Give Herbs for Comfort and Cheer

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For all their clean efficiency, hospitals aren’t the most cheerful places to be.

When I endured a nine-month hospital stay a few years ago, I desperately missed my family and friends, my home and my garden. So far from everything I loved, it was hard to keep my spirits up as I fought to get well.

Noises, light and unpleasant odors grated on my nerves day and night. Pumped full of antibiotics, I didn’t want to inflict sleeping pills on my poor body.

That’s when I turned to sweet-smelling herbs for solace. My mother had given me a small, lavender aromatherapy kit before I became ill. In the hospital, I used the spray to scent the air and my sheets and pillow. On  sleepless nights, I rubbed lavender lotion on my wrists and temples. Then my weary mind could drift off to flowering fields and escape the institutional setting for a time.

As I recovered, my husband brought me snips of fragrant rosemary and crisp lemon geranium. A bunch of thyme from a friend went into a bag in my drawer. I happily added bits of fresh parsley and basil from my garden to hospital food.

During my long convalescent stay, the slips of scented geranium took root in their vase, and I potted them up for my windowsill. A plastic pot, coffee can of soil mix and pebbles for crocking were supplied by my devoted husband. We did the messy work on the hospital patio. For a brief time, I forgot my situation as I happily focused on soil, root and leaves.

The beautiful flowers sent by my friends were lovely to look at — but it was my herbs that brought me peace and pleasure.
If you have a friend or family member in a hospital or nursing home, think of herbs as a starting point for gifts. (Do not provide herbal medicines without consulting the attending physician; some interact negatively with pharmaceuticals.)

Herbal bouquets, room sprays, sachets, teas and other goodies make practical and pretty presents. They’re unusual, easy to handle, small in size, and can benefit your loved one’s emotional and physical health. Choose from ready-made preparations or bring something from your own garden. Here are a few ideas to work with.

Herbs to comfort mind and body

The entire herb garden has something to offer ill or frail friends. However, some herbs are easier to obtain and have more varied uses than others. You can grow most of those listed here yourself, or buy them dried or as essential oils. Look for them, too, in commercial lotions, soaps, sachets and room sprays. Try to find products that use real plant oils, rather than artificial substitutes.

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