Tag: plants

“The woods gal, that’s what they called me.” Emma Dupree, 1898-1996.
Photos by Mary Anne McDonald.

Emma Dupree was a respected herbal healer in Pitt County, North Carolina: “From
the time she could walk, Emma felt drawn to the land. She would roam
the woods, plucking, sniffing, tasting weeds. She grew up that way,
collecting the leaves, stems, roots, and bark of sweet gum, white mint,
mullein, sassafras in her coattail or a tin bucket. She’d tote them back
to the farm, rinse them in well water and tie them in bunches to dry.
In the backyard, she’d raise a fire under a kettle and boil her herbs to
a bubbly froth, then pour it up in brown-necked stone jugs: a
white-mint potion for poor circulation; catnip tea for babies with
colic; tansy tea – hot or cold – for low blood sugar; mullein tea for a
stomach ache …”
— Paige Williams

Greenness around homes linked to lower mortality



Women live longer in areas with more green vegetation, according to
new research funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health. Women with
the highest levels of vegetation, or greenness, near their homes had a
12 percent lower death rate compared to women with the lowest levels of
vegetation near their homes. The results were published Apr. 14, 2016 in
the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

The researchers found the biggest differences in death rates from
kidney disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. The researchers also
explored how an environment with trees, shrubs, and plants might lower
mortality rates. They showed that improved mental health and social
engagement are the strongest factors, while increased physical activity
and reduced air pollution also contribute.

“It is important to know that trees and plants provide health
benefits in our communities, as well as beauty,” said NIEHS director
Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D. “The finding of reduced mortality suggests that
vegetation may be important to health in a broad range of ways.”

Reference: James P, Hart JE, Banay RF, Laden F. Exposure to
greenness and mortality in a nationwide prospective cohort study of
women. Environmental Health Perspectives; doi:10.1289/ehp.1510363
[Online 14 Apr 2016].

Image: TreeHouse Point, Issaquah, WA

Moon Garden

A
moon garden is a garden specifically designed to be enjoyed by the
light of the moon at night. It is typically planted with flowers and
plants that are at their best after the sun has set. Some have blooms
that only open at night, some release their fragrance into the cool
night air and others simply have lovely silver foliage and white flowers
that glow softly in the moonlight. Plants that resonate with the energy
of the moon are also welcome in a moon garden, although they usually
meet the other criteria as well.

A moon garden is a wonderful idea for night owls, for people who work
long hours during the day and only get to enjoy their gardens at night,
and, of course, for moon-worshipers!


Design Elements
To fully enjoy your moon garden, you will want a comfortable bench or
perhaps a wooden swing to rest on in the cool of the evening.

The sound of a waterfall trickling through your plantings will provide a soothing backdrop to your evening meditation.

Consider adding a few (but not too many) glow-in-the dark garden
decor pieces to help you navigate your way through the garden in the
darkness and also to add a bit of magical flare. Consider creating
stepping stones with glow in the dark pebbles or solar mason jars along
your path to light your way.


Suggested Plants
Please note that many of these plants are poisonous and some are
invasive. It is up to you to decide whether and where to plant them and
to manage them responsibly. Please read the individual plant’s page
carefully and do further research from other sources before purchasing
and planting any of these.

Flowers that Open at Night:
Evening Primrose, Night-blooming Cereus, Night Phlox “Midnight
Candy”, moonflower, Night-blooming Day lily “Moon Frolic” or “Toltec
Sundail”, Night-blooming Water Lily, Night Gladiolus, Casablanca Lily,
Nottingham Catchfly, Four O’Clock, Dragon Fruit, Dutchman’s Pipe cactus, Night-blooming jasmine, Angel’s trumpet, Evening
Stock, Nicotiana/ Flowering tobacco.

Flowers that Smell Their Best at Night:
Night Phlox, Night Blooming Jasmine, Evening Stock, Four O’Clock,
August Lily, Moonflower, Tuberose, Garden Heliotrope, Mock Orange,
Honeysuckle.

Plants that Look Great in the Moonlight:
Yucca, Lily of the valley, Magnolia, Dogwood, Lamb’s ear, Sage.

Plants that resonate with lunar energy:
Alder, Evening Primrose, Lemon, Maple, Marsh mallow, Monarda, Mugwort, Poppy, Rosemary, Water Lily.