Home sweet home and with healing plants, home with a sweet healing garden. I am not a good gardener, many of my plants commit suicide, but I try and my garden more or less looks nice.

Besides beautiful plants, our garden can also have healing plants. The two plants I will recommend you today are so easy to grow indoors and outdoors and they are so sturdy that even I can grow them successfully.

Properties aloe vera

Those plants are aloe vera and Melissa or lemon balm. You probably know aloe very well, it is a powerhouse when it comes to healing. And Melissa or lemon balm is very soothing. Let me tell you more about each one of them and why it is a good idea to have them at home.

1- Aloe Vera

Aloe is one of those plants that we can write books about. You can cut a little part from a leaf and use its meaty center or gel to:

  • Aloe juice. It promotes good digestion, soothes the stomach and digestive tract and it can help with constipation (if used with the yellow substance).
  • Burns and wounds. Aloe gel appears to accelerate wound healing. Aloe is used directly on the skin for burns and irritations. It refreshes the skin and helps to control burning sensations and inflammation. It also promotes skin reparation.
  • Aloe has antibacterial properties.
  • Some people think that it reduces dental plaque. The diluted juice can be used as a mouthwash.

Aloe in skin care.

  • Aloe is fantastic to soothe the skin and prevent inflammation.
  • It helps to eliminate, improve or prevent discoloration and dark spots. It is especially good for melasma. It has to be used directly from the plant every day for at least a couple of months. It takes effort, but I have seen it work great.
  • It may help to treat acne. Because of its soothing effects, it can also help treat the inflammation and irritation caused by acne medicines.
  • It may help treat Psoriasis and reduces redness and itching.

Growing aloe

Aloe normally is bought as a small plant and it can grow substantially if you plant it directly in the garden. If planted in a pot, the growth is proportional to the size of the pot. I keep it in a small pot; my sister lives in warmer weather and she has big plants in the garden. It is a nice looking plant that requires little care.

Warnings

If you use aloe in moderation, there are no side effects; however larger amounts taken orally may interfere with some medicines, so check with your doctor before deciding to take it internally frequently.

How to use your garden’s aloe?

Cut a leaf or a piece of the leaf. Make a few incisions in the leaf. Place it vertically for at least an hour. The plant has 3 parts, the outside, the gel and a yellow liquid. By placing vertically we are eliminating the yellow liquid which has latex and can cause allergies, irritation and loose motions if taken internally.

You can use the gel directly on the skin or use it in smoothies for other effects.

properties lemon balm or melissa

2- Melissa or lemon balm

Melissa or lemon balm is a type of mint. It is very easy to grow from seed and it is mainly used as a calming sedative tea. The plant can be invasive so it is better to plant it in a pot.

Melissa’s leaves are used to make an infusion. The flowers can also be used. The essential oil is very expensive because the plant does not have a lot of it and it is difficult to extract.

Some properties of Melissa or lemon balm

  • It is used for anxiety and depression
  • It can be used for tension-caused headaches
  • It helps to sleep better
  • It promotes happiness
  • The tea is used for colds and flu.
  • The essential oil is believed to lower triglycerides
  • It can help eliminate candida.
  • Some people use it to control ADHD in children

How to use your garden’s lemon balm?

To make the tea, just heat water to a boil and place some clean leaves in a cup and add the water. With a mortar or the back of a spoon, press the leaves, so they can release the essential oil. Let the water sit for about 10 minutes and the tea is ready to drink. You can add a sweetener if you want.

Warning

Lemon balm tea is safe to use, but in larger amounts, especially in the essential oil form, this plant may interfere with thyroid function, so if you suffer from hypothyroidism, avoid to use it in larger amounts. In larger amounts it may also interferer with hormone replacement therapy medications.

Do you have any healing in your garden?