Those of us with gardening addictions are spending our hours surrounded by seed catalogs dreaming and planning the perfect gardens we expect to have when the snows melt and the ground warms. Many blessings come with gardening; I want to talk about just one of these here - aromatherapy.
We often think of the benefits of aromatherapy coming from a bottle, but those small essential oil bottles are packed with intense aromas that originate in nature – actually a garden in a bottle. The contents of many of those bottles belong to such plant exotics as dusky frankincense, smoky vetiver, sensuous patchouli and mystical sandalwood, but others come from plants that grow well in most any garden – like peppermint, lemon balm and basil.
Try it! Sit in the middle of a garden when the sun is warming and the breezes gentle, eyes closed, nose wide-open and your thoughts gently surrounding the aromas you smell. Take a deep breath and another and relax into the moment. The aroma of fresh growing plants, rich soil, compost and fragrant herbs and flowers all combine to create a feeling - perhaps peaceful, calming, euphoric, grounding or invigorating.
You can make a special aromatherapy garden, an aromatherapy bed or just sprinkle aromatherapy plants where appropriate in an existing garden. The important point is to know your aromatherapy plants and their benefits and to enjoy and share those benefits whenever you need or want them.
Aromatherapy plants do well in an organic garden. Often times their essential oils function as insect repellants to minimize insect damage to themselves and nearby plants. Most are not very fussy and are quite happy in a variety of soils and location. And there is some evidence to show that essential oil bearing plants produce more oil which means a stronger scent when they are stressed and less oil when that are over-fertilized. While any fragant plant that you enjoy create can aromatherapy benefit, certain plants are well known, either because of experiential observations and/or research to invoke certain responses in people.
We often think of the benefits of aromatherapy coming from a bottle, but those small essential oil bottles are packed with intense aromas that originate in nature – actually a garden in a bottle. The contents of many of those bottles belong to such plant exotics as dusky frankincense, smoky vetiver, sensuous patchouli and mystical sandalwood, but others come from plants that grow well in most any garden – like peppermint, lemon balm and basil.
Try it! Sit in the middle of a garden when the sun is warming and the breezes gentle, eyes closed, nose wide-open and your thoughts gently surrounding the aromas you smell. Take a deep breath and another and relax into the moment. The aroma of fresh growing plants, rich soil, compost and fragrant herbs and flowers all combine to create a feeling - perhaps peaceful, calming, euphoric, grounding or invigorating.
You can make a special aromatherapy garden, an aromatherapy bed or just sprinkle aromatherapy plants where appropriate in an existing garden. The important point is to know your aromatherapy plants and their benefits and to enjoy and share those benefits whenever you need or want them.
Aromatherapy plants do well in an organic garden. Often times their essential oils function as insect repellants to minimize insect damage to themselves and nearby plants. Most are not very fussy and are quite happy in a variety of soils and location. And there is some evidence to show that essential oil bearing plants produce more oil which means a stronger scent when they are stressed and less oil when that are over-fertilized. While any fragant plant that you enjoy create can aromatherapy benefit, certain plants are well known, either because of experiential observations and/or research to invoke certain responses in people.
Ten plants to try:
1. Basil has a fresh, clean, anise-like scnet and comes in many sizes, colors and aromas. I like to plant a hedge of basil alongside my tomatoes - they are good companion plants in the garden as well as the kitchen. Basil helps me to stay alert, to clear the mind and to focus. It is also helps open up the sinuses and relieve headaches.
2.Chamomile flowers have a fruity, fresh, herbaceous aroma. It is deeply relaxing and makes a good before bed tea. Be care with this one though as it reseeds prolifically and quickly becomes a
weed.
3. Clary sage is a bi-annual which sends up a showy flower stalk the second year with blue and pink flowers. Its' sharp, musky, sweet scent promotes emotional balance and relaxation
.4. Geranium - the smelly leaf as opposed to the showy flower kind - has a sweet, rosy, herbaceous-minty aroma that I love. This is one to take inside to overwinter but it does quite well in pots or in the ground and will grow quite large. Geranium is relaxing and balancing and it help sooth the tensions of PMS and stress.
5. Lavender is well-known and appreciated for its lavender flower spikes and aroma. It does not over-winter for me and isn't happy in the greenhouse. Still, it is the most popular essential oil in the world and for those that can grow it and like, it is a must. Lavender is relaxing and helps alleviate stress. It is often used to promote restful sleep, to treat tension headaches and is excellent in healing and alleviating the pain of burns, stings and wounds.
6. Lemon balm is easy plant to grow and it has lovely lemony scented leaves. Often called melissa oil in aromatherapy ( the essential oil is very expensive) it is prized for its ability as an antidepressant and calming effect on the nervous system.
7. Marjoram is a low growing plant that is a tender perennial in my area but it overwinters beautifully in a cold greenhouse. Its sweet, spicy aroma helps to strengthen the nervous system and is deeply relaxing.
8. Peppermint (and other mints) are easy to grow but their spreading habits can make them invasive. Peppermint has a fresh, strong minty aroma that is very cooling and helps alleviate cold symptoms such as sinus congestion. It also is stimulating and helps me stay awake on a long drive.
9. Rosemary is a favorite of mine - a small woody shrub- that I have to overwinter in the greenhouse. It does well the rest of the year in a pot or in the ground. The fresh, herbaceous cent of rosemary is invigorating - helps clear the mind and increase concentrations.
10. Thyme, a low growing perennial, has a crisp, clean, herbal scent. It is well known for its antiseptic properties and was used in hospitals before the advent of modern antiseptics. The aroma stimulated the mind and tonifies the nerves. Inhaling it with any type of sinus or lung congestion or infections is beneficial.
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