The Fall Garden, Mabon and Harvesting Herbs

Mabon (the Fall Equinox) arrives on Saturday (September 21), and once again I find 

myself winding things down in my garden, harvesting...getting ready for the change of season.  

In pagan religions Mabon is a time of reflection, reaping and thanking Mother Nature 

for all that she has provided us with during the fertile summer months.  

In the Daoist tradition it is also a time to begin the 

journey within, preparing for the colder months where we will reflect, rest and regenerate.

Allowing ourselves to flow with the natural rhythms of the 

seasons and the energy they contain is something 

that is vital to our well being.

It's essential for good health - physically, mentally and spiritually.

With this in mind, looking at the tangle of herbs in my garden,

I know that my once vibrant, abundant basil will now become pesto, my
rosemary will be transplanted and brought into the house, and most 

of the other herb varieties will begin the drying process
so that they can be utilized during the winter months.

Last year I harvested and dried an amazing amount of herbs.  

When the dining room table overflowed (and I dreamed of having my own 

"herb room" in the house) I ended up purchasing and using an additional, circular

hanging drying rack from Amazon.  It really helped, and I would definitely
recommend getting one if you dry herbs!

The herbs (and also dried roses) then went into small jars that I bought very
inexpensively at the dollar store.  The dried herbs were then given out as gifts to delighted
friends and family at our annual Christmas Eve party... 

 

 

...and found their way into the pots of some very
appreciative cooks! This is definitely a fall
tradition I plan to continue!

Enjoy the season!

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Making Herbal Boutineers and Corsages For the Holidays

Herbalist and proprietor of Aquarian Bath, Cory Trusty, shares with us how to make fresh herbal boutineers and corsages for the Holidays! 

You can make fresh herbal corsages or boutineers with Rosemary and other evergreen herbs and shrubs from your yard or neighborhood. Rosemary is one of my favorite herbs for the holidays, but these kinds of arrangements with other herbs as well. I've just been having fun with rosemary and red pepper.

You just need a few tools. You will need wire snips, florist tape and florist wire. You can get these from a craft store.

I choose herbs with fairly sturdy stems, but you can also use herbs with more delicate stems if you wrap them together with sturdy stemmed herbs. Strip the foliage from the bottom inch or 2 of the stem.


Poke a hole through the the green tender part of the herb stem and wrap the wire around the stem to stabilize it.

Stretch the tape and start wrapping it tightly at the base of the plant and continue down to the end of the wire.

Once you have the stems wraps you can combine them together however you wish. Finish by wrapping them all together with a new piece of florist tape. Here is a simple Rosemary and Hot Pepper boutineer.

You can also make and hanging ornament, a small wreath or corsage with additional herbs of your choice.

~  Cory Trusty, soap maker and herbalist, resides in Daytona Beach, FL.

  You can find more items for the Holidays by visiting her shops AquarianBath and DelicateAdornments.

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