Clearing Spaces - Herbal Bath Teas

Our Herbal Bath Tea Sachets contained different blends of the following ingredients, dried lavender, hops, oats, rose petal, camomile, lemongrass, calendula petals, dried ginger.

we added different combinations of 

the following essential oils peppermint, 

rosemary, eucalyptus, lemon, lime 

and lavender

Kate was with us again to mix up Bath salts

Once the Bath Tea blends were mixed

we filled out hand stamped bags

to use the bath soaks, add them, closed tightly, to a hot bath or allow to steep and add the liquid to the bath

Everyone had lovely herbal goody bags

to take home

Clearing Spaces - Herbal Bath Salts and Lip Balm

Kate Dyer lead us through the process of making a variety of bath salts, as we have quite  a lot of gardeners we looked for recipes that would soothe aching muscles! We decided that we should do one session during the Tuesday Volunteer Day and one on the normal Thursday session so that everyone could either make or receive a bath treat!

Here is kate's step by step guide

Step 1 :- Place half a cup of salt or salts to a glass bowl.

Step 2 :- Mix in 2 tablespoons of carrier oil like jojoba or sweet almond oil.

Step 3:- Add 7 to 8 drops of desired essential oils to the bowl.

Step 4:- Mix all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon.

Step 5:- Add dried herbs, flower petals as you desire. Transfer to an airtight jar. Add to bath as required.

Sore Muscle Bath Soak - Soothes aches and pains

• 1/2 cup of Epsom Salt
• 2 tablespoons jojoba oil
• 4 drops frankinsence
• 3 drops roman camomile

Simple Lavender Bath Salt - Healing and moisturising

1/2 cup of Epsom Salt

2 tablespoons jojoba oil

8 drops lavender essential oil

Energising Bath Salt - refreshing morning blend

• 1/4 cup Dead Sea Salt
• 1/4 cup of Pink Himalayan Salt
• 2 tablespoonssweet almond oil
• 3 drops grapefruit essential oil
• 2 drops  peppermint essential oil
• 2 dropslavender  essential oil

Eucalyptus Lavender Bath Salt - Soothes sinus and respiratory issues

• 1/4 cup of Pink Himalayan Salt
• 1/4 cup of Epsom Salt 
• 2 tablespoons sweet almond oil
• 4 drops lavender essential oil
• 3 drops eucalyptus essential oil

Sleepy Time Bath Salt - relaxing

1/4 cup of Pink Himalayan Salt

1/4 cup of Epsom Salt

2 tablespoons sweet almond oil

4 drops cedarwood essential oil

3 drops orange essential oil

Blissful Bath Salt - Transform your Mind and Body with this relaxing blend

1/4 cup Dead Sea Salt

2 tablespoons jojoba oil

3 drops frankinsence essential oil

2 drops sandalwood essential oil

2 drops bergamot essential oil

Those who wished to added dried 

lavender, camomile, calendula, rose petals

We added a Green Patch Label and a fabric topper

Kate also showed us how to make a lip balm

We had teatree, grapefruit or peppermint

Kate is a wonderful cook, keen gardener and was inspired to try out some of these remedies when she developed a skin condition and found bath salts really helped. She then started making them as presents, which is how Carole knew she was the right person to help with this project.

Clearing Spaces - Filling Lavender Bags and Stamping Herbal Bath Tea Bags

Carole had been busy sewing two sorts of fabric bags, the lavender bags were now ready to fill and the room was filled with the relaxing smell of English Lavender. There are many benefits to growing lavender and we have quite a lot all over The Green Patch, it has many uses and is also a great support to bees.

Carole had also sewn small, cotton, drawstring bags

and the group used stamps and fabric ink pads

to decorate the plane cotton

in preparation for our lotions and potions 

sessions coming to The green Patch soon!

It was a very relaxing, enjoyable morning

Herbal bath tea ideas - 

Relaxation 

• Rose petals and lavender are a brilliant combination and fill the air with a lovely floral scent while helping the body to relax in the warm water.
• Calendula and chamomile are both known for their soothing properties and can also help soften the skin as the stress melts away in this bath combination.
• Sage and lemon balm can help clear the head.
• Hops and hyssop can help bring about restful sleep.

Rejuvenation blends

• Peppermint and lemon balm will soothe and rejuvenate without the jittery after effects of coffee.
• Rose petals and lovage will fill the air with a delightful herbal and floral scent that relaxes the body and invigorates the mind.
• Jasmine flowers and dried lemon peel with help the body smell good after the bath while simultaneously easing stress and hopefully helping the brain find new thoughts. 

Lavender bags ready to be sewn closed.

Lavender sachets have lots of different uses:

• Stow them in drawers to make clothing and delicates smell lovely
• Toss in the dryer with laundry (good for at least a dozen loads!)
• Place in a pillowcase as an aid to relaxation before sleeping
• Use as a natural alternative to mothballs, which are toxic, to help repel moths while storing seasonal clothes
• Stow in the car as a pleasant alternative to commercial air fresheners
• Store one in each piece of empty luggage after a trip to keep suitcases smelling fresh and clean

Clearing Spaces - Preparation

The new pond liner is in place but 

we are waiting for the soil and sand 

Carole went out to count the stones in the existing herb spiral - there are more than you'd think! Sue put a call out to see if anyone had spare stones in their gardens, Carole had seen lots at the park but no luck as yet. 

There was a walk, chickens and ducks were fed, more seeds were packeted, some digging and weeding took place. There was laughter, warmth and good conversation.

Carole also spent time chatting to the group and cutting out fabric to make into lavender bags for the upcoming lotions and potions / herbal bath treats  sessions, then took them home to sew.

Clearing Spaces - Bird Boxes

October is a time for seed collection and preparation 

Happily there was still warmth and light enough

for the group to work on painting

bird boxes for the Hidden Pond Garden 

and the Wellbeing Garden

Clearing Spaces - Chelsea Physic Garden

To get our new Clearing Spaces Project off to an inspiring start we took a party of volunteers and project participants to Chelsea Physic Garden in London. Where we were able to learn more about medicinal herbs, their use, history and what we might like to include in our new Medicinal Herb Spiral.

Since 1673 Chelsea Physic Garden has occupied four acres of land on the edge of the Thames. First established by the Apothecaries in order to grow medicinal plants, this extraordinary garden in London has had wide reaching impact around the world.

Enjoying a break in the glorious sunshine

As of October 2017, the garden included 5,000 plants, in areas such as:

• The Garden of Medicinal Plants
• The Pharmaceutical Garden, with plants arranged according to the ailment they are used to treat
• The Garden of World Medicine, with medicinal plants arranged by the culture which uses them
• The Garden of Edible and Useful Plants
• The World Woodland Garden

Sir Hans Soane

When the Garden was first established by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries in 1673, its role was to provide a place where they could grow all of the plants which young apothecaries could learn to identify key medicinal plants.  This area is an area where apothecaries would have grown medicinal plants in the 17th and 18th centuries. We of course no longer train apothecaries at the Garden, but we are still visited by medical students wishing to learn about the history of plant-based medicine.  

Our wonderful guides gave two groups an enjoyable, informative tour of the gardens, paying particular attention to medicinal herbs

 

The plants are displayed here in a series of themed rooms.

World Medicine Collection

Beds dedicated to medicine throughout every region of the world, some of the plants traditionally used by healers, shamans, witch doctors and herbalists over the last 5,000 years. 

Dioscorides Bed

Displays some of the plants first listed by the first-century Greek pharmacologist, physician and botanist Dioscorides (c.40-c.90AD) in his book of medicinal plants. 

Officinalis Beds

Early pharmacies were known as officinas and this bed displays the type of plants that would have been sold.

Traditional Medicine of the British Isles

A range of plants grown by the Apothecaries in the Garden between the 17th and 19th centuries are grown here.

Pharmaceutical Plants

Plants form the basis of around a quarter of all modern western medicines. Here each bed represents a different medicinal discipline, including Oncology and Dermatology. There are around 60 plants, all of which are vital to modern medicine. 

Herbal Remedies

Displays numerous herbal remedies. Herbal remedies prepared directly from plants are relied on by over 80% of the world's population despite having little scientific evidence.

Some of the group helped choose seed we will grow during the project

and one of our group donated this beautiful rose

Although our time in the garden was relatively short everyone came away feeling refreshed and inspired.