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Category Archives: Uncategorized
Kitchen Apothecary
We are designing a new kitchen and looking at various options for our kitchen-style apothecary of herbs, spices and oils. I liked the simplicity and clean lines of both of these. I particularly like the “prescriptions & family medicine” poster in the kitchen! Yes, food is our best medicine.
Apothecary Bottles
The Esmonde-White Garden
My grandparents started this garden 40 years ago. When they bought the land there was nothing but a stone house and trees lining the driveway. Everything else was open field. During their 17 years of gardening on television, they turned their 5 acres into a stunning mix of vegetable, herb and flower gardens. Grandma is now teaching me to garden and more specifically how to keep her garden going; she’s 93 and getting a little tired!
The Flowers
The Vegetables in June
Bathroom Apothecary – Chemist Cabinets
I love the idea of creating an apothecary style bathroom. It’s just as important for me to find and use the best natural beauty products for my body, as it is to find the best natural ingredients for my food. These apothecary style shelves and cabinets with the pretty, unique bottles of various shapes and sizes inspire me to build my own healthy sanctuary in the bathroom.
The Salad Garden
Summer salads at the Esmonde-White house are full of flavor! We love to mix the various types of lettuce with strong herbs including mint, basil and chives.
We have at least 5 varieties of salad in our garden; they need plenty of sunshine and water to grow.
Covered Walkways
A little inspiration; wonder where I could add one of these in our garden…
My Apothecary Workshop in the Garden
Many of us have hobbies, and if we are lucky we have our own space dedicated to those hobbies! Some people have their garage filled with tools and cars, others have an artists studio. I have my apothecary in the garden! Originally this was a log building on a local farmers property, but 20 years ago my grandparents took it down and reconstructed it here. They then built a pioneer garden around it and eventually the herb garden and salad garden. At one point, when many visitors used to stop in on weekends to see the garden, my grandmother added running water and electricity and turned it into a tearoom. As a child I served cherry pie, egg salad sandwiches and tea to guests! This year I have begun to transform it into my personal apothecary and study room. There’s a beautiful breeze that passes through and with the herbs so near it’s a perfect place for me to test my concoctions!
Thyme Square
My grandfather got quite a kick out of naming this part of the garden “Thyme Square”. Two varieties of thyme grow here and the sundial in the centre ensures that we always know what time it is.
History of the Apothecary
A medieval apothecary was a place where medicines were made from herbs and spices. One of the earliest records of the apothecary dates back to 2600 BC Babylon, and 1500 BC Egypt where the papyrus scroll found contained a collection of over 800 prescriptions and ancient herbal recipes. The word apotheca means “where wine, spices and herbs were stored”. The apothecary originated as the art of using the gifts of nature in order to create substances to heal sickness and disease. The Romans too, brought a vast knowledge of herbs with them as they moved through Europe, and the Arabs were very progressive and played a tremendous role in adding Persian, Indian and Chinese plants and herbs to the existing knowledge base. Now, the equivalent apothecary would be a pharmacy, unless you create your own herb-based remedies at home like I do! Of course, I also appreciate modern medicine, but I believe in using quality food. Exercise and natural remedies are my first defense and a support for health and healing.