Welcome to the Garden
The pharmacy is located in a small city at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. My challenges are high altitude, lack of rainfall, spring snowfall, a short growing season, and urban pesticide use. Our small lot has mature fruit trees, berry bushes, and a vegetable garden. Over 40 different healing herb species take up the majority of the garden beds. In June I offer a tour to the community and use the garden to teach classes to all ages during the summer months. It is a great place for relaxation and restoration for those facing health challenges. I gift small batch herbal remedies to my community and provide energy healings. Due to recent events in 2020 I now run an on-line parent/child study group to support the passing on of knowledge related to traditional and plant healing. I am passionate about making sure that all people, especially future generations, have access to affordable health options in the form of backyard pharmacies. I am a real world herbalist with scars, gray hair and other “markings” from experiencing a long life. No fantasies here.

The content on this blog is for educational purposes only. Please consult a botanist or field guide for accurate identification of any plant. Ask your doctor or health care provider if herbal medicine is the right match for you. This is especially important if you are pregnant, nursing, elderly, caring for a child, taking prescription medication, or have certain health conditions. This educational information is not meant to be diagnosis, treatment, or advice for medical issues. All photographs and written content on the Blackbird’s Backyard Pharmacy blog is copyrighted (2020). You are welcome to share a link but please do not copy/use any of the content without my written permission.
SKULLCAP, Milky Oat Tops and Hops Tincture
These herbs make a lovely trio for life in modern times. This tincture is the first thing I reach for when someone is experiencing trauma, grief, stress, or insomnia. Each alone is a mild nervine or sedative. My daughter and I have both found this combination very useful for her first year in public high…
Drumming Salve ( ARNICA)
My husband and I started taking a djembe drumming class a few months ago. It has helped us to feel less isolated and meet people over the age of 45. Our teacher is great fun and so creative. I can’t leave the circle without having experienced lots of laughter. We are now advanced beginners and…
Cacao Ceremony (dandelion)
Ritual and connection are important nourishment for the human spirit. I was torn on which title to choose for this blog post. I am not trained in the ceremonial use of cacao. When I use this plant in a sacred way, I am doing so in the spirit of a Japanese tea ceremony. Cacao is…