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No matter how evolved we humans believe ourselves to be, we are profoundly influenced by the smell of the world around us.
Our gardens contain fragrant and vibrantly colorful aromas that affect our inner spirit. We drink them, eat them, heal ourselves with them, and surround ourselves with them - - literally and metaphorically.
We use aromas fresh, dried, frozen and extracted. Practical uses of garden aromas are abundant, especially with herbs. Herb aromas have been around thousands of years for medicinal healing, culinary arts, oils, lotions, scents and contemporary interests in crafts --soap making, potpourri, sachets, wreaths and more.
Herbal aromas can be used in every day living. As interest in aromas, herbs and natural products has increased, soap making has become a gratifying and practical pastime. Soap is made up of three basic ingredients: water, lye, and fats (oils). When a lye and water solution is mixed with fats a reaction takes place between the hydrogen, oxygen, sodium, and fatty acid molecules. This is called saponification. The end result is a substance that is made up of five parts soap and one part glycerin. Glycerin is a rich emollient prized for its ability to soften the skin. It is retained in handmade soap but in commercial soap it is extracted, leaving behind the hard, drying bars of soap we purchase in supermarkets.
Washing with soaps that smell of the herb garden is an invigorating experience. The best way to use herbs in soap is to add dry, finely powered herbs to the fats before adding the lye/water. Powdered herbs avoid unnecessary abrasives in the finished soap. Herb gardens are personal, sweet smelling spaces - as small as a container pot grown indoors to large, intricately designed herb gardens out-of-doors.
Here are some common herbal scents with therapeutic aromas and/or medicinal qualities that are used in soap making: agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria apricot scent, blooms all summer, all parts of the plant are useful; chamomile Anthemis nobilis apple-scented, soothing, cleansing, cooling; costmary Chrysanthemum balsamita strong mint aroma; fennel, sweet Foeniculum vulgare licorice-like, astringent; lavender Lavendula angustifolia Munstead strongly and sweetly scented, cleansing, deodorizing, antiseptic, stimulating ,toning; lemon balm Melissa officinalis strong lemon-scent, helpful for eczema; marigold, pot Calendula officinalis petals are spicy, skin healing, astringent, cleansing, toning; marjoram, sweet Origanun majorana pungent aroma; mint Mentha healing, cleansing, soothing; nasturtium Tropaeolum majus spicy aroma; rose, apothecary Rosa gallica officinalis sweet, intensely floral ; rosemary Rosemariuns officinalis pungent, stimulating, cleansing; sage Salvia officinalis pungent, astringent, antiseptic and antibiotic; scented geraniums Pelargonium lemon, nutmeg, orange, clove-scented; sweet violet Viola odoratum highly floral scent; thyme Thymus strongly fragrant, stimulating and cleansing
Warning: before using any herbal soap, rub a little on your wrist and wait a while to check that your skin does not show any adverse reaction. Some people are allergic to certain plant components and it is better to be safe than sorry.
Q: From July to October the cheerful faces of sunflowers seem to peer back at us over a neighbor's fence or lined up along the highway. The birds and squirrels cannot wait to feast on the seeds. The image of the sunflower seems distinctly American. From where did this versatile plant come?
A: The common sunflower Helianthus is
native of Mexico and Peru. It was introduced to America in the 16thcentury.
The name Helianthus, is derived from helios (the sun) and anthos
(a flower) from the supposition that they follow the sun by day, always
turning towards its direct rays. In Peru, the sunflower was much
adored by the Aztecs, and in their temples of the Sun, the priestesses
were crowned with sunflowers. The early Spanish conquerors found
in these temples numerous representations of the sunflower wrought in pure
gold. Every part of the plant may be used. The leaves form
a cattle food, the stems contain a fiber used in making paper, the seed
is rich in oil, and the flowers contain a yellow dye.
Q: Almost all parts of the world except Europe and North America
enjoy eating insects. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has established
permissible degrees of insect infestation (eggs, parts and immature and
adult insects) that are allowed for various foods. Are garden insects
edible?
A: Insects provide protein and nutritional value that is equal to most
meat choices. There are several books, which give recipes and preparation
techniques for a variety of insects. One great source complete with
illustrations is "Man Eating Bugs." Be aware that not ALL garden bugs are
edible. A simple rule: red, orange or yellow forego this fellow. Black,
green or brown go ahead and toss down. A small percentage of individuals
also have allergic reactions. If one has an allergic reaction to
seafood, that is lobster, crab or shrimp, you should probably not eat insects
as the allergic reaction is often related to compounds found in the exoskeleton
of insects.
Q: My backyard has a loud, continuous singing chorus. Crickets
strum both day and night. Katydids sing only at night making their characteristic
Katy-did, Katy-did. The cicadas, heard only on days that are dry and warm,
are the loudest of all. Will these singers damage my trees, shrubs and
flowers?
A: No. The insect chorus signals the turning of the seasons as they sing to attract mates. Their eggs will be laid in late summer to over-winter in pupation and hatch in the spring, repeating the cycle. Cicadas will do minimal damage to deciduous trees (maples, oaks, fruit trees). Pesticides are usually unnecessary and they destroy the good bugs as well as the nuisance ones.
Russian olive trees are very popular because they are fast growing, drought tolerant and provide good wind breaks. They are fairly disease free, but in trees older than 15 years they can be affected by Russian olive decline and gummosis. These diseased trees will exude an amber colored gum that will eventually harden. Yellow leaves and death of one or more branches are other indicators. It can take one to seven years for the trees to succumb to this disease. Avoid damaging roots and the trunks of the trees. Extreme temperature fluctuations and overwatering in the summer and under watering in the winter can also stress the trees. Russian olive is not a recommended specie for Colorado as they are very aggressive growers and often choke out native vegetation along water ways.
Pillbugs or roly-polies are crustaceans that live in soil. Their main food is decaying vegetation but they can also damage young seedlings, berries and the skins of melons and cucumbers. Remove their hiding places by picking up boards or bricks lying on the ground and decaying foliage. Raise vegetables and berries off the ground using plastic as a mulch will help because the soil under it will get too hot for their liking.
The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.
Fact Sheets are available at the Larimer County Extension Office, 1525 Blue Spruce Drive, Fort Collins, Colorado, telephone (970) 498-6000, or contact us by e-mail at larimer@coop.ext.colostate.edu
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