The Yellow Archangel Lamium galeobdolon
With Bluebells
This Archangel has silvery streaks on the leaves and is the the cultivated variety. Lamium album, is of the wild and has no silver marks. Part of the Dead-Nettle family, it grows in woodlands, often in damp places, these ones are growing by Saint Brevita's Holy Well in Lanlivery.
The flower has the reputation of being a guardian against evil spirits. April 27th is a day dedicated to Archangel Michael, the red and white dead nettles flower around this time and this family group get their name from the day.
'It
makes the head merry, drives away melancholy, quickens the spirits, is good
against quartan agues, stancheth bleeding at mouth and nose, if it be stamped
and applied to the nape of the neck; the herb also bruised, and with some salt
and vinegar, and hog-grease, laid upon an hard tumour or swelling, or that
vulgarly called the king's evil, do help to dissolve or discuss them; and being
in like manner applied, doth much allay the pains, and give ease to the gout,
sciatica, and other pains of the joints and sinews. It is also very effectual
to heal green wounds, and old ulcers; also to stay their fretting, gnawing and
spreading. It draweth forth splinters, and such like things gotten into the
flesh, and is very good against bruises and burnings. But the yellow archangel
is most commended for old, filthy, corrupt sores and ulcers, yea, although they
grow to be hollow, and to dissolve tumours.' Culpepper. It is also said that the dead nettles in general are good for purifying the blood and for exzema.
There are many holy wells in Cornwall, some are supposed to heal and most are connected to Saints. I want to search them out for they are where the wild springs gurgle up.
The well I visited today is near a bog and has a small trickle of water coming from the back and then out of the front. There were lots of Yellow Archangel flowers growing near it although I do believe that the type with silver streaks on her leaves is the less wild variety, (which is what grows here), plain leaves are said to be the true wild form. The Saints Way, a walk for travelers, is near the well and winds it's route from the South to the North coast of Cornwall. Also the Michael and Mary ley lines that are supposed to cross under the ancient font in the church of my home town. Today there is a stillness and a strange image came to my mind of a many headed Serpent as I put my head into the well to look. Saint Brevita's well, in Lanlivery.
DANDELIONS
Blood Cleanser. Lymph tonic. Kidneys. Liver. Stomach. Arthritis.
Could help with Relaxation. Emotional stagnation. Depression.
Do not use if there are kidney stones
The root helps the blood in the veins to circulate so therefore could be good for varicose veins, heamorrhoids. Dandelions are high in vitamins A and C and have doses of iron, copper and potassium. They are believed to be good for balancing blood sugar levels and for general fatigue, cleansing for kidney, liver, digestive disorders and headaches. One cup a day, drunk for some weeks should help with overall health.
ANGELICA
Angelica is a striking, large herb with powerful and pungent stalks and seeds. It comes out in Spring, along with the Alexanders. It looks similar to the very poisnous Hemlock, with it's reddish stems, and care should be taken to make sure it isn't that. I dug out some Angelica from the herb bed at eden and I've asked the Chefs to candy it. Presently it is out of favor but I remember as a child eating tea cakes with the tiny coloured, green and red stalks of Angelica as a topping. Once tasted never forgotten, it contains all sorts of amazing properties, one of them being Angelic acid which is also found in Carrots. It originates from Africa and was bought to England in the 17th century. Later on a monk saw an angel in his dream who told him to use it for the plague. I have found it calming and clearing and it makes a good all round tonic. Do not eat the fresh root as it's said to be poisonous. You can eat the seeds, the leaves and the stalks.
There are many holy wells in Cornwall, some are supposed to heal and most are connected to Saints. I want to search them out for they are where the wild springs gurgle up.
The well I visited today is near a bog and has a small trickle of water coming from the back and then out of the front. There were lots of Yellow Archangel flowers growing near it although I do believe that the type with silver streaks on her leaves is the less wild variety, (which is what grows here), plain leaves are said to be the true wild form. The Saints Way, a walk for travelers, is near the well and winds it's route from the South to the North coast of Cornwall. Also the Michael and Mary ley lines that are supposed to cross under the ancient font in the church of my home town. Today there is a stillness and a strange image came to my mind of a many headed Serpent as I put my head into the well to look. Saint Brevita's well, in Lanlivery.
DANDELIONS
Blood Cleanser. Lymph tonic. Kidneys. Liver. Stomach. Arthritis.
Could help with Relaxation. Emotional stagnation. Depression.
Do not use if there are kidney stones
The root helps the blood in the veins to circulate so therefore could be good for varicose veins, heamorrhoids. Dandelions are high in vitamins A and C and have doses of iron, copper and potassium. They are believed to be good for balancing blood sugar levels and for general fatigue, cleansing for kidney, liver, digestive disorders and headaches. One cup a day, drunk for some weeks should help with overall health.
ANGELICA
Angelica is a striking, large herb with powerful and pungent stalks and seeds. It comes out in Spring, along with the Alexanders. It looks similar to the very poisnous Hemlock, with it's reddish stems, and care should be taken to make sure it isn't that. I dug out some Angelica from the herb bed at eden and I've asked the Chefs to candy it. Presently it is out of favor but I remember as a child eating tea cakes with the tiny coloured, green and red stalks of Angelica as a topping. Once tasted never forgotten, it contains all sorts of amazing properties, one of them being Angelic acid which is also found in Carrots. It originates from Africa and was bought to England in the 17th century. Later on a monk saw an angel in his dream who told him to use it for the plague. I have found it calming and clearing and it makes a good all round tonic. Do not eat the fresh root as it's said to be poisonous. You can eat the seeds, the leaves and the stalks.
No comments:
Post a Comment