Thursday, 4th June. European elections day. Beautifully sunny and warm again too, though not as hot as the last few days, thankfully. I work in a conservatory and have virtually fried. Ideal weather though for picking herbs. The chemicals are concentrated by the sunshine and process of photosynthesis and damp rain clinging to the leaves and flowers are the worst thing for tinctures going off. So, despite frustrations of technology and websites, I found refuge in picking lemon balm and hawthorn from my garden in the early summer sun.

Lemon balm looks very much like mint but has a much more lemony scent when crushed. It is an excellent anti-viral and harvesting some now is judicious and wise before swine flu takes hold, as seems inevitable later in the year, when the glorious summer will be a fond memory.

Hawthorn leaves, berries and flowers oxygenate heart muscle, helping the heart to beat more efficiently, boosting energy levels. The flowers were better a couple of weeks ago but the growing tips provide a lovely, goodness laden alternative. The other name for hawthorn is Mayblossom and that is the ideal month to gather the aromatic, some would say smelly, flowers.

Certainly my heart was soothed and my soul received balm as I handled the beautiful plants and smelt their aromas as I chopped and preserved them. Thanks Mother Nature!

Now for a more civic duty...........I'm thinking green!