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
1,569 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
57 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
424 views
0 comments
Grinding Corn
When Dougal MacKenzie told Claire in The Wedding episode of Outlander that he was tickled by the thought of grinding her corn, the remark pr
Marie McKinsey
Oct 12, 20143 min read
34 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
132 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
71 views
0 comments
Bear McCreary: The Man Behind the Outlander Music
I can't imagine a composer more suited to creating the score for the Outlander TV series than Bear McCreary. Growing up, he attended the Sco
Marie McKinsey
Sep 8, 20142 min read
659 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
3,482 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
30 views
0 comments
Claire and the Fight Against Infectious Disease
Discouraging "germs" is a bit off- topic for a plant blog. But we are talking here about the Outlander books and Claire Fraser's pragmatic a
Marie McKinsey
Jun 7, 20143 min read
46 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
59 views
0 comments
Potatoes: A Story of Feast, Famine - and Poison
As a time-traveler, Claire knew what a calamity The Rising would be. She advised Jenny to plant potatoes so the residents of Lallybroch woul
Marie McKinsey
May 5, 20143 min read
53 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
Rhododendron Hell
"Roger didn't need to read it; he knew well enough the thoughts that were going through the other's mind. The same thoughts he'd wrestled...
Marie McKinsey
Apr 13, 20143 min read
697 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
160 views
0 comments
bottom of page