Scarlet Globe radish

Compost, Composted and Composting

Here's a couple of posts doing the rounds on Facebook and I thought how they go hand in hand.

I'm about to purchase my fourth Gedye compost bin so I don't need any convincing about the virtues  composting, it's getting enough materials and bins together where I struggle.

I've also rediscovered my enthusiasm for compost after watching a YouTube video on No-dig gardening by Charles Dowding. 




"It breaks our hearts to throw this much food away". Craig Reucassel visits a Banana Farm and discovers how much fruit is thrown away before it even hits the supermarkets. #WarOnWasteAU

Check the Date, Stewart!

Wow, I really need to take more notice of dates. Somehow I thought this was on last weekend, which it wasn't, which is good because I would've missed it but now I get another chance next weekend. Yeh for me.

Queensland Herb Society, link

Spring Photography Holiday!

 Your Spring Photography Holiday sorted.

 Plus you get me as your driver and avid garden nut!

Better late than never.

I'm a little (big) bit late with this given that it us only about a day and a half away, but as they say, better late than never.

The Queensland Herb Society is again gearing up for the Annual Herb Awareness day held on

Sunday 28th May 2017. It is a great event for everyone who wants to learn more about growing and using herbs. Plenty of potted herbs and herb related products available on the day, including yummy herb inspired food. Pencil it in your diary. http://www.qldherbsociety.org.au/

The Gardener's Companion to MEDICINAL PLANTS

An A-Z Of Healing Plants And Home Remedies.

A fun yet informative little book, (A5, Hard cover, 224 pages), with recipes and how to prepare remedies for plants such as, Yarrow glycerin to aid digestion and ease the symptoms of hay-fever through to Sweet violet syrup traditionally used for a sore throat or cough. Along with twenty-two other recipes including Calendula lip balm, Liquorice sweets and Rosehip syrup.


Aside from the multiple entries for recipes and how to use plants for their medicinal properties there is also chapters on their Growing, History, Weeds as Medicine and Drugs from Plants among others.

The photo on your left is one example of more than 270 plants listed, that occur throughout the book and includes the botanical and common names of the plant and which parts of the plant to use, leaves, flowers, etc. It also has traditional uses and medicinal discoveries.


 If you are in anyway interested in the medicinal use of plants and herbs or just curious then I'd suggest this would be a useful, fun and informative addition to your library or as a gift to a friend or colleague.

To give added weight to the authority of this book it has been produced by The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and written by Monique Simmonds, Melanie-Jayne Howes & Jason Irving.

Another review you might find helpful. Garden Drum. 

Available from Booktopia and other leading book stores,

Cheers

Stewart.