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Many of us grow plants for their looks, creating an aesthetic garden, a colourful border or feature to enhance our outside space. Aside from their looks, many plants have healing benefi ts and properties and form the foundations of today’s modern medicines. In medieval times “Leechcraft”, which translates to the art of healing, had plants at its core. This is not to be confused with the medicinal use of leeches! Lotions, potions, tinctures and politicises were all made using plants in one form or another. Today such practices would be classed as alternative medicine and while there are still a few practitioners of Leechcraft around today it has mostly been replaced by more modern practices Aromatherapy, which many of us are familiar with, dates back even further to around 3500 years BC, although the term “aromatherapy” was derived by Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, a French chemist, in 1937 after he was said to have treated a burn successfully with lavender oil. The theory behind aromatherapy is that the scents used stimulate the olfactory system (smell) and, in turn, this causes a healing response in the body. Some oils can also be applied to skin to help the healing process. Two of the widest used are tea tree and lavender. Tea tree has antibacterial and anti-infl ammatory properties and is made by steaming the leaves of the Australian tea tree. Also known as melaleuca oil, this oil can be applied diluted to the skin or mixed in to creams and can help heal wounds, and treat acne, athlete’s foot and other skin issues. Another oil that many of us are familiar with is lavender oil. This oil is great for relaxing the mind and helping to induce sleep. It can also be used to treat headaches and anxiety. Other oils include thyme that is said to improve mood, rosemary which promotes alertness and cognitive performance. There are many, many books and courses on aromatherapy, and it is fast becoming more mainstream than classed as an alternative therapy. Another “pioneer” in plant use for medicine was Dr Edward Bach who put his name to the Bach Flower Remedies. His system of using plant and fl ower bases essences was founded in the 1930’s. Bach was both a physician and homeopath who believed that the key to a person’s health was through their emotional wellbeing. At the time of his death in 1936, Bach had created 38 fl ower remedies along with their healing properties. Nature provides us with an array of plants that can help heal us both physically and mentally. Not only can your garden look attractive, but could also be your own medicine cabinet (always seek guidance before taking any or using any of the above-mentioned oils and use only as directed). In other news, we have been developing our Bosworth’s Loyalty App which is now available from the Google Play store or the Apple App store. To use the app you need to be a Reward Card Holder; if you are not, please sign up online or in store and have your email registered with us. Once in the app, you will be able to see all your recent transactions, points available, and receive your Reward Card cheques and vouchers directly to your phone without having to wait for them to be posted. You can also make any changes to your account such as changing your address or email address. For more information and an instructional video on how to download and set the app up, please visit our website. By the middle of October our Christmas displays will be open once again. Yes, it really is that time of year again! Come along and see what’s new this year. Unless we go into another lockdown, we are looking forward to be able to run our events again this year with the popular Tea with Santa, Santa’s Storytime and Santa’s Grotto. Keep checking our social media for booking availability. That’s all for this time and hope to see you in our garden centres soon…
Finedon Road Burton Latimer NN15 5QA 01536 722635 OPEN HOURS: Mon-Sat: 9am - 6pm Sun: Open for browsing - 10am Tills open - 10.30am - 4.30pm Only minutes from J10 off the A14 and midway between Kettering and Wellingborough Elton Walled Garden Elton PE8 6SH 01832 343104 OPEN HOURS: Mon-Sat: 9am - 6pm Sun: 10am - 5pm Disabled Access All Major Credit Cards Accepted www.bosworthsgc.co.uk Visit our online shop: www.bosworthsonline.co.uk www.facebook.com/BosworthsGC
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