Healthy soil is teeming with life — not just earthworms and insects, but a staggering multitude of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. When we use chemical fertilizers, we injure the microbial life that sustains healthy plants, and thus become increasingly dependent on an arsenal of artificial substances, many of them toxic to humans as well as other forms of life. But there is an alternative to this vicious circle: to garden in a way that strengthens, rather than destroys, the soil food web — the complex world of soil-dwelling organisms whose interactions create a nurturing environment for plants. By eschewing jargon and overly technical language, the authors make the benefits of cultivating the soil food web available to a wide audience, from devotees of organic gardening techniques to weekend gardeners who simply want to grow healthy, vigorous plants without resorting to chemicals.

    With violets, rosemary, and yarrow to attract faeries; an apple tree for love and health; and a circle of stones in some tucked-away corner? Whether you live in a cottage in the woods, a home in the suburbs, or a city apartment with a small balcony, a powerful and enchanted realm awaits you. Discover the secret language and magickal properties of the trees and flowers, herbs and plants found growing around you, and learn how to create your own witch's garden.Written with down-to-earth humor by a master gardener who is also a practicing witch, this creative and encouraging guide will inspire gardeners of all ages and experience levels. It includes a journal section that makes it easy to keep track of your progress, practical gardening advice, personal stories, and garden witchery lore and magick. Inside, you'll get the dirt on:Flower folklore Moon gardening and astrological timing Faerie magick Beginning to advanced witchcraft Floral and herbal spells Sabbat celebrations Witch crafts (sachets, wreaths, charm bags) Creating sacred space Shade, moonlight, and sun gardens Enchanted houseplant and container gardens Magickal herbal correspondences Garden blessings 2004 COVR Award Winner

    This is a modern medicine making book and formulary with its roots in original herbalism designed for every medicinal herb gardener to cultivate the full potential of the plant-human relationship. Richo Cech tells very good stories based on his experience as a global wanderer, herbalist and medicine maker. In the context of his lifelong love of gardening, he has procduced this long-awaited book that is original, amusing and absolutely useful.Part 1: Medicine Making* drying and processing herbs* making tinctures the easy way* the mathematics of tincturing and solubility factors* basic formulas for fresh and dry tinctures, including dosages* vinegar extracts, glycerites, herbal succi and syrups teas, decoctions, herbal oils, salves and creams poultices, compresses and soaksPart 2: A Gardener's FormularyThis section covers well over 100 herbs that are readily cultivated in North America. The listings include: conservation status, parts used, specific formulas, practical uses, dosages, contraindications and an overview of alternate species.Since the beginning, the garden has been a haven of good values, both physical and spiritual. The act of gardening provides a balm for every wound. May your medicine be of the garden, and may it be of benefit to all.

    Full-color illustrated guide to identifying 200 Western mushrooms by their key features.

    Shamanism and Reiki are, by themselves, powerful ways to heal. Together, their power multiplies, and healing methods become available that aren't accessible if they're used separately. The purpose of "Shamanic Reiki" is to introduce you to concepts in both and provide you with detailed proven methods to enhance your own healing practices, or to work on yourselves. "Shamanic Reiki" empowers the healer / Reiki practitioner to trust their instincts, recognizing that healing is an evolving and dynamic art; to facilitate change requires the healer to trust in spirit and work creatively with the universal life force energy. Now it's your turn to discover the combined power of Reiki and shamanism.

    From Agate to Zoisite, each crystal entry includes a color photo, description of properties, listing of associated herbs, oils, and incenses, and astrological significance. You'll not only learn how to identify crystals, but how to harness their powers for decision-making, protection, health, and well-being. Relieve a child's earache with rose quartz or rid the workplace of tension with an amethyst geode tucked in your desk. Whether you carry a core set of crystals, fashion an amulet for portable empowerment, or whip up a pitcher of energy-boosting crystalline water, these practical suggestions can help you face fears and soothe daily stresses.

    Entries feature a description of the plant, its botanical name, its native range and its primary functions -- edible, medicinal, commercial or practical. Concise text is highlighted by elegant botanical drawings, paintings and photographs as well as insightful quotes.Many of the plants are well known, such as rice, tea, cotton, rubber, wheat, sugarcane, tobacco, wine grapes and corn. However, there are also many whose stories are less known. These history-changing plants include:Agave, used to make sisal, poison arrows, bullets, tequila and surgical threadPineapple, which influenced the construction of greenhouses and conservatoriesHemp, used for hangman's rope, sustainable plastics, the Declaration of Independence and Levi's jeansCoconut, used for coir fiber, soap, margarine, cream, sterile IV drips and coagulantsEucalyptus, used in mouthwash, diuretics, vitamins, honey, underwear and fire-resistant uniformsSweet pea, which Gregor Mendel used in his research on genetic heredityWhite mulberry, used to make silkEnglish oak, used for fire-resistant structures, dyes, leather tanning, charcoal, casks and shipsWhite willow, used in the manufacture of aspirin, cricket bats, hot-air balloon baskets and coffins This attractive reference provides an innovative perspective on both botanical and human history.

    But the horticultural reasons for choosing lavender go far beyond its beauty. Lavender attracts beneficial insects, requires little water once established, and is deer resistant.In The Lavender Lover's Handbook, lavender grower Sarah Bader teaches gardeners how they can successfully grow this beloved plant. Featuring the 100 easiest, most stunning lavenders available today, this beginner's guide provides a complete checklist of the color, fragrance, size, and foliage of each plant, in addition to basic pruning, spacing, and planting requirements. The text is rounded out with tips on how to harvest, cook, and craft with this wonderful herb.Its abundant variety, hardiness, fragrance, and culinary uses make lavender one of the most popular and versatile plants. And now, with this practical and accessible guide in hand, it's easier than ever to grow at home.

    This updated edition has been improved throughout with growing zones, advice, and new plant entries. Line art has been replaced with lush, full-color photography. Yet at the core, this book delivers on the same promise it made two decades ago: It’s a comprehensive guide based on meticulous first-person research to these 300+ plants, making it a book to come back to season after season.

    It's an encyclopedic work covering how specific herbs can help with birth control, menstruation, menopause, pregnancy, childbirth, nursing, and much more. Personal stories, dreams, and poems enliven the text. The author is an outspoken activist in the need for women to be in charge of their own health, to use natural remedies, and to be less reliant on the western medical establishment.According to the author, the book is named after Hygieia, the Greek goddess of healing.The book is beautifully and artistically designed with black and white drawings and photos, hand-lettered pages, and original artwork. And it's easy to use when it comes to finding a particular herbal remedy for a health issue.For example, it recommends 96 herbs to help with pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation. Some of the herbs include Bayberry (for ovaries and womb troubles), Milkwort (to help increase the milk supply of nursing mothers), and Wild Cherry (to help relieve pain during childbirth).From the book:"This book grew out of the need to be healthy and re-own the powers of naturally healing ourselves. In no way do we suggest that this book can replace a relationship that already exists between yourself and a healer/doctor. Oftentimes we do need help from someone else—and sometimes, we are startled into running to the doctor's office for a cure when the situation could best be handled at home. And nowadays, treatments given to women by medical men sometimes prove to be iatrogenic, i.e., causes of even more serious diseases. This work is inspired not from any personal, negative reaction with western medicine but rather from my positive relationship with Self as Healer and herbs as the main tool in this process."

    Updated with the latest biointensive tips and techniques, this is an essential reference for gardeners of all skill levels seeking to grow some or all of their own food.

    Fascinating facts abound: the Druids believed that only the wood of the yew tree was fit to make wands; a Ukrainian tonic of birch leaves contains the same healing properties as aspirin. A visually stunning and engaging guide, The Meaning of Trees is a fitting tribute to this most majestic of natural wonders. 8.60 inches tall x 0.80 inches long x 8.60 inches wide

    Whether you're hiking in remote areas or gardening in your backyard, this easy-to-use handbook will help you recognize and use fifty-five common wild plants that have extraordinary healing properties. With the Boreal Herbal, you will learn how to soothe pain with willow, staunch bleeding with yarrow, treat a urinary-tract infection with bearberry, and create a delicate and uplifting skin cream from sweetgrass. There are also dozens of healthy and delicious recipes, including Wild-Weed Spanakopita, Dandelion Wine, and Cranberry-Mint Muffins. Profiles of dozens of herbs, berries, and trees found in the northern boreal forest, including information on their habitat, harvest times, medicinal applications, as well as food uses, cosmetic uses, and spiritual uses. Full-colour photographs and botanical illustrations of each plant profiled in the book for easy identification Instructions on how to gather and preserve wild plants More than 200 recipes: teas, tinctures, powders, flower essences, topical treatments, beverages, jams and jellies, baked goods, soups, entr�es, and much more Safety tips for harvesting and using edible and medicinal wild plants, including information on calculating dosage and plant-specific cautions A resource section for people interested in starting up a non-timber forest-products business Botanical and medicinal glossaries, and index, and handy reference charts

    Ideal for first-time foragers, this book features 70 edible weeds, flowers, mushrooms, and ornamental plants typically found in urban and suburban neighborhoods. Full-color photographs make identification easy, while tips on common plant locations, pesticides, pollution, and dangerous flora make foraging as safe and simple as stepping into your own backyard.

    This beautiful illustrated book is the result of eight years exhaustive research into the myths, magic and healing power of trees.It has comprehensive information on all the main species of tree and written in an easy to use and accessible style by an Arch-druidess.This book contains all the practical information you need to identify each tree as it changes throughout the year and includes:comprehensive physical and descriptions and botanical informationthe legends and myths surrounding each treethe healing powers and magical properties of the individual tree