Remedies, Perfumes and Beauty Treatments Using Plants and Herbs

In recent years there has been renewed interest in using plants and herbs as natural remedies and beauty treatments, alongside an interest in healthier lifestyles and a more natural approach to tending to our body's needs. Although some natural uses for plants and herbs can be perhaps a little too complicated for most people to tackle, there are a number of simple recipes and techniques anyone can try for themselves and experience some of the wonderful effects plants and herbs can have on our lives and health.

Simple health remedies using plants and herbs

Unlike many herbs and plants whose properties have been well known for hundreds if not thousands of years, it was only during the 1970s that the abilities of feverfew to sooth headaches was fully recognised. It is particularly effective against migraines. As with most herbal remedies, you can buy feverfew in tablet form. Alternatively eat up to five leaves a day between a slice of bread to help alleviate migraines.

Peppermint has long been prized for its ability to sooth indigestion and the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Make a tea of peppermint leaves steeped in hot water. Peppermint also has anti-bacterial properties and this combined with it fresh aromatic flavour makes it a good mouth wash to combat bad breath. Peppermint oil can also be used in massage to help relieve muscular pain.

The astringent, anti-bacterial properties of witch hazel make it a very useful remedy for spots and pimples. You can make a simple gel by boiling up some young witch hazel twigs, mix the liquid with some gelatine to make the gel and add vodka as a preservative. It will keep for up to six months if refrigerated.

Marigold flowers have many healing uses. The flowers have antiseptic, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. A compress of marigold flowers can be used to treat burns and stings. They are also effective against chilblains. A cold infusion can be used as eyewash to treat conjunctivitis.

Juniper berries contain strong anti-inflammatory and astringent substances and can be used as oil in massage to stimulate circulation and help relieve back pain. A healing ointment can be made from juniper berries to help treat scratches and relieve itching.

The properties of sage, rosemary and wormwood are well known as insect repellents. Make a pot-pourri from the leaves of all three to help deter flying pests.

Lavender oil is probably the most popular and versatile of all essential oils. For hundreds of years it has been used for its soothing properties. The oil can be used as a remedy for burns and stings and its anti-bacterial properties can help heal cuts and scratches. A few drops on a pillow or burned in an oil burner can help promote sleep. Rubbed on the temples, lavender oil is also effective in soothing headaches. You can distil your own oil but the process is laborious so it is probably easier to buy lavender oil from a good herbal shop.

Simple beauty remedies

To strengthen your hair and stimulate growth make a simple hair tonic from the leaves of nettles and use as a final rinse after shampooing.

For an uplifting and refreshing bath, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to your bath water. Or use as an inhalant by adding a few drops to a bowl of boiling water, place a towel over your head and the bowl and breathe in. It will both clear your senses and stimulate your facial skin.

Make a useful face scrub by mixing ground almonds and oat flakes with cider vinegar and basil essential oil. The basil helps to kill bacteria and the almond flakes and oats remove dead skin cells.

Strawberries have long been used by the cosmetic industry. Make a face mask by mashing the fruit to extract the juice and apply to the face to lighten freckles and other blotches. You can also apply sliced strawberries to your face to help relieve slight sunburn.

An infusion of chamomile can be used as a hair rinse to lighten blond hair. Likewise, and infusion of rosemary leaves has a darkening effect on dark hair. Many face creams contain extract of marigold. Marigold flowers, used as a skin lotion can help reduce the size of pores and nourish the skin.

The properties of aloe vera encourage skin regeneration and it is therefore be used in hand creams, shampoos and face lotions.

Plants and perfume

Perfumes made from plants have always played an important part in our lives. Perfumes stimulate the senses. Fragrant plants like roses and scented geraniums can be grown in garden planters and placed in places where there stimulating scent can be best enjoyed. They have traditionally been used in religious rites, in the promotion of good health and for aesthetic purposes. Perfumes can be flowery, citrus, woody, aromatic or sweet. Perfume from flowers and plants can be extracted and used in a number of ways. Drying plants helps to preserve scent and the dried material can then be made into pot-pourri to fragrance our houses. Oils from fragrant plants can be distilled to greatly enhance their scent. These essential oils can then be burnt or applied to base oils to rub into the body.

You can make a simple toilet water or eau-de-cologne from the leaves of your favourite flowers. Fill a small bottle with the fresh leaves of rose or lily of the valley and top up with vodka and leave for a week. Strain and replace the leaves for as long as they are freshly available and eventually the alcohol will become saturated with the scent of the flowers.

Make a soothing herb pillow by adding some of your favourite dried herbs to a small pillow or bag. Add a few drops of essential oil such as lavender or bergamot to promote a calming effect. Dried or fresh flowers and leaves from fragrant plants can also be made into bath bags and sachets and soaps.

Garden Planters source unusual outdoor and indoor planters, and other garden related gifts - whatever your taste, be it traditional, modern or just a bit quirky, we will have something for you. Run by two qualified and creative gardeners, Garden Planters will also plant up your chosen planter with an arrangement of your choice. We believe garden planters are an integral part of any garden - they enhance the overall design and say a little something about the person to whom the garden belongs.

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Using Landscape Gardeners Can Mean Lots of Choice for Your Garden

Using professional landscape gardeners to help you design, implement and maintain your home garden is a great way to ensure your garden is at its best and pleasing to you. Your garden outside is a big part of your home just as the inside. By taking the time and making the investment to hire qualified and talented professionals, you can maximise your enjoyment, use and the beauty of your garden space. In pleasant seasons, the garden is essentially an extension of your home living space. Spending time outdoors in a pretty garden is a great way to enjoy nature and take in the fresh air from time to time.

By definition, landscape gardeners are in charge of the design of outdoor spaces, both public and private. These professionals use a combination of skills in the areas of fine arts, horticulture, architecture and botany to work aesthetic and nurturing magic in the garden. The purpose of landscape gardening is to provide an inviting and pleasing space that encourages people to spend time in nature. Fresh air is very good for people of all ages and walks of life. A well-designed park space encourages fresh air times and social interaction as well as working to preserve natural beauty.

When it comes to home garden design, gardeners bring a wealth of experience and talent to the table. While many homeowners might have ideas about what they want in the garden, often the professionals have an edge with experience in design and what plants will thrive together and the like. They will work with you to find a design that makes your garden inviting and brings you hours of joy just to look at it and spend time there. By employing landscape gardeners, they can offer you many options in ideas, services and products you might otherwise have not known about. This benefits you and your garden greatly.

Hiring a home landscape gardener to beautify your landscape around your home enhances the overall attraction and appearance of your home. Adding beauty makes the outdoor space inviting and enjoyable while designing it to your specifications makes a statement of individuality and personal preference. An attractive garden around your home increases the overall value of your home and property as well as making it look great and function well. Nature is soothing and restful to the soul and spending time there is good for everyone. A well-designed and well-kept garden is a perk in so many ways.

Whether it is flowers, greenery, trees, vegetables or some combination of all that you enjoy in your garden, employing professional gardeners can help not only with the design of your outdoor space, but with the upkeep as well. The upkeep of a beautiful garden is sometimes what stops people from doing what they would like to out there. By hiring a great landscape service, you gain their knowledge in design and also their help in upkeep. A beautiful garden around your lovely home is inviting and wonderful, an investment you will not likely regret.

For further details on landscape design including using landscape gardeners in Birmingham, please visit Genuine Home Services, who have a great deal of knowledge in paving, sheds and tree surgery in Birmingham.

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Growlab 80 - Advantages of Using a Dedicated Growing Tent Indoors

There are advantages to giving your plants a dedicated space for growing indoors. One advantage is light control. If you have a large south facing window, you will not need to worry about the plants getting enough light in the winter. However, many are not so lucky. With a Growlab 80, you can enclose your plants in a reflective tent and turn on the light. The light will bounce off the sides of the tent and give the plant leaves a good balance of light. You can also put the light on a timer and keep any ambient light from disrupting your plants' dark time.

Another advantage is humidity control. Many plants love humid conditions. The moisture in the air provides a secondary source of water. The heat that accompanies humidity is also a welcome element. However, you do not want so much humidity that the moisture pools up on your plants. That excess moisture can lead to problems with disease. With a Growlab 80, that humidity is inside the tent. Therefore, you will not need to deal with excess moisture outside the grow space. Moreover, it will allow you to give your plants the humid conditions they love.

A third advantage is pest and disease control. In an enclosed space like a Growlab 80, your plants have an additional layer of protection. While you cannot keep every pest or disease out, you have a better chance of controlling the unwanted things. With the built in ventilation and cooling attachments, you can keep the plants healthy and keep the chance of an infestation to a minimum. With an enclosed space, you can also spot these issues before they infest the rest of your indoor gardening space. As you can see, these advantages help you keep your plants going strong even in the winter time.

A final advantage is clean-up. With the Growlab 80, you have a completely waterproof bottom. That means that any spilled water will stay inside the enclosure. Your floors are safe. It also captures any leaf drop or other debris that comes from the plants above. For anyone trying to grow a garden indoors, the mess can be too much to handle. Leaves can get everywhere. Moreover, who wants to risk their floors to spilled water or chemicals? With a complete enclosure, those are not problems. You can do quite well with a full enclosure for your garden.

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