The extreme heat (above 35 degrees celsius) and the rains of this past summer has both helped our plants to grow and mature. Some plants like the Coriander have dried out, which I had expected as they are very fast-growing, short-living beings that need to be plucked regularly for their leaves to continue growth. They are beginning to grow their seed, which we will harvest for next year's growth. We have also discovered a stowaway Tomato plant, growing in our pot of Lupins. It grew late in the season so we will see if it will have enough time to fruit. The Garden Project adventure has gotten many of our team members on the balcony, watering and sharing in its growth. Looking up from Falknerstrasse to see living beings on our balcony is very satisfying. Not just that they are beautiful, green and blossoming, but also to know that life can thrive in the harshest of environments by adapting.   


​Photos by Elaine

Photos by Elaine.

The Summer Solstice came on the 21st of June and passed. The heat of summer has been sweltering. Our plants are thriving, blossoming, but some suffering from the extreme heat. We have been busy watering and nurturing them as much as we can. Our Sage was scorched early on in June, turning yellow and was looking like it wouldn't make it. I changed its position, slightly away from the direct sunlight and onto another balcony with some other plants. Since a few weeks, it is looking better, like it will make it though the summer. Amazing how so little can make a difference. Our team at ICM has had the benefit of fresh herbs, like Basil and Coriander, with their lunch. We have tried out fresh Mint tea and will soon share our harvest with our clients and visitors to ICM. So come by and share a cup of home-grown Mint tea to cool you down in the hot summer days. 


​Photos by Elaine

I first met Elder in the summer 1999, on my first visit to Europe. My husband and I were still studying in the USA and as we came together to Switzerland, he introduced Elder to me. Sambucus nigra in Latin or Holunder in German. This beautiful, sweet scented, small tree crowned in white glorious blossoms in June. I was immediately enthralled by her presence. He told me then that Elder is considered the friend of humans, a protector in old European culture. Hence, often grown next to houses. He introduced me to the syrup and told me how people in Switzerland often go out and gather the blossoms to make the drink. I obviously loved its flavor and vowed I would make it myself. Since we moved to Switzerland, I have done this almost every year with my children. One of the first plants that my kids could identify as young children was Elder.
 
Last year, I gained new perspectives on plants. Ever since I began studying herbal medicine, I have had a feeling that there is more to plants than just leaves, branches, fruits and roots. I went to study with Nathaniel Hughes in England, who teaches Intuitive Herbalism. He has opened a door to plants for me. The perspective that plants are living beings in themselves with a character, mind and spirit as we do. We got introduced to plants, everyday plants that you may pass as you walk to work or in your backyard. It amazed me how I didn't notice them or realize how they were even present. In the Intuitive Herbalism course, Nathaniel showed us how to slow down to "plant speed." We humans move at such high speeds that we are not aware of other beings that may move and live at a slower pace. Humans use speech as a way of communication and don't realize that maybe other beings on the planet actually are communicating to us and each other in other ways.
 
This brings me back to Elder. Have you ever noticed how this plant blossoms at this time of year and perfumes the air with a mild sweet cooling scent? I noticed too that she, I experience Elder as a female being, is often hidden at other times of the year and right at the cusp of summer, she pops her head out beside the tram tracks, on the side of a walking path or even in the corner where the compost sits in the garden, like white fire shining in the newly summer sunlight. I experience her as a being of transition, like on a path or at the transition of spring into summer. Interestingly, this is one of the effects of Elder flower on our human body. It helps to cool fevers, which is in one perspective, a space of being in between worlds. In his book "Intuitive Herbalism," Nathaniel writes,
 
"The Elder mother is a creature of ancient folklore with many healing gifts for us. Perhaps the greatest among them is the power to lift us into fever, take us into timeless delirium and see us through. She offers an entrance to our underworld where we may see the causes in spirit of our illness and purge them through our sweat."       
 
Whenever anyone in my family has a fever, we often drink the Elder flower syrup throughout the process. Previously, I imagined it only to be hydrating and cooling but this new perspective, that Nathaniel Hughes has given me, sure awakens my interest to explore further. So next time you or someone in your family has a fever, try drinking lots of Elder flower syrup, sleep and let the healing process begin.
 
Of course, Elder also has berries that ripen in autumn, which are helpful in clearing phlegm conditions. I have a friend who makes them into syrup and jams, but I haven't yet experimented with the berries. If you haven't tried making your own Elder Flower Syrup, try it. It's easy. Here's a recipe I've used for a while.
 
Elder Flower Syrup  
10 sprigs or more of Elder flower
1 L water
1 kg sugar
2 lemons, grate the rind for more citrus flavor
20 g citric acid (optional)
 
Soak the flowers in the water overnight with lemons. Heat fluid with sugar (and citric acid) until melted. Strain liquid of the blossoms, lemon or insects. Fill while hot into airtight glass bottles to keep vacuum for conservation. With citric acid, the syrup will last longer. Otherwise, refrigerate and it should last at least a month. It makes about 1.5 L syrup. Once opened, keep refrigerated.   
 

Photo by Elaine

 
All our plants are in their pots and growing. Since the cooling down rains and then the heating up these last few days, our plants are bursting into growth. We have Peppermint, Lemon Balm, Chamomile, Calendula, Coriander, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Oregano, Majoram, Hyssop, Perilla, Tarragon, Goji, Lupines, Lovage and Swiss Chard. Most are thriving, except for a Rosemary plant. Not sure why. Once a gardener told me that plants are like humans, if they don't like the environment they are moved into, they don't thrive. I thanked him for his words of wisdom and remember that plants are living beings like us humans.  


Photos by Elaine

What has often fascinated me are stories of transformation. Even as a young child, I loved reading fairy tales like The Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid or The Ugly Duckling. It’s only since I began my studies in Chinese Medicine that I realized why. As with the seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter), all living beings on earth are guided by the cycles of birth, growth, transformation, death and possibly rebirth. Composting is that “real” tale for me. I gather my kitchen waste, put it in a compost pile in the garden, the transformation from dead food scraps to fertile earth, which allows me to grow plants that will become food again. The cycle of life, death and rebirth happening in my garden, without me doing much except to occasionally turn the pile. This is the ultimate story of transformation happening right in my own backyard.
 
My family and I have had a compost bin ever since we have had a garden. Our current compost bin is 6 years old. We all know that traditional composting is based on the decomposing process, an aerobic process which takes time. My kids know, as we do, that we can’t put meat, dairy or cooked grains in compost, as these will attract vermin, or citrus, due to it not decomposing well and worms don’t like them. One of my boys had the chore of taking out the kitchen scraps, at least once a week or in summer up to 3 times, and putting it in the big bin in the garden. There, he would be assaulted by flying insects, slimy slugs and the putrid scent of decomposition, which he totally detested. Now, that has all changed.
 
We began a Bokashi compost this past February. I had seen it many years ago in a catalog for natural products but didn’t look further into it. Some vegan friends of ours mentioned that they were using it and then last year a good friend of mine from Malaysia mentioned that she had one. When I told her of our compost not having meat, grains or citrus, we began to discuss the benefits of Bokashi and how one can basically put every organic matter in it to ferment, creating super healthy compost without the vermin.
 
Bokashi is a Japanese word meaning “alteration” or “fading away.” The Bokashi composting method, developed by Dr. Teruo Higa, is a fermentation process not a decomposition. It works with bacteria like Lactobacilli, yeast and purple non-sulfur bacteria, which come in the form of Bokashi bran. This bran is added to the kitchen waste every time you put it in the airtight Bokashi bin. It’s an anaerobic process, which ferments and doesn’t decompose the organic matter. Hence, it doesn’t smell like decay but more like a pickling (slightly vinegar/acid) odor, which vermin do not like. We purchased our kit which comes with 2 airtight buckets and a whole bag of Bokashi bran. My internet research has shown me that you can make it all yourself, if you want to. Once the bucket is full, you set it aside for 2 weeks and then bury the organic matter in the earth for another 2 weeks before you plant on top of the enriched soil. I put mine in my compost bucket. After 2 weeks, there’s almost no more matter that resembles food, just sweet-smelling compost full of worms. What’s also great is that there is a Bokashi tea, which needs to be emptied every 2-3 days and this can be used to help fertilize plants (diluted down with water) or poured down the drain to help clean your pipes. Now how brilliant is that? Food waste transformed into earth and the liquid used to clean and fertilize, all happening in my kitchen and backyard. That’s what I call transformation!


*Note: Author has not received any financial renummeration for recommendations

Photo (Metamorphosis) by Pixabay user Annca
Photos Bokashi & Compost by Elaine

I woke up this morning to the unexpected flakes of snow falling as I opened the window. It's April, early spring. Snow in April is not surprising, unexpected due to the last month of sunshine but not surprising. Humans have known that snow is possible even in spring. Our classical Chinese Medical text, Yellow Emperor Classic of Internal Medicine (Huang Di Nei Jing), written 3000 years ago, speaks of it. Spring is a time of changes, of warmth and cold, of winds. Hence, we must be careful not to open too soon. Not t-shirt weather just yet, keep the jacket on.
 
Paying heed to this. Our garden project has already begun since the middle of last month. We have out vessels for planting ready on the balcony, earth awaits to be filled into these vessels. Seeds have been planted but inside, in a little "greenhouse," to keep the warmth and moisture ever present. The seedlings are thriving. We have basil, hyssop, coriander, gou qi zi, echinacea, to name a few. We wait till the middle of April to set the seedlings into their vessels outside, observing the weather to ensure that they have the best temperature and environment for growth. A garden, as we humans, needs to be nurtured. Sometimes, that means waiting for the right moment to move forward.  


Photos by Elaine  

Since a few weeks it's officially Spring! Beautiful rays of sunlight, spring rains, blossoming trees and plants, sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes...If you experience Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis or Hay Fever, then you know what I am talking about. It can be frustrating to see the beautiful spring unfold and know that all this blossoming is going to make you sneeze. From the Western medical point of view, it is an inflammation of inner nose to an allergen. In Chinese Medicine, it is often viewed as a deficiency in the Lung and Kidney's Defensive Qi/Wei Qi, which then leads to the body's overreaction. In acute situations, this may produce a cold or heat condition with some invasion of what we call wind in the nose, leading to sneezing, or in the eyes, which leads to itching, reddening and irritation. If severe, it may move deeper into the body affecting breathing.
 
So, what is Wei Qi? In Chinese Medicine, there is the idea of Qi, sometimes translated as vital energy, that exists in all living things and there are different kinds of Qi in the human body. One of them is Wei Qi. Sometimes translated as Defensive or Protective Qi, as it circulates and protects the exterior of the body, such as on/in the skin, the muscles and sinews. It deals with the outer world and helps us adapt to external changes. So Wei Qi is responsible for protecting our bodies from colds, flus, pollen, climatic changes and even psycho-emotional stressors. Returning to the theme of Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis, it is then very important to tone and strengthen the Wei Qi. Often, the strategy is Wei Qi Strengthening in pre-allergy season, such as in autumn or in winter or early spring depending on when the acute symptoms begin. We do this with acupuncture, herbs and even self-massage techniques. Also, what you eat and getting enough sleep affects the Wei Qi.    
 
I personally am affected by Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis, which I have begun to call "Seasonal Irritation," and I have developed a personal strategy to cope with the issue over the years. I believe that words have power. If we attach ourselves to a particular "dis-ease," we will manifest the disease like a textbook. I have found that it's much easier to manage the symptoms and this phase of the year, which for me is about a month, since I began calling it Seasonal Irritation. I take my Chinese herbs pre-season and during the acute phase, do my acupuncture and limit exposure to the pollen. I do my Qi Gong exercises to stimulate the Wei Qi and my Yoga breathing techniques, which all help me cope. I have learned to adapt to the season, just as winter makes me put on a warm coat, spring urges me to take care of my Wei Qi.
 
We live in a time of extreme change, which maybe was always so since the beginning of time. What we do in the here and now, determines the future. I end this post with a quote from the book 'Ravens of Avalon' by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Diana L. Paxson, "What you cannot do is to keep things as they have been. All things transforming into another until the world itself is changed. Bend or break - it's up to you." 

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​Photo by Pixabay Peter Dargatz