Goldsticks Tansy - who knew?
Important lesson learned: visiting a herb farm can be hugely regenerating. Take 'Hazelwood Herb Farm.' Out front: an attractive garden, with requisite pond + bench for quiet contemplation + goldfish (and also a frog - though this is an assumption based on some ripples and the disgruntled 'plop' I heard as I wandered up, obviously without much contemplative grace.) The nursery is gorgeous. Housed in three airy wooden structures, are row after green row of glowingly healthy little plants. They‘re obviously completely pampered, and they all have hand written signs stating their names and properties. The names were mostly totally unfamilliar, and provoked the imagination. Some of my favourites:
Pendulous Sage
Goldsticks Tansy
Sweet Cicely
Good King Henry
Motherwort, Mugwort, Figwort, and, in case that wasn’t enough, Soapwort
Coltsfoot
Goliath Elecampane
Among the seemingly endless varieties of herbs, eleven types of rosemary are available and roughly as many of lavender, mint, sage and thyme. The proprietor there, seeming genuinely concerned for the plant's welfare, took a lot of care to let me know how to look after my bay laurel. The two inch plant I'd chosen is evidently already a year old and if I look after it properly, it will live for years, growing several feet (fingers crossed for the little guy.) His doing so definitely contributed to the sense that is was an absolutely nurturing, deeply peaceful little environment. The hour or so spent there was like meditating, and I left feeling that I‘d achieved that elusive 'escape from modern life' for a little while. There has been a lot written lately instructing people on how to slow down and simplify things. Poking around a well tended nursery in the country is a great little 'natural rhythm' booster-shot.
