Did you know your “regular” herb garden can double as a medicinal herb garden, and that the mint you grab for mojitos can actually calm your nerves and your digestion? I used to think herbalism meant mysterious tincture bottles and complicated formulas… until I started turning the basil, mint, and lemon balm I grow into simple herbal teas I actually drink every night.
In this Best of Growing Joy episode, I’m revisiting a conversation with Juliet from the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine, botanist, herbalist, and author of The Healing Garden. If you’re a gardener, tea lover, or herbalism beginner who wants to learn how to grow and use medicinal herbs you already have, this episode is for you!
You’ll learn which common herbs (like mint, basil, rosemary, lemon balm, and calendula) are most powerful to start with, how to harvest and dry them for tea, and why plant energetics (matching herbs to your unique body) matters more than any trendy supplement. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to make your own herbal tea from garden herbs instead of reaching for another tea bag.
In this episode, we learn:
- [04:58] What led Juliet Blankenspoor to become interested in herbalism
- [08:52] What makes plants medicinal, and have they been proven by doctors?
- [11:51] Energetics of plants and how to complement their energies with people's
- [15:49] How do you determine your own energy constitution?
- [16:45] Who is Wim Hoff and what are the possible benefits of cold showers?
- [19:16] What's the best way to get started with this completely new field of medicinal benefits?
- [22:22] Where to get the best seeds for your spring garden
- [23:38] The right choice for safe indoor and outdoor gardening products
- [27:03] What are the properties of Mint?
- [28:30] Some of the commonly used herbs that we might not be aware of
- [30:01] What tonic means in the context of herbal medicine
- [32:36] What are the medicinal properties of chives?
- [33:58] How we can prepare tea from fresh and dried herbs
- [38:16] Is there any medicinal value to the mint stem?
- [39:43] What other herbs can you grow to make your own tea?
- [44:13] Your next favorite kitchen appliance!
- [47:19] What are some of the most versatile medicinal plants Juliet recommends exploring that aren't found in a traditional culinary garden?
- [48:19] What plants should you add to your culinary garden for medical benefits?
- [52:38] Juliet Blankespoor’s favorite herbs that you can add to your cooking recipes
- [57:39] What can you learn from the book ‘The Healing Garden: Cultivating and Handcrafting Herbal Remedies'?
Mentioned in our conversation:
Curious what else your herb garden might be hiding?
Check out the full show notes and blog for beginner-friendly herbalism tips and recipes!
Follow Juliet
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Healing Garden Gateway, Juliet's personal website
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