Health Needs Thyme

26/06/2025

Hosted a lovely Herb Walk in Ashton Court this week with the West of England Herb Group. 20 of us started out the walk by getting inside the den of this magnificent Linden tree!

Let me know if you’d like to book a herb walk for your group.

04/05/2025

01/05/2025

Hawthorn tea... for Day 30, Wild Tea Quest Complete (& 10 day summary links)

Wild Tea Quest

29/04/2025

Ginkgo bilobaWhen I was studying in London for my herbal medicine degree, every morning I would walk through Highgate Park. I would stop at a tree with fairy-wing leaves and wonder what it could be.Meanwhile at uni I was learning about the wonders of the ginkgo tree, wondering if I would ever meet o...

27/04/2025

https://www.healthneedsthyme.co.uk/post/day-26-goat-willow-tea

Salix capreaI caught the tail end of the morning birdsong today. Walking through the little wood, along a stream, across a wooden bridge and into a meadow. I found goat willow dotted all along the field margin right beside the stream.With my little harvest I walked back over the bridge and into the....

25/04/2025

Betberis darwinii

This is not a native plant but has been widely planted as an ornamental in parks and gardens so it’s likely that you will have seen it around. This one or another similar variety.

This one was discovered by Darwin in South America, hence the Latin name.

It’s a close relative of mahonia, the one that has bright yellow aromatic winter blossoms.

Discovering sour tasting medicinal plants always puts a sparkly in my eye, and since learning I could eat barberry flowers, I munch on them as I pass by.

I’ve had a love of sour foods since my childhood and was even happy to eat a whole lemon as if it was an orange!

You can tell a lot about a herbs medicinal qualities from the taste. Sour for the immune system, bitter for digestion, resinous for pain, aromatic oils for muscular tension, etc…

If you’d like a bespoke prescription created using only natural ingredients that addresses your whole self, then book a consultation with me! I’ll spend a thorough 90 minutes getting to know your health history so that each bottle is relevant to your specific needs and to you only!

sarah-janecobley@healthneedsthyme.co.uk

Berberis darwiniiThis is not a native plant but has been widely planted as an ornamental in parks and gardens so it’s likely that you will have seen it around. This one or another similar variety.This one was discovered by Darwin in South America, hence the Latin name.It’s a close relative of ma...

25/04/2025

Glechoma hederacea

I purposely sought out a haven for wildlife today. I wanted to be held by the peaceful serenity of a place little touched by human hands.

I arrived to rabbits in a thicket, a bright green woodpecker that few up to a tree, a slick red fox and a very confident dear.

All in the space of a 1 hr round trip from my home. Making it the perfect tea break to lift the spirits.

Needless to say, on my walk home I had quite the joyful spring in my step!

Read my short Ground Ivy Tea article here, or watch my accompanying video. You’ll also find some stunning photographs to aid your plant ID and lift your spirits!

Glechoma hederaceaI purposely sought out a haven for wildlife today. I wanted to be held by the peaceful serenity of a place little touched by human hands.I arrived to rabbits in a thicket, a bright green woodpecker that few up to a tree, a slick red fox and a very confident dear.All in the space of...

25/04/2025

Join me as I explore the beauty and magic of herb Robert!

Geranium robertianumI love finding hidden spots, just off the beaten track. I only need divert marginally to find myself in a whole new world, where animal tracks, not human tracks are most prominent, and I can sit unseen, undisturbed, immersed in nature.Perhaps a more accurate description of this t...

25/04/2025

🌼 Have you ever tried Borage flower tea? Discover the health benefits of Borago officinalis in my latest blog post! Infuse your life with nature's goodness. 🍵💚 Check it out here: https://wix.to/mUycpCi

Borago officinalisMy quest is something I like to fit into my everyday life. This means that I take tea with local herbs I can meet within a 20-minute walk or cycle. I like my medicines to be natural, free and right on my doorstep.Borage is not native and so wherever it is found in the wild it will....

21/04/2025

Rosemary urban foraged tea... for Day 20, Wild Tea Quest (& 10 day summary links).
I’m embracing the urban foraging as part of my quest now. I used to have a little Collins Gem pocketbook called “Food for Free”. It reminds me that nature is all around us, and even in our urban areas we can find Medicine for Free if we need to.

I’m surprised how relaxed I felt having a cuppa with a rosemary and a red telephone box on the main road through my little village. It is Sunday morning though, and Easter, so I suspect most are still in bed.

I like that while the world is waking, I’m having my morning cuppa out with the birds and bees!

And rosemary certainly is abundantly flowering right now which attracted a bee or two even at this early hour.

Wild Tea Quest