Plant Camp Mondays

I plan to use my Monday blogs for introducing some of the plants here on the homestead. This will help me do more homework on the plants that I grow, their meaning and uses. Theres plenty to learn. I’ll add the botanical names as well, add some recipes and tips on using herbs in lotions , teas and other wonderful info.


Theres a fine line between herbs and veggies and other types of plants so I’ll be including all my plants that grow here in my gardens along with foraging wild plants and flowers from the woods. Herbs being my favorite.

I think this Plant Camp will be fun! Please join the camp, we are in the woods so come along for a stroll in the gardens, along the trails, we’ll check out whats growing along the creek beds. We’ll go mushroom hunting too!

On those chilly days in Autumn will chat by the campfire and talk plants.Talk about pumpkin bread made from those beautiful pumpkins we grew during the summer and all the goodies from our harvest. Snow days will put on our hats and mittens and forage in the woods for wild craft items. Back at the camp for hot cocoa , soup sounds good too : )

Make soaps from the gardens herbs and decoration from foraging in the woods. Theres so much in the world of plants. This is a true gift from God.

Maybe on down the trail we can swap seeds and plants. I’m think’n maybe having drawings for seeds and plants, lotions , soaps, won’t that be fun! How about a birdhouse or something fun for your gardens in a couple of drawings ! I love to share. So will see how big the camp gets and go from there : ) So join in and share some of your favorites.

My first plant is a new one for me. Compass Plant: I first seen this while dh and I were walking the 3 mile trails at Powell Gardens. http://www.powellgardens.org/

This is a Botanical Garden in our area. If you have a chance to go, please do, its wonderful.On their brochure it says the plant turns to have less exposure to the sun during the hot summers, therefore it’s skinny side is facing north and south.

I have one growing in my garden from the plant sale they had this spring and sure enough it is facing north and south.

Compass PlantSilphium laciniatum
Aster family (Asteraceae)



The common name derives from the belief by pioneers that the leaves of Compass Plant pointed in a north-south direction. While this is probably true more often than not, it is not always reliable. The resin was used by the Native American children as a chewing gum. With its imposing height, interesting leaves, and abundant yellow flowers, Compass Plant is an extraordinary plant. No tallgrass prairie is complete without a sizeable population of them.


Here’s more detail: http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/compassx.htm


Thanks for joining our first day at Plant Camp Mondays,

If you have a website or blog be sure and leave link so I and others can go visit ya, thanks.

See ya next Monday
tc linda