Keep the summer going all year long and grow a windowsill herb garden.  Herbs are very easy to grow, great to spice up any breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and looks so pretty in your kitchen.  Find some great containers (flower pots, coffee cups, dip bowls), and make sure they fit in your windowsill securely.  Pick up a good bag of soil and plant some seeds.  Huge wow factor!

Think you can’t have a garden because you live in the city?  Think again.  The Durvaes Family of Pasedena, California has done just that.  Watch the amazing transformation of their yard, from dry, parched dirt, to rich organic soil where fruits and veggies (and more) grow.  Their story is ultra-inspiring.  Let it inspire you to do the same!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IbODJiEM5A

Lavender essential oil has a vast range of healing and therapeutic properties.  When using skincare or aromatherapy products, be sure the ingredients contain “lavender essential oil”, not lavender fragrance oil, in order to receive the healing and therapeutic benefits of pure lavender. 

The following are just some of the many reasons to use lavender for it’s healing abilities.

Nervous System: Lavender essential oil has a calming scent which makes it an excellent tonic for the nerves. Therefore, it helps in treating migraines, headaches, anxiety, depression, nervous tension and emotional stress. The refreshing aroma removes nervous exhaustion and restlessness and increases mental activity.

Sleep: Lavender essential oil induces sleep and hence it is often recommended for insomnia.

Pain Relief: Lavender essential oil is also an excellent remedy for various types of pains including those caused by sore muscles, tense muscles, muscular aches, rheumatism, sprains, backache and lumbago. A regular massage with lavender oil provides relief from pain in the joints.

Urine Flow: Lavender essential oil is good for urinary disorders as it stimulates urine production. It helps in restoring hormonal balance and reduces cystitis or inflammation of the urinary bladder. It also reduces any associated cramps.

Respiratory Disorders: Lavender oil is extensively used for various respiratory problems including throat infections, flu, cough, cold, asthma, sinus congestion, bronchitis, whooping cough, laryngitis, and tonsillitis. The oil is either used in the form of vapour or applied on the skin of neck, chest and back. It is also added in many vaporizers and inhalers used for cold and coughs.

Skin Care: The health benefits of lavender oil for the skin can be attributed to its antiseptic and antifungal properties. It is used to treat various skin disorders such as acne, wrinkles, psoriasis, and other inflammations. It heals wounds, cuts, burns, and sunburns rapidly as it aids in the formation of scar tissues. Lavender oil is added to chamomile to treat eczema.

Hair Care: Lavender essential oil is useful for the hair as it can be very effective on lice and lice eggs or nits.

Blood Circulation: Lavender essential oil is also good for improving blood circulation. It lowers blood pressure and is used for hypertension.

Digestion: Lavender oil is useful for digestion as it increases the mobility of the intestine. The oil also stimulates the production of gastric juices and bile and thus aids in treating indigestion, stomach pain, colic, flatulence, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Immunity: Regular use of lavender essential oil provides resistance to diseases.

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 Try Supernatural Botanicals Lavender Water Linen Spray to experience the benefits of pure lavender essential oils.

Peppermint has been found to be an incredible multitasker.  One of his many uses is a stress reliever.  Like most other essential oils, the aroma of peppermint is able to provide relief from stress, depression and mental exhaustion due to its refreshing nature. It is also effective against anxiety and restlessness.  Peppermint essential oil is available at natural food stores and most vitamin/fitness stores.

Farmers Markets Flowers are a staple in my house every summer.  Farmers Markets have more than fruits and vegetables, they are also known for their gorgeous flowers (usually sold on the cheap).  In fact, for a well-rounded Farmers Market experience, you should leave with your hands full of fruits, veggies, herbs, breads, soaps, and, of course, gorgeous flowers.

Did you know that the scent of the fresh herb Rosemary can increase alertness and clarity?  Keep some fresh Rosemary in a small vase on your desk.  When you feel the midday brain fog, simply smell the Rosemary to increase your mental acuity and get those endorphins popping!  It’s a perfect natural pick-me-up.

Delicious herbs from our Supernatural Garden.   Fresh chives, Rosemary, Dill and peppers.  They are so easy to grow, and there is always an abundance of fresh herbs from the garden.  Not only are they fab for adding kick to your meals, but there are multiple at home spa recipes you can try to even use more of your herbs.  Brilliant!

So it’s May here in Cincinnati, otherwise known as zone 6, and everything in my garden and yard is starting to bloom.  It’s such a beautiful time of the year when plants are such a beautiful spring-green.  The rain has been good this season, thus far.  Here’s what’s happening in my yard.  Having luck in your yard this year? 

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Cilantro.  This gorgeous cilantro has taken root and is spreading quickly.  Good thing, because I’ll need at least a cup of this cilantro this evening for a homemade salsa I’m making.  It makes salsa and Pico de Gallo come to life with freshness.

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Parsley.  I haven’t had a chance to plant this outside yet as I’ve only had it a few days, but it looks great sitting in my kitchen windowsill.  I’d let it grow there all season, but I want it to expand.  I’m going to need a lot more than this to make Italian dishes all summer long. 

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Annabelle Hydrangeas.  These will definitely be the sweetheart of my yard when they are in bloom.  They produce enormous white flowers that are between 8-12″ wide!  They also produce lots of flowers.  Perfect if you like having vases of flowers around your house (like I do.)

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Backyard.  The perfect place to be.  I love it here.  I don’t like that all the grass is worn off under the tire swing, but you try keeping 17 neighbor kids out of your yard.  I surrendered.  They have fun, so what’s a little rough spot in your lawn at the end of the day?  There are bigger fish to fry than that.

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Flowering Cherry Blossom Tree.  I planted this about a month ago.  It accepted its chosen location very well, but I am concerned about some of the leaves…note the top right leaf has tiny holes in it, which appears to be from pests.  I will spray it with organic pest killer this weekend. 

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Dwarf Anjou Pear Tree.  Another freshly planted tree, about a month into the ground.  I cannot wait for fresh fruit! 

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Dwarf Granny Smith Apple Tree.   Planted about a month ago, it’s doing a great job of getting rooted in place.  The fruit trees will be treated organically, of course.

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Dwarf Granny Smith Apple Tree.  Up until about four days ago, I thought this tree was dead.  It has been in the ground for over a month without even a sign of life.  Luckily, I waited before I decided to pull it out of the ground.  Four days ago, I noticed these little stubs.  It’s a beautiful thing!

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Inside of composter.  Okay, brace yourself on this one.  This is the inside of my composter.  You’ll find things like a huge tree root system, coffee grounds, celery, salad, leaves, etc.  This will take almost a year to break down and turn into soil.  But think of the organic material I’ll have for next year, and all the garbage I’ll be saving from the landfills. 

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Earth Machine Composter.  This is the what the composter looks like, tucked back into the corner of my yard.  It blends right in behind a pine tree.  Best of all, I’m helping save the Earth.  Love that!

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Bartlett Pear Tree.   It won’t produce fruit this year, but when it does…yum!  Nothing like eating fruit right from the tree when it’s still warm from the sun.

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Rows of  lettuces.  This is new this year, a raised vegetable bed.  These were all planted this past Saturday from seed, and I took these pictures on Thursday evening.  Less than seven days, and they are sprouting already. 

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Raised vegetable bed.  I’m so excited to add this bed to my yard this year.  Because my yard is filled with bunnies and squirrels, growing veggies on the ground in the traditional method is pure hassle.  A raised bed is a great way to keep out pests , to assure your soil is completely organic, and it spares your back when bending over when gardening.  I have rows of designer lettuces, spinach, strawberries, and tomatoes in this bed.

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Stargazer lilies.  These were planted as bulbs, and have been in the ground for about five weeks now.  These will produce sensational Stargazer lilies throughout the summer.  Perfect for cutting and putting in vases around the house.  Gorgeous in bouquets.   Each stem will produce at least a half dozen huge flowers. 

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Rosemary.  Rosemary just screams “put me on some roasted potatoes!”  This herb will spread out and become a wonderful addition to my Mediterranean meals I make this summer.

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Garden Salsa Peppers.  The first peppers are emerging from the baby flower pods.  Last year my garden salsa pepper plant produced tons of peppers.  If they keep on producing abundantly, I have no problems making salsa every weekend!  Bring it!

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Dill.  Okay, so she’s not prettiest girl at the dance.  Dill is not a very attractive herb.  It grows eratically and in awkward shapes.  But, there’s nothing like fresh dill.  It’s superb in dips, in salads, on seafood, and on my infamous cucumber sandwiches.  Delicious when you mix it with lettuces in your salad.

With all the flower bulb and tree planting lately, my poor herb containers sat empty, waiting for me to plant new herbs.  I tackled them over the weekend.  I had such an abundance of Basil last year that I actually couldn’t use it all.  After all, how many times can you make pesto?  I decided this year to only grow things I truly loved, and things that I’m sure I’d use every last drop of. 

I ended up planting Cilantro (for homemade salsas and Pico de Gallo), Dill (for dips, fish and seafood, and appetizers) and Rosemary (the summer wouldn’t be the same without roasted Rosemary potatoes.)  I also planted garden salsa peppers, jalapenos, and pepperoncinis (for the salsa and my pepper-addicted Irishman.) 

Within a month, I anticpate the herbs to be plentiful and vibrant, bright green.  Updates to follow…as per usual. 

Freshly planted Cilantro

Dill, a very unattractive herb, but delicious

Planting extra-fragrant Rosemary

Delicious Dill...I wish it looked as good as it tastes

Cilantro. I'll need this to multiple to the extreme for all my summer cooking

Freshly planted peppers. I had the best luck with Garden Salsa peppers last year

My Ginger got acquainted with the fresh mulch. A bath followed!

Hoping for a lovely herb garden this year

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What Gossip Girl’s Kelly Rutherford is buzzing about now:  Brantley Active Enzymes Plus ($30 from BrantleyCure.com).  “I take these every day to nix bloating.”