Aconite, or Herb Farm Heaven

Ah, a world where you have to label your Aconite toxic. People just don’t read enough anymore.

After work on Monday I caught the 234 Kenmore and road up towards Bastyr University. Stopped for coffee (I really need to stop this coffee fixation…its Seattle working on me. Next week, it’s nothing but PG Tips for me. I promise.) And then rode on in.

Bastyr is right in (or right next to?) Saint Edward State Park. It is a lovely location, up on a hill, loaded with trees. I spotted the garden as I rode my bike into the parking lot. It’s really very amazing. I have not found many good pictures, so I’ll borrow a camera & take some pictures. I saw a good many plants I had never seen before, and a bunch I’d seen but didn’t know what they were. The aconite with it's warning note was in a greenhouse with the Garlic bulbs laid out for planting (I assume, it’s pretty much the season) or perhaps for battle with the vampires & werewolves that always come round in the fall.

I don’t have a good way to describe the place- I need pictures, or to become a much better writer. There are Buddhist elements, some Northern Pagan elements, and a couple of structures with chairs & wooden couches where one could study out of the rain. I will certainly be spending more time there. What I'd really like is to build another gazebo there, with walls...so really a hogan- and live there.

I caught another bus- the route out there was long and severely hilly, wasn’t quite sure what I was getting into- and ended up talking with a woman who is in the masters program there, for herbalism, if I remember right. We talked a bit about the attraction of farming, and I tried to give her support for going car-free. We got off at Bothell Way.

I rode home via the Burke Gilman which took about an hour and a quarter, with a near-full moon at my left over the lake. The lake must have been stunning before all the houses. Good people, a great ride, and a wonderful garden. Thanks to Brooke for recommending it, James (I think it was James!) for the talk at the garden, and Page for the talk on the bus…