Valentine Specialties from the Herb Garden
By Marcy Lautanen-Raleigh
www.backyardpatch.blogspot.com
Herb Love Lore
I was out looking for herbal tidbits to put into my newsletter when I ran across these fun pieces of historical usages of herbs for Valentines’ day.
If you wish to know who your true love shall be, use Bay
Laurel.
Pin 5 bay leaves to the corners and center of your
pillow. Before you go to bed repeat the
St. Valentine charm: “St. Valentine, be
kind to me, in dreams let me my true love see.”
Once you have attracted your true love tie three bay leaves
to the foot of the bed and they will be blind to any others but you.
If you wish to attract that true love you have two options:
For a man – he should approach his love with a bit of dried sage under his tongue
For a woman – bathe in warm water to which is added a cup of rose petals and a teaspoon of dill seeds.
Avoid Honeysuckle – the scent of honeysuckle was thought to induce erotic dreams, so you never had it inside the home of unmarried girls!
Ways to use your herbs for more intimate fun --
Aromatherapy with the bath is a great way to inspire sensuality and enhance sexual vitality. Try it together for even more fun. Light some candles, turn off the lights, and add a mix of sensual oils to the water. Relax into the water and surrender to the sensations.
Valentine Touches Massage Oil
4 ounces sweet almond oil
1/2 tsp. of your
favorite essential oil (38 drops)
This combination of essential oils is said to increase vitality!
15 drops cardamom oil
10 drops ylang ylang
10 drops patchouli
Blend well in a bowl and then pour into a small decorative glass bottle with a top. Add a beautiful ribbon, make a card and present to the valentine of your choice. He or she will get the idea. Be sure to shake well before using.
Love Herbal Bath (adapted from Phyllis Shaudy’s)
4 parts lavender
4 parts dried rosemary
4 parts rose petals
2 parts dried lovage
2 parts lemon verbena
1 part thyme
1 part mint
1 part sage
Mix all the dried herbs together and store in a covered container. When you want to take a bath place ¼ cup if herbal mix in the center of an 8-inch square of muslin and tie lightly with string or ribbon. If you use ¼ cup as the part, it will create 16 bath balls.
To brew: Boil the ball in 1 quart of water for 10 minutes. Draw a warm bath and pour in the herbal water. Add you and your sweetheart and use the ball to scrub one another’s bodies.
And most importantly, never forget that Chocolate is an herb.
No matter how you do it, enjoy your Valentine’s Day!
