoots from the perennial herbs and want to take a quick break for a cup of herbal tea as the scent from the fresh, tender leaves surround you. Before you start the teakettle, take the time to divide the thyme, chive, oregano and mint plants first, and turn that fresh herb tea time into a gathering with friends. 

Once back to the herb garden, look over the upright thyme and lavender and give them a light groom. Don’t pull them out, even though they probably look quite dead. It takes a bit longer for new growth to show on the old branches of these herb plants. The deadwood can be identified and removed later in the spring, once the new growth has sprouted from most of the branches.

The tarragon, sage, lavender and thyme probably look like they won’t survive, but leave them alone. Pull the weeds, but don’t cut back the herbs until strong new growth appears.

As the April showers bring the herbs to life, continue to divide root clumps and runner roots so that the herb plants get good air circulation. When your friend’s gardens are full, consider donating the potted herbs to clubs holding fundraisers. Senior citizen clubs are often filled with gardeners who would enjoy receiving a living herb plant. Make sure the pots are properly marked with the name of the herb.

When you give a pot of herbs as gifts, include a card with your favorite herbal recipe

photo under morgueFile Free License

All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

$34 Billion Spend Annually on Alternative Medicine

If you needed another reason to grow your own herbs besides your love of gardening, your passion for fresh herbs for teas, cooking or crafts or creating your own herbal remedies, a recent study shows how economical your herb garden actually is.



According to a study that was recently released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

"That includes a wide range of services from meditation and yoga to dietary supplements, such as echinacea and ginseng."

The article, $34 billion spent yearly on alternative medicine, states:

"Alternative medicine now accounts for more than 11 percent of out-of-pocket spending on health care in the United States, the researchers said.

About 44 cents out of every dollar spent on alternative medicine was for products like fish oil, glucosamine and echinacea. Spending on these products was nearly $15 billion, or about a third of what Americans spend out-of-pocket for prescription drugs."

Because herbs and herbal preparations sold do not fall under FDA guidelines, many experts and concerned about contamination in products that consumers just naturally think are regulated.

So, in addition to your herb garden and personal herbal blends being easier on the pocketbook, they are probably a lot safer than purchased supplements.

photo used with permission under morgueFile Free License

All written content ©2010 Patrice Campbell unless otherwise noted.

Dreams of Spring

The sudden scent of a fresh breeze from the open window mixed with the smell of fabric softener from the laundry room. It was more than I could bear. Deadlines be damned, I left the computer and ventured on to the back patio.

With the dogs content to doze at my feet, I just sat and enjoyed the early afternoon. Even the fat robins seemed happy to sit on the fence and keep me company. The perfect silence of a school day, the warmth of the sun soaking into the joints, the promising green shoots of the early perennials living in the sheltered areas of the yard, all did their best to lull me into a stupor. But my mind couldn’t be stilled.

I can envision the fresh green leaves on the branches that have not even started to bud. I can smell the roses on the cut back canes that are just starting to show a hint of green. The old cement flower pots hold their secrets tightly, not yet offering hints of the annuals or vegetables they will suggest holding when the time is right for planting.

Knowing a blizzard or two is yet to come, I was content to sit in the sun and dream. I saw the hammock that lives under the maple tree in the summer. I could smell the herbs and taste the berries. I think red petunias will look inviting in the wishing well in the corner.

It’s the first week of March. Bits of ice still linger in the shady parts of the yard. More will come. But today was a gift. I’m glad I took advantage of the offering and left the computer to just sit and dream. 

I Think I Just Invented Contentment Tea

Herbal teas have been used to treat ailments for thousands of years, and sometime we get so caught up with the medicinal uses of herbs that we forget to just enjoy them for their flavor and the warm, cozy feeling we get from them.


Tonight, I have a backache from sitting at my desk too long. I also have a chill. All I wanted to do was put my feet up and relax with a cup of tea. I didn’t want caffeine, but wanted something quick. Luckily I had a box of chamomile tea bags. I plugged in the water kettle, added a dollop of honey to my big old mug, and searched through the spice cabinet to find something to give the chamomile tea some extra flavor.

I think I just invented Contentment Tea.

I added ginger and cinnamon to the honey and some warm water to mix it all together until the honey dissolved. Plopped in the teabag and filled the mug to the top with boiling water.

I gathered up my laptop and my tea, propped the pillows against the headboard, and was already feeling more relaxed as I brought the mug to my lips.

The first thing I noticed was how heavenly my tea smelled. I felt myself relax a bit more. But my first sip of the brew actually made me smile.

I wish I had measured out the honey, ginger and cinnamon so that I could share my recipe, but I didn’t. But it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that what I mixed together with my herb tea is giving me contentment. It’s warming, relaxing and comforting to me at this given moment.

At any given time you can make a cup of herb and spice tea to satisfy an unidentified need. Experiment. Don’t worry about not having fresh or dried herbs from your garden. You can use store bought teas and spices from a jar in a pinch.

So should I call it Contentment Tea or Comfort Tea?

photo under morgueFile Free License

Add a Medicinal Herb to Your Favorite Cup of Herbal Tea

Identifying the perfect blend of herbs for tea may take some time because once the perfect blend is found, you realize other herbs and spices can be added to give it the extra zing you sometimes need.

 Medicinal herbs can be added to tea bring relief on those sick days when you use herbal tea as a comfort drink. If the herb with the properties your body needs doesn't suit your taste, simply stir in a teaspoon of honey. It will sweeten the tea, mask the taste of the medicinal herb and soothe the throat.

Medicinal Herbs

• Headaches can be eased with equal amounts of thyme, rosemary and lavender.
• Yarrow, boneset, rosemary, lavender and thyme can all temporarily relieve the symptoms of colds and flu.
• When you're not feeling well, no matter what the cause, you can calm your nerves with a brew of marjoram, chamomile, thyme, sage or catnip.

The herb yarrow has been used to treat almost everything, so if you like the taste, try incorporating yarrow into your herb tea blend as well as your herb garden. It grows to a height of 2 to three feet, so plant it in a spot that will highlight your garden.

Boneset, an herb once listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia as an official medicine, tastes awful, but also has a list of medicinal herb uses. If you want to give the herb boneset a try, be prepared to use a lot of honey to mask the taste, or, if you drink a lot of tea, set aside the boneset decoction and add a bit at a time to each cup of your favorite fresh herbal tea.

One of the oldest herbal medicines is thyme. At one time it was used to prevent nightmares, and is still popular as a headache remedy.

And don't forget to visit the Herbal Tea Recipe Swap article to get ideas and share your favorite herbal tea recipes.

 photo under morgueFile Free License Agreement

Soothe Away Holiday Stress with a Homemade Herbal Facial Mask

Homemade, economical skin care is always available in a kitchen with herbs. Soothe away holiday stress with a homemade herbal facial mask formulated just for your skin type.

Start with a base of 3 tablespoons yogurt or buttermilk and 2 tablespoons of honey.

If you have oily skin, turn the mask into an herbal remedy by adding a tablespoon of chopped sage.
An herbal cosmetic aid for dry skin can be made by adding a tablespoon of dried elderflower powder.
Those lucky people with normal skin will benefit with an herbal face mask made by adding a tablespoon of dried chamomile powder.

• Mix the herb with the yogurt or buttermilk in a small bowl.
• Place another tablespoon of the chosen herb into a teacup or mug, cover with hot water and let it brew.
• Spread the mask over your clean face and relax for at least 20 minutes.
• Strain the cup of tea and use it to gently remove the mask.

If any of the herb is left, brew a cup of  herbal tea and continue relaxing.

Home Made Herbal Gifts and Decorations

It's not too late to create your own holiday decorations made from herbs. Simple, beautiful, and a wonderful hostess gift, these decorations will fulfill many of your needs this Christmas.

If you don't have herbs, dried or fresh, available from your own herb garden, fresh herbs can be purchased from the produce aisle of the grocery. When purchasing fresh herbs for your cooking needs this holiday season, or that that matter, throughout the year, picks up a few extra bunches to keep on hand. The fragrance of fresh or dried herbs wafting throughout the home is a year round treat.

Read  my full article.