The ancient Celts had seven herbs that were valued as sacred.
Here are a three of them that spring to mind and are easily recognisable.
Dandelion ( Caisearbhán), (bitter stalk). Pissenlit (pissy beds), in French, speaks for the plant’s best-known property, but studies continue for its medicinal potential, whether diuretic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic, anti-coagulatory or prebiotic.
Comfrey ( Lus na gcnámh mbriste), (Plant of the broken bone) and Knitbone, Comfrey was used in traditional medicine as a treatment for arthritis and other bone ailments.
Mistletoe (Drualas),it’s not an Irish native plant, although, strangely enough, there is an Irish word for it, “drualas”, that seems to be fairly ancient.
The others are Mugwort ( Mongach meisce), Guelder Rose (Caor chon), and Nettle (neantóg).
In Gaelic Irish, Dandelion is called lus Bhríd(Brigid’s plant) or Bearnán Bríd (indented one of Brigid) where “lus” is the Irish equivalent of the English “wort,” or “plant.”
Dandelion roots can be used to make coffee, when roasted, while the leaves are used widely in teas, and are considered by many to be a delicacy in salads.
Lemon Balm
Parsley
Bay
Rosemary
Rosemary
Golden Oregano
I believe in taking herbs remedies for all my cures. Your story was very informative, and I shared with my daughter. Thanks for sharing
Hope your birthday was as magical as you are!!
Many happy returns of the day!! XX 🎉💛🍁🍄🌼
Never too late to wish the Birthday wishes for yesterday lots of love ❤️ Kerry Australia
HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS, COLETTE!! What a beautiful time of the year in which to have a birthday! The pics of the herbs are just beautiful! I have my deceased Mother’s Lemon Balm that I took from her home, after she died. It now grows plentiful in my yard. I have been drinking Dandelion Root tea for almost 30 years, as a detoxifier. I hope to expand my herb garden in the coming years. Thank you once again, for sharing your Wisdom and Joy with us. Blessed Be. xo
Happy Birthday💐
First of all a Very wonderful Happiest of Birthdays to you Colette, and many more splendid years of magical , mystical, adventures in snd in your garden of Eden.
I am so enjoying these herbal podcasts, as I am a lover of all things herbs and just about anything that grows.
My Mother used to know so much, she would make tea from fennel seeds for upset stomach. And for wounds or infections she would puck malvas or in English malva simmer and put them on the area…
So much more … to learn,
Thankyou for these podcasts full of wisdom.
Hope you did something special for yourself today.
Regards Helia.💚💚💚💚
Thanks for sharing, Colette!! Love your platforms!❤️
Hello from the city of Brotherly Love. This podcast reminded me to plant herbs among the flowers out in the garden. Many herbs have more sense than me because they planted themselves in the nooks and crannies of my garden. I really liked this podcast. I sat and listened while working on my website and enjoying the quiet morning here in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Happy Birthday for tomorrow Beloved. 💖
I hope your special day is absolutely divine, full of sparkles and bells and your heart and spirit are soaring!! 🪶Happy Birthday Colette!! Blessings to you, Patsy and Bealtaine Cottage!! 🍂🕊️🎂
A lovely morning chat! Thank you!
It is truly amazing how quickly Mother Nature spreads her healing plants, each year I find that SHE has planted a new Companion for me, this year it was Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) such a lovely and sweet Plant Spirit that smells divine and as a bonus treats the upper respiratory issues going round.
Blessings to your precious home and haven.
…Till the one day when the lady met her followers
And they knew that it was more than just a hunch
That this group would somehow form a family
That’s the way we all became the Bealtaine Bunch
The Bealtaine Bunch….
xx
I am going to grow some comfort. I have osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. I can use all the herbal help i can get. Your herbs truly do love it there. So big, vibrant and happy! Thanks for sharing this. You and patsy have a blessed weekend🧡
Woops, I meant comfrey🤣
Jennifer, that is wonderful hahaha brilliant!
I love your window vignette; the scene with the crow on the branch with berries and leaves has so much love packed into it! Creativity bursts forth naturally!💖
Thank you for this podcast on herbs! Since I was a young girl I’ve been in love with what my mom called weeds. I’ve always been fascinated with my weeds and love to come upon one I’m unfamiliar with. I have this routine of look, touch, smell and then if I sense it has good properties, I taste. I was always getting yelled at for eating the weeds from the fields and woods. My mom thought I was going to kill myself someday doing that. I’m 74, and I have never been sick from doing that. I think if we pay attention, the Mother has a was of guiding us. Herbs are my first go to for anything that is wrong, including mental, emotional and spiritual issues. I’ve grown my own for about 60 years now and still discover new ones. 🥰. You’re a kindred spirit to most of us here.
Good morning Colette. I’m enjoying this podcast series about your experiences with herbs. Now that you mention it, my parsley is having a massive second flush of growth. Also the French Sorel and Wild Thyme are very bushy. Love the stories you share about the early days of Bealtaine cottage and I love your photos. Blessings.🍂🍁💚
My yellow raspberries have been having a second flush, here in West Wales of all places. Mostly enjoyed by the birds, but also myself when browsing the garden.
Colette, those darling boys will have such fond memories of your time together. At 55 years old, I still feel warmed at the memories of helping my gran tack quilts, preserve food, and cook. Anytime we can facilitate a young person slowing down to be present and creative, we enrich their lives and our own.
Blessed Samhain and birthday-coming! ❤️🍁🎂🎉
Herbs, Hoards of Knowledge & Creativity, Libraries … are some of my favorite things.
Lovely, Thank you.
Blessings X
Colette, yesterday when I listened to the first herb podcast, I was thinking I only have three perennial herbs and the rest are all annual. Now I realize how wrong I was. I have loads of perennial herbs and beneficial plants in my garden. And some of them are wild. I’m loving this series! Thank you for teaching me.
Thank you Colette for pointing out the search engine in your podcast. I don’t know why I’ve missed it when I’ve been here. The herb tabs have been great in helping me find more information and more beautiful photos. Although my mantra at the moment is “ I cannot be held responsible “ Shirley.
Good morning Collette!
Thanks again for the lovely podcast 😘
You reminded me of my childhood in the 60s.
‘Wet the bed’ we used to call that herb. We lived near a nunnery and uncultivated fields. It was a time when children stayed out all day. It was dusk and I was examining the herbs and flowers knowing I would get into trouble because I should have been home already. There was a particularly pungent herb. Many years later I was visiting a herb nursery in the West of Scotland with my own children. I smelled this particular herb and was transported right back to my childhood in an instant. It was woodworm. Just amazing how smells can activate one’s memory. I was delighted to say the least.
Your podcasts, videos and photos have the same effect. An oasis of calm and tranquility in this insane world.
Thank you Collette from the bottom of my heart and soul for all you do for us all. ❤️
Love planting herbs with my granddaughter when she visits us in Florida, USA from New York City. Hopefully I am planting seeds of interest in her for gardening and growing food🍀
Good morning Colette. How did you manage that before coffee?! As the saying goes … Early to bed, early to rise, makes a (wo)man healthy, wealthy and wise 😊 I’m listening to a robin’s random wittering amid the misty half light of the early morning, it’s a peaceful start to the day. I just want you to know that I especially appreciate your blogs, photos and all the content you share on your website as I’ve finally weaned myself off of social media, Youtube excepted, but I’m working on that too. Going online feels to me like opening my front door and letting the whole world in, muddy boots and all 😩 You’ve touched on this before, and I totally agree, that your website feels a much calmer, friendlier, safer place. Today’s message and pictures are very much appreciated. Blessings to you my friend, I hope you have a wonderful day 💚
Dear Colette
Thank you for your Podcast…I learn a Lot from your wise Woman
I translate it in German,Herbst
Blessings and greetings from Daggy Kiel Germany ☘️☘️☘️
Lovely, photos, Colette. Thank you. I harvest from my garden as well. Every year I make tinctures for the winter. I often make herbal blends as Winter gifts if I harvest enough. Melissa is one of my favorites and is such a calming herb. Blessings on ye and she.