Usnea, often called Old Man’s Beard, is a remarkable medicinal lichen that grows suspended in the forest canopy. In this article we explore its ecology, plant spirit teachings, traditional medicinal uses, ethical harvesting, and how to make a simple Usnea salve…

Starting your own medicinal herb garden can be a rewarding and connecting experience that will provide an abundance of natural remedies, and cultivate medicines that are fresh, vibrant and potent. In this post I share tips and considerations for planning your dream garden, and share two handy planning and harvesting guides…

February is the perfect time to harvest the sticky, sweetly-scented, dormant leaf buds of Balsam Poplar. In this post I share about harvesting, medicine making, and working with the spirit of Western Balsam Poplar (Populus trichocarpa), aka Black Cottonwood, one of three species of Poplar native to Western Canada…

As humble co-creators in the garden, observation and timing can go a very long way in creating a healthy garden ecosystem. In this blog post I share some tips on timing your seed sowing in a way that works with the natural energy of the season, and encourages happy and hardy seedlings that turn into resilient and thriving gardens…

Thriving in the dappled shade along creeks and streams, wetlands and forest lowlands, Devil's Club (Oplopanax horridus) is a prominent plant in our coastal rainforests. A valuable medicinal and ceremonial plant to indigenous people for millennia, Devil’s Club lifts the spirit, sharpens the mind, and fortifies the body against stress…

Fresh Milky Oat (Avena sativa) is a go-to remedy for strengthening and restoring the nervous system. Both calming and fortifying, the herb helps improve concentration, buffers against stress, uplifts the spirit, and increases resiliency of body and mind…

St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) has been used in herbal medicine since ancient times. The herb brings a light and vitality, an intense brightness like that of the sun on Summer Solstice. It brings its light to the most barren and worn-out patches of earth the depleted, cast-aside, and forgotten places…

Winter can be a challenging time for many, and for some it’s when anxiety and overwhelm feel closest to the surface. In this post, I share three herbal therapies I’ve found helpful for supporting the nervous system during winter — and at any point along the wheel of the year…

Hidden beneath the surface of soil, there is an entire underground apothecary to delight in. In this blog post, I share all the info you’ll need to gather your own root medicines. You’ll find detailed info on when to harvest based on season, lifecycle, and root type; plus how to harvest roots without harming the plant....

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) is a humble ally that offers much medicine for the soul. Serene and contained, modest yet fierce, Motherwort acts as an anchor for our spirit, grounding us in this season of intoxicating movement and change….

Mahonia, also commonly known as Oregon Grape, is an abundant understory plant found throughout the coastal rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. Well known as a blood cleanser and digestive bitter, Mahonia can rekindle the digestive ‘fire’ within both our bodies and our spirits…

Horsetail (Equisetum sp) is a remnant of a time before humans, a time before trees, before flower and birds. A time when everything was much slower, more primal; the vibration of the earth resonating deep and low. Horsetails, along with their cousins the ferns, were some of the first plants to evolve on land after the mosses and liverworts…

Most of us think of spring as the prime time to start seeds, but for many varieties, fall can be the best (and easiest!) time to plant. Sowing seeds in fall not only gives the plants a huge head start for the next growing season, it is also when Mother Nature plants her seeds…

It is spring in the PNW, and with all the brand new luscious growth, the very first spring-harvest herbs have arrived! In this post I share about five of my favourite spring healing herbs that can be found wild and weedy in the forest, field or garden and how to prepare them into a nutrient dense herbal vinegar…

Though sometimes overlooked as just an annoying garden weed, Dandelions are in fact a superfood. The entire Dandelion plant is edible, nutritious and delicious. In this post I share about the edibility, medicinal uses, harvesting and ‘growing’ this oft misunderstood weed…

The art of seed-starting is easy to master with a little practice and dedication. Growing plants from seed is a rewarding and very inexpensive way to start your home garden. In this post I’ve put together a guide to help you successfully start herb seeds at home this spring…

August is the perfect time to harvest the unripe green seeds of Stinging Nettle here in the PNW. Adaptogenic and nutritive, increasing energy and vitality, Nettle Seed fits the true definition of a super-food. The seeds are both a food and a medicine, and are wonderfully invigorating and restorative to the body…