Herb of the Week by Lynn Kirkland For 9th November East Meets West
in the Rose Garden Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote, "Some flowers
are lovely to the eye, but others are lovely to the heart." What we could
add to these wise words is that there are many which are lovely to the eye and
heart, such as our beautiful roses which are coming into a bountiful show here
at the herb farm. In aromatherapy terms the use of rose oil has many benefits
such as calming irritated skin and adding softening properties to skincare products.
Aromatherapists also know that rose resonates with the female spirit. In Traditional
Chinese Medicine the rose is a valuable and highly regarded ingredient. I talked
to Shelley Sun who has a herbal and acupuncture practice here in Palmerston North
and Shelley told me that the rugosa rose(as shown in the photo) is used in the
flower bud stage in two effective remedies for women. Mood Lift and PMT-Ease are
two formulas which combine traditional Chinese herbs with European herbs. These
are available through the Evergreen
Herb company. (Phone 3570685.) They both contain rose buds in the capsules
and Shelley explained that the rose has been traditionally used since 1644AD to
help the body cope with stress induced problems such as mood change. It is
marvellous to see that the rose which gives us such pleasure when we see them
in bloom in the garden, also has uses in skincare, aromatherapy and for Traditional
Chinese Medicine. I made tea with one of the rosebuds from a rugosa rose bush
and it tasted fresh and clean and I am sure had a calming effect. Thanks
lynn another great read. Visit
The HerbFarm Website:
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