We planted our deck last night! Lavender, parsley, sage, tarragon, curry, summer savory, basil, mint cumin, lemongrass, oregano, cilantro, thyme, dagga, and catnip for the kitties to get high on.
Did you know that lavender can be really helpful for restful sleep? A monoterpene called Linalool is thought to cause these effects. And, yes terpenes are the same class of compounds that give cannabis it's flavor and aroma too.
I've been experimenting with using diffused lavender essential oil at night for the past few months and have been pretty impressed. I've used it previously with a few coaching clients to help them address sleep issues before and for some people its very helpful. Traditionally lavender oil also been used as a spot treatment for wounds, burns, and insect stings as it has some antibacterial properties, as well as anti-anxiety and muscle relaxant properties.
For the nerds, the most recent research points towards linalool exerting it’s effects by binding directly to NMDA receptors and also the serotonin transporter SERT. It was previously thought to act on the GABA system directly but this experimentally seems not to be the case. (Reference: PMC5437114)
Regardless of the neurochemistry, I love lavender and look forward to having this plant ally around this year along with all these other tasty herbal friends.
What are your favorite kitchen herbs to grow? Anything I'm missing?