Health & Fitness
Solstice Herbs are Common in North Fork Gardens
Hard to believe that summer is already on the down-swing.
Solstice. The Sun Stands Still. Would you believe, the year is already on the wane? Days will soon be getting shorter again. I am definitely not ready for that. Historically in pagan Europe, the summer solstice is celebrated from June 21 to 24. The early Christians appropriated the festival by celebrating the birthday of John the Baptist on June 24.
While a lot of plants—including the holly and the Yule log—are associated with the winter solstice, the main plants connected with the summer solstice are herbs like fennel, rue, rosemary, lemon verbena and foxglove or digitalis. All are commonly found in our North Fork gardens. Sometimes the plants are tied together in a bundle to be hung from doorways. Sometimes they are steeped in water that is supposedly good for the complexion. Bonfires are also traditionally part of the summer solstice experience.
I'm spending my solstice evenings in the garden. Like the plants, it feels good to take in all that sunshine while it lasts.
