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herb guru- wild dagga, rose & coriander

Aromatic plants like Wild dagga, Rose and Coriander are a pleasure to grow,
because they add that secret ingredient, perfuming the air in your garden,
creating its own unique scent. Herbs have often been used to create scents,
aromas and fragrances for many centuries. In the very early civilizations,
scented flowers and herbs were used by people to worship the Gods.
Scented fires became part of many religious rituals, still in use today. Perhaps
like the beauty of a painting, a plant’s fragrance allows us to transcend the
limits of this world. Olfaction is said to be the magic key to memory, so by
adding some scented herbs to your garden, who knows what you’ll think of next!
S.C (Text & photos)

Indigenous - Leonotis leonura, Wild dagga or Lion’s ear
is a favourite in the garden as it attracts sunbirds aplenty,
and certain tribes in South Africa smoke the dry leaves
and flowers which are said to have narcotic properties,
hence the vernacular name wild dagga. The plant contains
a chemical constituent leonurine that is used in traditional
medicine for curing a wide range of ailments including
headaches, coughs, fever, asthma, and dysentery.

Potpourri - Rosa gallica var. officinalis, is a spreading
deciduous shrub with deep pink fragrant flowers and bright
red round fruits (Hips). However many different hybrid
Roses are used in the same way, as both a culinary and
medicinal plant, used for flavourings, perfumes, powders
and oils. Hips are used in jams and jellies. Petals can be
crystallized, used to make rose-petal jam, rose water, or
added to potpourri mixtures. Oil distilled from the flowers is
used in aromatherapy for tension, emotional stress and insomnia.

Edible - Coriandrum sativum, Coriander: this important
culinary and medicinal herb has been cultivated for over
3,000 years. Coriander is an interesting culinary plant
because its seeds and leaves have two distinctly different
flavours, and the whole plant is edible. The seed is warm
and aromatic, while the leaf is pungent. Medicinally,
coriander stimulates appetite. It is an annual, and can be
grown throughout the year. Harvest when needed.

When taking herbs, one should always consult one’s health practitioner for the safe and appropriate use of that herb.

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