Yarrow has long been associated with witchcraft and used as protection against evil. The famous 'stalks of divination' required for consulting the Chinese oracle, the I Ching, were made of yarrow. More prosaically, the Druids used yarrow stems to forecast the weather. In the garden: Yarrow is of immense value in the garden because it accumulates nutrients and recycles them back into the soil, improving its quality and benefiting all nearby plants. Yarrow planted in a medicinal herb garden will increase the efficacy of the nearby herbs. Its leaves repel many harmful insects, while its delicate flowers attract many beneficial ones. And, finally, yarrow is of great benefit to compost, speeding up decomposition. It is a hardy plant, which likes full sun. Other than needing plenty of moisture while being established, it can survive dry spells. It is easier to grow from seedlings than from seed, or propagate it from an existing plant. Once a plant is well established, it will spread by sending out runners. Dig around the edge and cut off runners, making sure to use sections that have roots and foliage. Keep the roots moist until they are well established. If the plant gets too big, trim it and add the trimmings to the compost heap. Healing properties: Yarrow's Latin name comes from the mythological superhero Achilles. He had been a student of the centaur Chiron, who had great knowledge of medicinal uses of herbs. When he led his men into battle during the bloody Trojan War, Achilles remembered what he had learned and used yarrow to staunch the flow of blood from his wounded soldiers. The white-flowered variety of yarrow is most often used in herbal medicine. Both leaves and flowers promote sweating and reduce fevers. They also stimulate digestion and are used to treat menstrual and urinary disorders. The leaves are an astringent and encourage blood clotting. How to use: Infusion (flowers) – to treat irregular periods due to menopause. Tincture (flowers and leaves) – to regulate menstruation.?O
Yarrow
MENOPAUSE TEA
This combination of herbs will help reduce the mood swings, hot flushes and night sweats that can accompany menopause. • • ¼ cup each of dried evening primrose leaves and flowers, sage, raspberry, parsley and St John's wort leaves 3 tablespoons ground flax seed Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container. To drink, infuse 1 teaspoon of the mixture in a cup of just-boiled water. (You can also use the fresh herbs to make an infusion.)
TIME-OF-THE-MONTH BREW
There are plenty of jokes made about PMS. From: 'They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken' to Roseanne Barr's 'Women complain about premenstrual syndrome, but I think of it as the only time of the month that I can be myself.' However, when someone is in the middle of PMS mood swings it is definitely no time for joking. (Unless you want your head bitten off.) This tea helps ease the tension and irritability that accompanies many of us during that time of month. • • • ¼ cup dried St John's wort leaves ¼ cup each of dried selfheal, yarrow and evening primrose leaves and flowers Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container. To drink, infuse 1 teaspoon of the mixture in a cup of just-boiled water. (You can also use the fresh herbs to make an infusion.)
Photographs: Jane Griffiths & Keith Knowlton. SOURCES: Jane's Delicious Herbs – Sunbird Publishers, a division of Jonathan Ball Publishers.
Visit Jane's Delicious Garden at www.janesdeliciousgarden.com or email Jane on [email protected]
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