St John's on the Windowsill

In all my years as an herbalist, I have not had the pleasure of living near this delightful herb. I have enjoyed the wonders of the desert and the abundance of the healing plants available there, such as the unique Elephant tree and the ever so clever Chaparral, but not having a plant to harvest that is so dear to my heart really left me yearning. Until now. St. John's wort grows everywhere in the areas where I have visited. The roadside, in yards, on the hill and mountains or near the rivers and lakes. It's tiny yellow flowers, bursting with joy and golden beauty, were there for the picking and pick I did! Yet today, as I walked the city streets of Portland, I began to notice the abundance and diversity of flowers, plants and trees growing in yards, near sidewalks and in pots. This desert rat really enjoyed the splendor and here is a list of what I saw although there is surely more. Echinacea, yarrow, dusty miller, fig, apple, mullein, rosemary, St. John's wort, lavender, rose, passion flower, lemon balm, mint, garden sage

and variegated sage. Although it may seem so common to most, the walkways lined with herbs of such greatness were truly a gift to behold.