Tuahiwi Botanicals

Journal

A collection of stories from the Tuahiwi farm.

Herbal Sustainability

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in herbs and herbal products which has been exacerbated by COVID. The result of this has to put pressure on already vulnerable environments where many of these herbs come from.

Having run over 40 Botanical Skincare workshops, I thought that I would share some of my insights that I have discovered from watching more than 200 women trying out lots of different oils on their skin.

When I was running my “Grow Your Own Herb Garden” workshop last year I was asked why we were starting seeds “early” by growing them inside or on a heat pad.

Raspberry powder smells like fresh raspberry jam. It has an intense red colour and is full of anti-aging and anti-oxidant properties that make it a great ingredient in botanical skincare products.

St Johns Wort (hypericum) Oil is very special and one of my favourites. Every year I am always delighted when the yellow flowers produce an amazing deep red healing oil.

I love rose powder. I love everything about it – I love growing the roses, I love making the powder and I love using the powder in my botanical skincare products.

Growing plants is an investment in time and growing licorice to the point of being able to use it, takes a long time - 3 to 5 years in fact - from seed to harvesting the licorice root.

Growing tulsi outdoors in Christchurch is probably easier than growing basil outside. It requires a warm, sunny, sheltered place with water (not so much water as basil).

Coriander can be surprisingly difficult to grow in summer. It is much easier to grow in the cooler months of winter and early spring.

In June 2014, I started with an empty paddock to create my new Herbal Garden.

Jenny Sommervell from the New Zealand Lifestyle Block magazine attended one of my workshops in December last year and then has written this article.

Infusing Helichrysum italicum flowers (otherwise known as curry plant) has been an interesting experiment for me.

I just got my honey back from Jeff (the man who manages the hives for me) and it is the most beautiful, dark amber colour.

I harvested my first German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) flowers today and really enjoyed it.

The tea blends that I make and sell are highly personal to me.

I know Spring is well under the way when I find the first flowers of Hawthorn and Elder.

This is not a plate of pasta, it is actually freshly harvested valerian root.

Spring is here, or it was last week and my stinging nettles are growing really well.

This photo is of fresh calendula petals, rose petals, lavender flowers and red clover petals before being infused in almond oil to make Massage Oil.

I harvested the first of my Pacific Blue lavender yesterday.

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Journal

A collection of stories from the Tuahiwi farm.

Herbal Sustainability

Recently, there has been an increasing interest in herbs and herbal products which has been exacerbated by COVID. The result of this has to put pressure on already vulnerable environments where many of these herbs come from.

Using Plant Based Oils

Having run over 40 Botanical Skincare workshops, I thought that I would share some of my insights that I have discovered from watching more than 200 women trying out lots of different oils on their skin.

Planting Seeds "Early"

When I was running my “Grow Your Own Herb Garden” workshop last year I was asked why we were starting seeds “early” by growing them inside or on a heat pad.

Raspberry Powder

Raspberry powder smells like fresh raspberry jam. It has an intense red colour and is full of anti-aging and anti-oxidant properties that make it a great ingredient in botanical skincare products.

St Johns Wort Oil

St Johns Wort (hypericum) Oil is very special and one of my favourites. Every year I am always delighted when the yellow flowers produce an amazing deep red healing oil.

Delicious Rose Powder

I love rose powder. I love everything about it – I love growing the roses, I love making the powder and I love using the powder in my botanical skincare products.

Harvesting Licorice Root

Growing plants is an investment in time and growing licorice to the point of being able to use it, takes a long time - 3 to 5 years in fact - from seed to harvesting the licorice root.

Growing Tulsi

Growing tulsi outdoors in Christchurch is probably easier than growing basil outside. It requires a warm, sunny, sheltered place with water (not so much water as basil).

Growing Coriander

Coriander can be surprisingly difficult to grow in summer. It is much easier to grow in the cooler months of winter and early spring.

Evolution of a Garden

In June 2014, I started with an empty paddock to create my new Herbal Garden.

Lifestyle Block Article

Jenny Sommervell from the New Zealand Lifestyle Block magazine attended one of my workshops in December last year and then has written this article.

Helichrysum

Infusing Helichrysum italicum flowers (otherwise known as curry plant) has been an interesting experiment for me.

My Amazing Honey

I just got my honey back from Jeff (the man who manages the hives for me) and it is the most beautiful, dark amber colour.

Chamomile

I harvested my first German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) flowers today and really enjoyed it.

Tea Blends

The tea blends that I make and sell are highly personal to me.

Spring Flowers

I know Spring is well under the way when I find the first flowers of Hawthorn and Elder.

Harvesting Valerian

This is not a plate of pasta, it is actually freshly harvested valerian root.

Wonderful Nettles

Spring is here, or it was last week and my stinging nettles are growing really well.

Herbal Infused Oils

This photo is of fresh calendula petals, rose petals, lavender flowers and red clover petals before being infused in almond oil to make Massage Oil.

Pacific Blue Lavender

I harvested the first of my Pacific Blue lavender yesterday.