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Garden & Herbs Archive
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GLOBE ARTICHOKE – Cynara scolymus
Posted on March 28, 2010 | No CommentsIt was once taken as beingaphrodisiac (Campbell-Culver). As Andrew Boordehad it, “they doth increase nature, and doth provokea man to veneryous actes”. Dreaming of them is asign that you will receive in a short while from thehands of those from whom you would least expectit... -
GIANT FENNEL – Ferula communis
Posted on March 21, 2010 | No CommentsIn the Prometheus myth, the fire that he stole was carried in a hollow fennel stalk, and given to men. Giant Fennel stalks, which can be five metres tall, are filled with a dry white pith like a wick, and were still used in the 20th century in parts... -
GLOBE CUCUMBER / Cucumis prophetarium
Posted on March 9, 2010 | No CommentsThe prophet of the specificname, given by Linnaeus, is Elisha, for it was oncethought that this was the plant of Elisha’s miracle,of II Kings; 4 (Moldenke & Moldenke). This is thesacred healing cucumber of the East African Dinkapeople. Almost every Dinka homestead is likelyto have... -
HAY FEVER
Posted on February 28, 2010 | No CommentsSurprisingly, dried SWEET VERNAL GRASS hasbeen used to cure hay fever! Particularly surprisingly,because this grass, dried, gives the typical coumarinscent of new-mown hay (Leyel. 1937). Gypsy lore hasit that to cure hay fever permanently, one should picksome fresh SPEARMINT, and put it in a muslin... -
GREEN HELLEBORE / Helleborus viridis
Posted on February 26, 2010 | No CommentsJust as poisonous as the otherhellebores, and that makes John Josselyn’s report in1638 interesting. He said that the root was used byyoung Indian braves in an ordeal to choose the chief –“he whose stomach withstood its action the longestwas decided to be the strongest of... -
DUNE ECOLOGY
Posted on February 24, 2010 | No CommentsCoastal dunes are the product of wind and, surprisingly, plants. Just above the high-tide line, dry sand is stabilized by sea lettuce. Behind it, beach grass and silver lupine trap more sand, creating small hummocks held in place by the plants’ roots. Lupine compost mixes... -
GOSPEL OAK
Posted on February 23, 2010 | No CommentsSo-called because passages from the Gospels forRogation Day were recited by the priest underthem during parish perambulations, or “beatingthe bounds”, always carried out at Rogationtide.The best known of the many Gospel Oaks is inthe Suffolk village of Polstead, where an annualservice is still held, an... -
GOOD KING HENRY
Posted on February 19, 2010 | No CommentsChenopodium bonus-henricus “King” seems to beintrusive; there is no mention of a king in the specificname, which just means “Good Henry”. Perhaps itis meant to distinguish it from Malus henricus, BadHenry, probably Dog’s Mercury. Then again, it isthe opinion of some that Henry is the... -
GLOBE CUCUMBER / Cucumis prophetarium
Posted on February 15, 2010 | No CommentsThe prophet of the specificname, given by Linnaeus, is Elisha, for it was oncethought that this was the plant of Elisha’s miracle,of II Kings; 4 (Moldenke & Moldenke). This is thesacred healing cucumber of the East African Dinka people. Almost every Dinka homestead is likelyto... -
GERMAN SAUSAGE TREE / Kigelia africana
Posted on February 12, 2010 | No CommentsThe common name is given because of the large grey-green fibrous fruits which are often a metre long. The unripe fruits are very poisonous, but are said to be used in cases of syphilis. On the other hand, the ripe fruit, though not edible, is...