A Very Curious Herbal: The Silk Roads
This course is an opening into the world of Botanica Fabula, an invitation to come with me into a verdant world and explore some of the plants Elizabeth Blackwell illustrated, and take a wander with me into each section of the garden. Find aspects of plant lore and use, folklore, and social history, listen to stories and contemplate the plants near you or in a place you love.
This is my invitation to you, to join me in the pages of A Very Curious Herbal and create your own LORIC MATERIA BOTANICA...a new type of personal archive, one of plant knowledge, social history, folklore and deep-rooted understanding.
It will become a journal, a resource of plants, ideal for gardeners, cooks, herbalists, walkers, artists, spell casters, and anyone drawn to accumulating an understanding of plants, listening and learning from the secrets they have subtly shared for thousands of years.
We've already wandered down a Forest Path, and now as the seasons change we head into the herbal kitchen, scented with the aroma of rich, aromatic spices and juicy citric fruit. We will discover medicine-rich nourishing plants in the hedgerows and meadows and wend our way through to the kitchen garden to sample salads and nourishing vegetables. Listening to stories and contemplating how histories can inform new sustainable narratives as we go.
New chapters in this course will appear over the course of the season… make sure to continue returning to this page!
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I now want to introduce you to my Very Curious Herbal.
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Resources
One of the things you may find useful if you're joining me for our labyrinthian wind into the world of The Very Curious Herbal is Elizabeth Blackwell's book…
One of the things you may find useful if you're joining me for our labyrinthian wind into the world of The Very Curious Herbal is Elizabeth Blackwell's book…
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The First Magical Step…
People around the world share many traditions, although sometimes we find ourselves spotting the differences first, in actual terms the similarities and shared practices are often far more plentiful than the degrees of separation.
People around the world share many traditions, although sometimes we find ourselves spotting the differences first, in actual terms the similarities and shared practices are often far more plentiful than the degrees of separation.
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The Journey: Orpita
Orpita (an Indian name meaning offering) is the story of a girl who travels on a star’s tail gathering spices as she travels, to find a baby she has dreamt of amidst the heather of Scotland.
Orpita (an Indian name meaning offering) is the story of a girl who travels on a star’s tail gathering spices as she travels, to find a baby she has dreamt of amidst the heather of Scotland.
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A gift for your Herbal Senses
For this “Silk Roads” season, we have been working with wonderful Indonesian Scottish herbalist and writer Fiona Morris as she works nomadically across South East Asia.
For this “Silk Roads” season, we have been working with wonderful Indonesian Scottish herbalist and writer Fiona Morris as she works nomadically across South East Asia.
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Listen: Coffee
If you need a bit and a boost of serotonin to get through the melancholy mood and the mire of Winter, I advise a small strong cup of coffee and a moment of reflection on this rather wonderful plant’s origin story.
If you need a bit and a boost of serotonin to get through the melancholy mood and the mire of Winter, I advise a small strong cup of coffee and a moment of reflection on this rather wonderful plant’s origin story.
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Coffee
Should be taken as the old Turkish proverb suggests: ‘Black as hell, strong as death, sweet as love.’
Should be taken as the old Turkish proverb suggests: ‘Black as hell, strong as death, sweet as love.’
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Listen: Chocolate
If you pick up a square of delicious, rich, dark chocolate and dream, you might find yourself on a path which offers to send you back, story-led to the Maya.
If you pick up a square of delicious, rich, dark chocolate and dream, you might find yourself on a path which offers to send you back, story-led to the Maya.
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‘The Food of the Gods’
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Join us on the Silk Road
The second of a four-part course sharing stories, social history, folklore, and plant use inspired by the work of 18th century pioneering Scotswoman, Elizabeth Blackwell.
