top of page
Welcome!
Whether you are a gardener, an Outlander fan, a West Seattle resident, or someone tuning in for the latest episode of Sound Transit and West Seattle Bridge drama, I hope you find something useful here.
Blog Posts
Cascara Might Not Kill You, But...
You may remember this exchange between Master Raymond and Claire at his apothecary shop, in which he explains his clever solution for the pr
Marie McKinsey
May 1, 20163 min read
1,611 views
0 comments
It's All About YEW
Besides this scene in DIA, yews have another Outlander connection: the European yew is the plant badge of the Clan Fraser. It is said that m
Marie McKinsey
Sep 18, 20153 min read
70 views
0 comments
This Bud's For You - Cannabis
So what IS the difference between hemp and ganja (or marijuana)?
Botanically, they are the same plant. Both are cultivars of Cannabis sativ
Marie McKinsey
Apr 25, 20155 min read
58 views
0 comments
Black Hellebores and A Little Girl's Tears
I love hellebores. I have been growing them for years. They are highly prized in the gardening community for their exotic flowers and the fa
Marie McKinsey
Jan 24, 20154 min read
444 views
0 comments
Barley the Beverage Grain: beer, wine and whisky
Two of the goals of the ancient alchemists were: 1) to turn common metals into gold, and 2) to create an "elixir of life, that would confer
Marie McKinsey
Oct 5, 20148 min read
133 views
0 comments
Rowan: The Druid's Tree
Rowan, or "Luis" in Gaelic, is both a tree and the name of the second character in the Celtic Ogham Tree Alphabet.
Marie McKinsey
Sep 16, 20144 min read
73 views
0 comments
Heathers & Heaths
Next to the thistle, heather is probably the plant most associated with Scotland. Much of the color in the moorland landscape is from the fl
Marie McKinsey
Sep 6, 20145 min read
64 views
2 comments
Right Plants, Wrong Season?
One of the differences between Outlander - the Book and Outlander - the TV series is the time of year the story begins. In the book, Claire
Marie McKinsey
Aug 28, 20144 min read
50 views
0 comments
A Druid's Herbal
I have always been curious about the Druids. Much of what is "known" about them is mere speculation because their most sacred rituals and
Marie McKinsey
Aug 24, 20143 min read
103 views
0 comments
Meet the Family: The Mints
Updated 12/11/22 Originally posted 7/28/14 Here's a question for you, Outlander Gardeners: What do mint, rosemary, oregano, lemon...
Marie McKinsey
Jul 28, 20146 min read
3,820 views
0 comments
Bee Is for Borage
it is likely that an 18th century herbalist would make a tea from the dried leaves as a remedy for depression or to relieve menopausal disco
Marie McKinsey
Jun 19, 20142 min read
31 views
0 comments
In Praise of Laudanum
Claire wanted the laudanum to sedate Jamie while she treated his badly damaged hand. In the event, he insisted on substituting whiskey for t
Marie McKinsey
May 26, 20142 min read
60 views
0 comments
Lavender Blues
As Tom Robbins, another of my favorite authors, says in his novel, JITTERBUG PERFUME, "with immediacy and intensity, smell activates the me
Marie McKinsey
Apr 18, 20143 min read
31 views
0 comments
Garlic - a Food, a Medicine, an Aphrodisiac?!
Claire might not have known how to grow garlic before Mrs. FitzGibbons handed her that basket of cloves and a digging stick, but she was und
Marie McKinsey
Apr 11, 20143 min read
61 views
0 comments
Stinging Nettles
If you've ever encountered a stinging nettle, you have no trouble understanding how being flogged with a bunch of them would be an effective
Marie McKinsey
Apr 5, 20143 min read
174 views
0 comments
Preventing Scurvy with Watercress
" 'What are you doing, Mr. Fraser?' Grey asked, in some bewilderment. Fraser looked up, mildly surprised, but not embarrassed in the...
Marie McKinsey
Mar 30, 20142 min read
48 views
0 comments
Is This a Weed?
Horsetail and henbit and shot weed, oh my! Nettles that sting, geraniums gone wild, and "dandy" lions - these are a few of the plants referr
Marie McKinsey
Apr 22, 20113 min read
23 views
0 comments
bottom of page