PLANT DISCOVERY!!!

Well, this is my first horticulture blog. I am really enjoying learning all the characteristics of plants, their leaves and their flowers. I am a little worried about remembering all the Latin names but I'm sure that will come in time. I felt the same way about the French terms in culinary school and now they seem simple. I look forward to exploring the plant database when I have more time and for projects in class, and also borrowing or buying some books on the subject. I attended a workshop today in Vancouver about edible and medicinal plants in the area. I was happy to learn that many plants considered weeds are extremely beneficial. I am most interested in learning about plants that have a use for humans, such as food, medicine, or materials.
 I have always, for my adult life, been interested in everything that is sustainable, environmental and animal friendly. I thought originally that I would make a difference by going into political science and international development in university when I was 19, that was definitely not for me. Then I ended up working in a kitchen with plans to open a restaurant that was vegan, gluten free and anything else friendly with a garden in the back to supply as much of our own produce as possible. After graduating from culinary school and seeing the limited potential in the industry to ever make enough money to finance such a thing, and helping my parent plant a HUGE garden up in Hay River NWT, I thought I should take the final step in my education and take horticulture. (And suddenly I've managed to ramble on about myself for a whole paragraph).
Back to plants, I walk 40mins along the Nickomekl river trails every day before and after school and find myself picking out plants characteristics, leaf venetian, attachment, trying to figure out what they are, if they flower or produce fruit and if I can eat it!
I herd today about a book called The Boreal Herbal which sounds quite interesting, taking plants from the region from Yukon to BC, and other forested areas in Canada, and explaining their seasonal life and what they can do for you in each season. Here's some we found today:

Echinacea purpurea "Echinacea"

Gaultheria shallon "Salal berry"

Salix bababylon var. pekInensis 'Tortuous'  "Corkscrew Willow"

Rudbeckia hirta, "Black eyed Susan"

 

 

If I were to compare myself to Menzies, or any explorer from long ago, I would have to say I definitely have a love of exploring new places and finding out the differences between where I was before and where I am now. However I probably am not as gutsy as they were. Although I explored Europe alone, years ago, I had trains and hostels and guaranteed food. I can't begin to imagine what it would be like to travel for months to a place where you really have no idea what to expect. That, is truly amazing. I will take into account the ways he identified plants and try to use them to my advantage in this course.

 

All for now!