Essential Oils 101 – Rosemary – Spearmint

Posted on September 18, 2017 by thecompletebook

Today:

Rosemary
Rosewood
Sage
Sandalwood
Spearmint

Rosemary Essential Oil (Middle)

Properties: Rosemary essential oil stimulates hair growth, is a disinfectant, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, carminative, antibacterial and analgesic (pain relief) substance.

Health benefits: It aids hair care, skin care, mouth care, anxiety, mental disorders, depression, pain, headache, rheumatism, respiratory problems, bronchial asthma, indigestion and flatulence.

Rosewood Essential Oil (Middle)

Properties: Rosewood essential oil is as an analgesic (pain relief), antidepressant, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, antibacterial, deodorant, insecticide and stimulant substance.

Health benefits: It reduces pain, fights depression, protects wounds from becoming septic, enhances libido and promotes sexual arousal, kills bacteria, is good for the brain, cures headaches, eliminates body odour, kills insects and stimulates gland discharges.

Sage Essential Oil (Top)

Properties: Sage essential oil is an antifungal, antimicrobial (kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth), antibacterial, antiseptic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, cholagogue (promotes the discharge of bile), is as a cicatrisant (skin healing), depurative (purifying and detoxifying), digestive, disinfectant, emenagogue (stimulates or increases menstrual flow), expectorant, febrifuge (reduce fever), laxative, and a stimulant substance.

Health benefits: It inhibits viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections, protects wounds against becoming septic, heals damages done by oxidation, soothes inflammation, clears spasms, increases the production of bile, promotes digestion, fights infections, opens up obstructed menstruation, cures coughs and colds, reduces fever, helps clear the bowels, stimulates discharges and boosts systemic functions.

Sandalwood Essential Oil (Base)

Properties: Sandalwood essential oil is an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antiphlogistic (reducing inflammation or fever), antispasmodic, astringent, cicatrisant (skin healing), carminative, diuretic, disinfectant, emollient (softens the skin), expectorant, hypotensive (lowering the blood pressure), memory booster, sedative and a tonic substance.

Health benefits: It protects wounds from infection, soothes inflammations due to fever and other conditions, clears up spasms, tightens gums and muscles and helps stop hair loss. It reduces the chance of haemorrhaging, heals scars, relieves gas, increases urination, fights infections, keeps skin smooth and free from infections, cures coughs and colds, reduces blood pressure, increases memory, soothes nervous disorders and inflammations and boosts your immune system.

Spearmint Essential Oil (Top)

Properties: Spearmint essential oil is an antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, cephalic, emenagogue (stimulates or increases menstrual flow), insecticide, restorative and stimulating substance.

Health benefits: It protects wounds from becoming septic, clears spasms, gives relief from gas, is good for the brain, opens up obstructed menses, kills insects, restores health and heals general wear and tear, stimulates discharge and systemic functions.

DISCLAIMER

Information provided is for personal information and interest only, it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease and does not offer medical advice or treatment for any condition. It is recommend you consult your doctor or aromatherapist if you are pregnant, nursing, take medication, have any health/medical conditions and want to include using essential oils.

Angled Potted Herbs

Posted on August 13, 2013 by thecompletebook

Remember a while back we all got the awesome idea from my clever friend Des to stack pots in our gardens. Well I just couldn’t wait for Spring so scrummaged through our spider infested shed (I was so brave all on my own – John, I know you will appreciate this fact) and found a few pots – all a bit battered but still very functional and some steel poles (hope Pete doesn’t need them for something) and set to work in my little cordoned off herb garden which I have spoken about before. Once I saw what Des did in her garden, I was sold and changed my entire idea to follow in her foot steps. Thanks again Des!

Winter isn’t the best time for herbs but I have persevered and at least have some spinach, lettuce (not herbs I know), oregano, rocket, thyme, parsley – moss curled and flat leaf, spring onions, dill, garlic chives and birds eye chillies.

I could supply all foodies bloggers with bay leaves from our bay tree which you can see sticking out behind the centre row of pots – it is trying to do a Jack and the Bean Stalk number and keeps getting taller and taller. I am continually hacking away at it to keep it from taking over the herb garden.

Now I cannot wait to fill in the open spots with a few more pots and plant basil, coriander, sorrel, sage and rosemary.

Out of view in the photo are two free standing ceramic pots on either side of the herb garden. The one pot has mint in it and the other has baby tomatoes. There is one more ceramic bowl type pot which currently has a peppadew plant in it – I want to add some strawberries when they are in season too.

Bring on Spring! 😀

Herb Garden

Posted on April 25, 2013 by thecompletebook

It’s no secret that I REALLY dislike winter so to wish it away even faster (it hasn’t even officially started yet – we are still in Autumn) , I sat down and redesigned my herb garden for in our courtyard area, so by the time Spring shows it’s beautiful face, I will be ready to rock and roll. We have a designated triangular area which is pretty bare at the moment except for a ever thriving bay tree which is smack bang in the middle. In hindsight, it was probably not the best place to plant it.

The only “open” piece of the triangle is the bottom, both sides are walls so no moving the herb garden to a better position; only remedy is to keep the herbs in pots and move them around.

I have tried to work around companion planting, perennial versus annual herbs and which plants want a little less sunlight and below is a rough sketch of what I have in mind.