Choice Magazine Gosport & Lee on the Solent - September edition
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It’s September which I’m hoping means a month of lovely weather - it usually does! I like the warmer months to drag out as long as possible as I’m not a fan of the cold! September also means it’s ‘Strictly time!’ Sequins and sparkles are dusted off and Tess and Claude’s outfits are a topic of conversation and dancing across the kitchen floor resumes after watching it!
September also means it’s Michaelmas Fayre time! It’s such a mainstay it should be printed in official calendars! Once again the Village is filled with people, entertainment, stalls, music and fun!
Don’t forget it’s also Heritage Open Days this month. There are over 70 events including talks and tours. See hidden places and try out new experiences locally. All free and on all our doorstep!
I’ve gone mad again with the bulb buying! I love a wacky daff and I’m a sucker for a tulip that looks like a peony. I always get overexcited and order a wheelbarrow full and then need a month to plant them all! It will be worth it though! I’m also going to get sowing salad leaves while I can and chuck the seeds from annuals that have gone over around, see what hapens next year. I know it’s time to do this because of the gardening guide inside! I hope it helps you too!
Are you getting back to some routine after the summer? Does that routine include racket sports? Alverstoke Lawn Tennis Squash & Badminton Club have an Open Day this month with free sessions and membership offers. Find more details on their advert inside.
Maybe yoga is more your thing? Richard from breth is currently offering your first class free with his advert inside. See pages 2 and 11.
It’s birthday cake season in my world! I’ve been knocking them out left, right and centre! My current go to is a 3 tier chocolate berry cake! It’s been given the thumbs up so it is this months recipe!
We have news from Friends of St Mark’s Churchyard and Gosport Road Runners. Check out what both groups have been up to in their articles inside.
As always, you’ll also find great offers, sudoku, more great advertisers, local events, local news and much more inside!
ARE YOU A LOCAL BUSINESS?
Let us pound the streets and get your advert through 11,000 homes a month and sent out to our growing number of subscribers too! Get in touch! Details below.
Have a good September. See you next month!
EDITOR follow us!
p.s. Happy Birthday Dad! Guess what cake you’re getting?! ;0)
This makes for a fab celebration cake! Whether you’re celebrating a birthday or the fact that it’s Tuesday, it’s perfect!
You’ll need three 20-cm cake tins (or bake one at a time) base-lined with greaseproof paper Makes 10-12 slices
Ingredients for the sponge
• 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 260g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 45g cocoa powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• a pinch of salt
• 170 g plain flour
• 160 ml whole milk
For the filling
• 600ml double cream
• ½ tsp vanilla paste (optional)
• 1 tbsp icing sugar (optional)
• 12 strawberries finely chopped plus additional berries of your choice to pop on top
• jam of your choice (I used raspberry)
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/Gas 3
Put the butter and sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. Turn the mixer down to slow speed and beat in the vanilla extract, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt until well mixed. Add half the flour, then all the milk, and finish with the remaining flour. Mix well until everything is well combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tins and smooth over with a palette knife. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Leave the cakes to cool slightly in the tins before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Whisk the cream and vanilla paste and icing sugar (if using) until peaks form when the whisk is lifted.
When the cakes are cold put one cake on a cake stand and spread a layer of jam then half of the finely chopped strawberries then about one-third of the cream over it with a palette knife. Place a second cake on top and and repeat. Top with the last cake and spread the remaining cream over the top and decorate with your chosen berries.
Enjoy!
CHAIR YOGA CLASS
Experience the many benefits of breath and movement whilst comfortably sitting in a chair.
We urgently require your broken and unwanted gold, jewellery and antiques.
Any amount, any condition- top CASH prices paid!
WANTED gold - silver - jewellery of all kinds medals (any militaria) - cuff links - studs - tie pins pocket watches - wrist watches antiques - moorcroft - clarice cliff - old postcards
Please call in to see us. Monday - Saturday 10am-6pm. Alternatively, call to arrange a home appointment TELEPHONE: 023 9255 3428 MOBILE: 07767 304495 WANTED - rolex, breitling, omega etc
Wall germander, Teucrium chamaedrys, is classed as a tiny shrub; it normally grows to no more than 20 cms (8 inches) high and can spread to be a good ground cover. Or it can be cut into a very low, neat hedge. This is the aim for its use in Crescent garden. You will find it fairly newly planted, bordering the western Repton basket, which is full of rose bushes. T. chamaedrys also surrounds the new mulberry tree, just inside the eastern central gate. The specific name, chamaedrys, comes from the Greek meaning ‘gift of the ground’, and it was used by the ancient Greeks to treat coughs and asthma. In more modern times it has been a common ingredient of tonic wines sold in health food shops because of its medicinal
effect on the digestion. Recently, however, it was discovered to be toxic and has been banned in France since 1992 and in USA in 2017. It has even been suggested that it should be handled wearing gloves as it can cause skin irritation.
It is a member of the family Lamiaceae) sometimes called the Labiateae), which includes mint, rosemary, thyme, lavender and salvias. Like most of the rest of the family, Teucrium has a square stem and aromatic leaves and flowers. Also like other members of the Labiaceae, wall germander has a bilaterally symmetrical flower with petals fused into a small upper and large lower lip - hence the name of the family, as labia is the Latin for lip.
Wall Germander is native to the Mediterranean area, being found growing wild in Southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, as far as Iran. It prefers to grow in full sun, but will tolerate some shade. Its natural habitat is dry grassland, so it grows well in this country in sandy, free draining soil and in rockeries. It has frilly edged dark green leaves, which are slightly hairy on the back. The flowers are pale purple and appear in late summer. They are very attractive to bees.
So a good plant to grow in your garden if we are going to continue with dry summers. But make sure the soil is free draining so that the plant can cope with any very wet winters.
Ideal for front gardens as statement pieces, or for smaller rear gardens where you want the sound of water without the footprint that a pond requires. There are a multitude of fountain designs to choose from and the configurations are endless. These are also really good for attracting birds to drink and wash.
ECOSYSTEM POND
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Ideal for people wanting to enjoy it as a fishpond, and/or to use it as a recreation pond if the space allows, where your family sit and relax in the summer, but still enjoy the visual of a beautiful natural looking pond all year round. This is the oppos swimming pool which remains a covered over rectangle for most of the year with our English weather! Using the Ecosystem basis for natural chemical free filtration, underwater jets and larger wetland filtration systems can be incorporated to ensure and circulation. Waterfalls, streams and decorative fountainscape elements can be incorporated into the pond to suit your s ultimate outdoor living lifestyle.
I can also create and incorporate Rainwater Harvesting systems to use with any of the water features mentioned. All ponds and water features will periodically lose water due to evaporation, splash and wind. Manual top up is the simplest solution but requires regular checking for levels. Creating an underground water reservoir from collected rainwater for your feature to draw upon is the most environmentally friendly way
Contact Craig to arrange a consultation and design visit: 07787 562490
All other landscaping, pond cleaning and garden maintenance also carried out.
LESS WATERFALL
people wanting the impressive visual and sound of a waterfall am, but without the want for fish or pond maintenance. Using n water reservoir to give the illusion of disappearing water, the then pumped back up to the start of the waterfall to recirculate.
All water features can be enhanced with lighting to ensure 24 hour enjoyment of them.
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ALVERSTOKE
MICHAELMAS FAYRE
The Michaelmas Fayre returns to Alverstoke Gosport Rotary Club is delighted to announce the return of the much-loved Michaelmas Fayre, now in its 34th year, taking place in Alverstoke village on Saturday 27th September from 11am to 4pm.
The Fayre has become one of Gosport’s most popular annual events, attracting thousands of visitors each year to enjoy a traffic-free Alverstoke filled with music, colour, and community spirit. In 2024, the event raised more than £20,000 for local good causes, with donations supporting the Mayor of Gosport’s Charity Appeal, Alverstoke Parish Centre, and Gosport Rotary Club.
This year promises another fantastic line-up, with entertainment from the Big Noise Samba Band, HMS Sultan Volunteer Band, the New Thorngate Singers, and the Harry Strutters Jazz Quartet. Families can also enjoy Walls’ Funfair, the ever-popular Kiddies’ 10p Messy Fete, and
over 150 stalls, many hosted by local charities, community groups, and businesses.
The festivities will continue into the evening with a community concert at St Mary’s Church from 7pm, featuring ‘Not the Last Night of the Proms’ – a joyful evening of music and song to round off the celebrations.
Michaelmas Fayres are a tradition dating back to medieval times, often called “Goose Fairs” during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. In Alverstoke, the Fayre brings together centuries of history with the vibrancy of a modern community celebration, ensuring a memorable day for all ages.
As part of the event, Gosport Rotary Club is seeking donations of themed hampers valued at £20 or £30 for its fund-raising stall. Any businesses or individuals willing to support this effort are encouraged to contact Dave King on 07918 838680 or email peekay63@hotmail.co.uk
For more details: www.gosportrotary.co.uk
OUT & ABOUT WITH GOSPORT ROAD RUNNERS
Running an off-road marathon of 26 miles from Salisbury to Winchester on your own is a tough challenge and is not for everyone. In recent years Gosport Road Runners have entered relay teams of four to cover the distance, making it possible for some of our members who wouldn’t wish to tackle this event on their own to thoroughly enjoy some beautiful countryside with their fellow club members. Here is Gill’s story, the organiser of our relay teams.
THE FUN OF RUNNING IN A RELAY TEAM
In 2022 I was persuaded by my friends Penny and Vicki to join them in a Clarendon relay team. Of course, they played the classic newbie trick on me of allocating me leg 3 (the hardest leg) but despite that, and after I had peeled myself off the ground at the top of Farley Mount, I was hooked. As a keen crosscountry runner and lover of the countryside it’s the most lovely race and it’s very enjoyable dashing from point to point to cheer in your fellow team mates at each handover.
I run with Gosport Road Runners. They are a game bunch, quite a few had done the full or half marathon in the past and I wondered if a few club members would be interested in making up a relay team (a quarter marathon each). For 2023 we got a great response and booked 3 teams.
Logistics, team spirit, as well as the challenge and the beauty of the course all added to the success and enjoyment of the day. We had such a good time we returned with 3 more teams in 2024 and word must have spread as we have 5 teams entered for the 2025 race as well as at least 2 ladies, Yvette and Miranda, doing the full marathon.
This is a very challenging, but well-organised and friendly race with a welcoming atmosphere. A marathon relay is a really good club event which engenders co-operation, teamwork and support as well as challenge and enjoyment. These are core values of Gosport Road Runners, which is a very inclusive and supportive club, so the Clarendon Marathon relay is now well established in our club diary. Please give a cheer to guys in the yellow Gosport vests as they go past!
Gill
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR SEPTEMBER:
Tuesday 2nd 18:45 - Monthly Time Trial (5km) at Stokes Bay.
Thursday 11th 18:20 - England Athletic Coach session for all abilities.
If you would like to know more about our club and all our activities, please refer to our website gosportroadrunners.org.uk
Clarendon Relay Team 2024
W L S
Do you have important legal documents in place to protect your interests and make life easier for you and your family, whatever the future brings?
If you have received a diagnosis of dementia, or are concerned about becoming ill and unable to cope with paying your bills, wouldn’t it be helpful for a family member to be able to step in and deal with your finances? If your family member needed to make decisions for you, instead of just acting on your instructions, they would need your formal written authority to do this.
Formal authority can be given by creating a Lasting Power of Attorney. This document will allow your family member to take over managing your money, either temporarily or long term.
You can also create a Lasting Power of Attorney which allows your family member to make decisions for you about medical treatment, if you are unable for any reason to make your own decisions. This is not the same as an Advance Decision, which is a document which sets out your decision to refuse medical treatment in the future, under specific conditions.
If you are caring for an elderly relative, or are likely to be doing so in the future, a Lasting Power of Attorney will mean that you can provide the support your relative needs and access services on their behalf, without the difficulties, stress and resistance you would otherwise encounter.
Having a Will gives you peace of mind that your money, property and personal possessions will be going to the people you have chosen to benefit. An out of date Will can cause problems within the family or mean that a chosen beneficiary receives nothing.
If you have any unanswered questions about Wills or Lasting Powers of Attorney, Christine will be pleased to help, so do please get in touch for a free, no obligation, chat.
Call Christine Davies Solicitor on 07860 772274 or email: christine@winterbornelegal.co.uk
Christine is a Fully Accredited Member of Solicitors for the Elderly and a Dementia Friend. Christine will visit you in your own home and aims to provide a warm personal touch to every meeting.
Christine Davies Solicitor
IN THE GARDEN
• Start planting your spring bulbs
• Keep deadheading and weeding
• Collect & store seed from perennials/annuals
• Deadhead dahlias
• Prune climb/rambling roses after flowering
• Lift, divide and replant congested perennials
GREENHOUSE & PLOT
• Bean and pea plants that have finished their harvest can be cut back
• Sow spring onions, Swiss chard, radish, salad leaves, herbs, winter spinach, broad beans, kale and hardy peas.
• Cut back fruited summer raspberry canes
• Plant shallot and onion sets in a sunny spot
• Lift maincrop potatoes
HOUSE PLANTS
• Feed house plants once a week
• Repot house plants that are pot bound
• Clean your plants, wipe over the leaves or hose them down outside or in the shower.
REVERSE PARK
FRIENDS OF STOKES BAY LITTER PICK
13th September 10am. Meet by the Splash Pool. Friends of Stokes Bay are joined by the Final Straw group. All equipment provided. www.friendsofstokesbay.co.uk
SHORE LEAVE HASLAR MEMORIAL
GARDEN OPEN DAY
Haslar Road, Gosport. Weds 10th September 11am1pm. Free entry, donations gratefully accepted. Crafts, plants, produce for sale. Homemade cake and drinks. Walk around the peaceful garden. Please park in main Haslar site. Free entry. Donations gratefully received.
FRIENDS OF STANLEY PARK LITTER PICK
Litter pick first Sunday of the month 10-11am
Meet in The Alverbank Hotel car park. We provide pickers, bags, gloves and smiles!
CATS PROTECTION -SEPTEMBER
20th Sept 1-5pm at Leesland Parkfest. 27th Sept 11am-4pm at Alverstoke Michaelmas Fayre. Cat-themed merchandise, nearly new goods, jigsaws and craft items for sale.
THE FRIENDS OF ST MARK’S CHURCHYARD
St Mark’s Road, Alverstoke, Gosport
After a very warm and pleasant Spring, the summer is now in full swing, with more warm, and even hot, days allowing the flowers and plants to blossom in a riotous frenzy of colour. Our work focuses now on preparing for the Gosport Heritage Open Days which start on Friday 12 September. There are 10 guided tours arranged altogether over the Heritage Open Days period, each guided either by our resident expert guides Penny Harris or Paula Ashby. Make sure you sign up for a tour soon –places are limited and are much in demand. gosportheritage.co.uk
We hope you will find time to visit the churchyard during the next few weeks while the weather remains so benign and before autumn begins, as it is still a haven of tranquillity. You will always be most welcome. And don’t forget we are always looking for more volunteers to join us on Thursday mornings between 10am and 12noon to carry on the work that Roy Harris and Toby StreatfeildJames started 22 years ago.
GOSPORT
HERITAGE OPEN DAYS
12th – 21st Sept Various locations. 70+ free events This year features over 30 new, walks, talks and exhibitions coming to Gosport for residents and visitors to enjoy. Some feature this year’s architecture themesuch as a guided walks, a photography exhibition and visits to Gosport’s forts and Haslar Hospital. See hidden places and try out new experiences locally. For full event details and to book go to gosportheritage.co.uk
LOVE SINGING BUT THINK YOU CAN'T?
16th September - 21st October 7-8.15pm
Methodist Hall Kings Rd Fareham PO16 0NU
Come to our FREE vocal harmony course for women's voices. All abilities.
LE CERCLE FRANÇAIS DE GOSPORT
Thursday 11th September Court Barn Conservative Club – Court Barn Lane, Broom Way, Lee on Solent
This year's programme starts with "La Rentrée". It is in the usual form of a “Buffet Campagnard” - a 'bring and share supper'. New members welcome – telephone Martin Lazell on 01329 314750 for more details.
QUIZ WITH PLOUGHMAN’S SUPPER
6th September Doors 6.45pm start 7.30pm
Alverstoke Parish Centre
Tickets £12.50 from Alverstoke Post Office and Queens Parade News – includes supper but BYO glasses & drinks
CROFTON PROBUS CLUB
Meet monthly for lunch at Lee-on-the-Solent Golf Club. Are you a gentleman retired from a wide range of industries and professions and missing social contact? We may be the social outlet for you. Come along to a trial meeting before joining. New members welcome. Info 01329600837 email mortonsue.dupreez@gmail.com
MENOPAUSE TOGETHER GOSPORT
Every first Saturday of the month 10am-12noon Methodist Church, Soke Road, Gosport & Every third Wednesday of the month 6-7.30pm at Lee Hub 14 High St, Lee-on-the-Solent PO13 9BZ
A local support group for others struggling with this journey of menopause. Find our group and page on Facebook - Menopause Together Gosport
With 3 sites in the local area, all of our Garages are high ranking members of ‘The Good Garage Scheme’ and ‘Checkatrade’. Our Garages provide onsite MOT testing. Mon - Fri: 8.30 - 5.30 Sat: 8.30 - 12.30
MOTs | Servicing | Repairs All Makes and Models catered for.
0333 3585 999
Solent Airport MOTs, Unit il1-3, Illustrious Daedalus Park, Daedalus Drive, Lee on the Solent PO13 9FX (Stubbington Motors is now at Solent Airport MOTS) Elkins Motors, 99b Mays Lane, Stubbington PO14 2ED Locks Heath Garage, 212 Hunts Pond Road, Locks Heath PO14 4PG
COLLECTION & DELIVERY SERVICE
HVR CUSTOMS
Specialists in VW’s, we also cover many other makes and models in the full or part conversion of camper vans, kombi vans and caddy’s. We manufacture and design custom built camper interiors for Volkswagens and other makes.
Full & Part Conversions
VW Transporters, Campers, Kombi’s and Caddy’s
0333 3585 999 (Option 3)
HVR Customs, Unit il3-4, Illustrious Daedalus Park, Daedalus Drive, Lee on the Solent PO13 9FX
CARS AND VANS ALWAYS IN STOCK FOR SALE!
Specialising in transporters and small low mileage cars. (The cars are ideal for first time drivers.)
THE FRIENDS OF ST MARK’S CHURCHYARD LATEST NEWS
SUMMER ACTIVITIES
After a very warm and pleasant Spring, the summer is now in full swing, with more warm, and even hot, days allowing the flowers and plants to blossom in a riotous frenzy of colour.
In mid-June, and following on from our two previous successful Open Days, this year’s was deemed a resounding success, with twice as many visitors as last year. The Mayor of Gosport, Cllr Kirsten Bradley and her consort was our official visitors from the Town Hall. We were also fortunate to welcome our MP Caroline Dinenage and councillors Kevin Casey, Zoe Huggins, Philip Raffaelli and Alan Scard, all of whom expressed their delight at having the opportunity to support our work. We received a very generous amount in donations during the afternoon from our many visitors, Roy’s book was as popular as ever and the ladies on the tea & cakes stall were working flat out. The dozens of visitors coming to see the churchyard and to admire the hard work the volunteers have put in to make it look so
beautiful thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to sit in the warm sunshine and absorb the peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. Our profits were up 100% on last year – a great result, for which many thanks to all of those who attended.
You will not need reminding that we are entirely dependent on donations to keep the maintenance of the churchyard going and it is therefore a great comfort to know that, as a result of the day’s takings, we can continue to do so for another year.
COMPETITIONS
The ‘Gosport in Bloom’ and ‘South East in Bloom’ judges have been to assess the churchyard. We hope to win another Gold Award again from S&SE in Bloom. It turns out that, last year, we had not submitted an entry into ‘Gosport in Bloom’ and therefore didn’t feature in the prizes. We’re hopeful we will feature this year……
Meanwhile, in order to avoid any confusion in the natural world and for those animals that frequent the churchyard, we have now put up an appropriate sign on Howard’s ‘hedgehog house’.
AN OCCASIONAL ACCOUNT OF SOME OF OUR INCUMBENTS
Our dedicated team of researchers’ ongoing work continues to yield new details for individual graves, as we work towards an updated edition of our current book (available from the Friends or in Alverstoke Post Office), which is an exciting prospect for the Friends of St Mark’s. Another sample is included below:
Grave 3 – Cyril Charles Ogilvy van Lennep [1870 – 1959]
Cyril was born in Turkey, into a very large family of Dutch merchants and tobacco farmers, which had lived in the Smyrna region of Turkey since 1730s. Cyril’s father was a Consular Representative for Sweden and Norway in Turkey, but after his mother died of tuberculosis there, when he was very young, he was subsequently educated in England, living with his mother’s sister. In 1891 he applied for British Naturalisation, stating that he was a Bank Clerk.
He returned to Turkey to help his older halfbrother with the farm, but came back to England in 1898 and married Ella Theresa Grunning in 1902. From 1905 until 1920 he was Managing Director of Estate Company Limited and wrote several theological treatises. During WW1, he was a special constable in London. He came to live in Alverstoke in 1946..
When Cyril died in 1959, he was living in The Anglesey Hotel, although he actually died at the Thalassa Nursing Home in Western Way. His funeral took place at St Mary’s church, Alverstoke.
UNMARKED BURIALS IDENTIFIED IN SEXTON’S RECORDS
As we reported in the Spring Newsletter 44, according to the sexton’s records held with the parish archives in Winchester, there were more
than 40 burials that took place in St Mark’s that were not marked at the time. There were a significant number of burials listed for whom there was no visible trace, merely a handwritten description of where they were buried in relation to those graves that already existed. Following the extensive research undertaken over time, their approximate locations have been identified and are now marked with a series of numbered discs corresponding to the records. Some locations are easily identified, because of the obvious space between marked graves, whilst others are only very approximate and have been laid out merely to indicate the rough area where the burials were made. Copies of these records are in the Register at the gate.
VISITORS’ COMMENTS
More lovely comments have been left in our Visitors’ Comments book:
GOSPORT HERITAGE OPEN DAYS
Our work focuses now on preparing for the Gosport Heritage Open Days which start on Friday 12 September. There are 10 guided tours arranged altogether over the Heritage Open Days period, each guided either by our resident expert guides Penny Harris or Paula Ashby. Make sure you sign up for a tour soon – places are limited and are much in demand.
We hope you will find time to visit the churchyard during the next few weeks while the weather remains so benign and before autumn begins, as it is still a haven of tranquillity. You will always be most welcome. And don’t forget we are always looking for more volunteers to join us on Thursday mornings between 10 am and 12 noon to carry on the work that Roy Harris and Toby Streatfeild-James started 22 years ago.
St Mark’s Churchyard, St Mark’s Road, Alverstoke, Gosport.
LIME (LINDEN) FLOWERS
(TILIA CORDATA):
NATURE’S BENEVOLENT & CALMING PROTECTOR
There is an abundance of lime (linden) trees in our local area, recognisable by their deep green, sort of heart-shaped leaves with toothed margins. The leaves appear around April time, and heavily scented, sweet, creamy-white flowers arrive mid-summer. It is these dried flowers that I regularly include in my medicinal teas. Found freely available across Europe in countries such as Spain, France and Germany by the name of lime flower, lime blossom, linden, tilia and tilleulle, the tea has a long traditional history of use for combatting fevers and as a relaxing nervine. Lime flowers contain a range of medicinal compounds such as volatile oils, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, phenolic acids and polysaccharides which result in a range of medicinal uses. Lime flowers are relaxing, calming, and antispasmodic thereby helping to relieve nervous tension, reduce anxiety and aid sleep. These calming and antispasmodic effects mean they are also an excellent circulatory nervine, indeed I have prescribed lime flowers for patients with high blood pressure as they help to reduce tension in the cardiovascular system, and are also a
gentle diuretic. I have also used them to address palpitations, migraines/headache and varicose veins. They also have a gentle diaphoretic action (induces sweating) which is particularly useful when combatting a fever, cough, colds and catarrh by helping to reduce body temperature and enhance peripheral circulation. Lime flowers are often prepared as a tea to be drunk hot or cold, but they can also be infused as bathing herbs that can be used with young children and in pregnancy. Lime flower footbaths are a lovely relaxing way of experiencing this beautiful plant, just make a strong infusion of the dried or fresh flower and soak your feet!
Below is a recipe for a restorative rice pudding from the famous British herbalists Hedley and Shaw to help with convalescence and to restore digestion after illness:
1 cup short grain rice
4 cups of milk, nut milk or soya milk
1 cup of whole linden flowers, fresh or dried 1-2 crushed cardamon pods or a pinch of nutmeg
A little grated lemon or orange rind
Simmer the flowers in the milk for 5 minutes, strain. Add the flavoured milk, spices and rind to the rice. Cook on a low oven for 1 hour.
Serve with honey or fruit preserve.
(Plant Medicine: A collection of the teachings of the herbalist Christopher Hedley and Non Shaw, edited by Guy Waddell).
Nb. While tilia is a gentle herb, please consult a qualified medical herbalist before internal use (especially with the tincture and if you are taking other medications) and for use with children and babies.
Louise Courtney wildsidehealth.co.uk
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