The Hour

Keen herb grower Karon Grieve has always loved working with herbs and plants, and over the years has turned her interest into a passion, and that passion into a successful business - Dream Acres.

So many different things can be made from herbs, ranging from ‘morning after’ hangover herbal tea, to an ‘aroma rug’ shake and vac-style carpet cleaner.

Karon has shared some of her favourite ‘recipes’ with The Hour viewers, which you can try out at home yourself - here is a selection:

1. Scenty soap balls
Simply  use dried herbs and unscented soap bars to make your own soap balls.

• Ingredients:
• ¼ cup of boiling water
• 1 tbsp dried herbs
• 5-6 drops of matching essential oil
• 2 cups grated soap

Herbs that can be used for soap balls include chamomile which is good for delicate skin, sage for oily skin, peppermint, which is very relaxing, rosemary, which acts as an astringent, lavender which is both antiseptic and has a beautiful scent, and thyme, which is also antiseptic and has a non-floral smell.

Aroma Rug
Just mix herbs and bicarbonate of soda to make this original shake and vac.

Ingredients:
• 200g of dried lavender
• 100g dried rosemary
• 100g baking soda

Moth Off
Recycle your old shirts (or old material hankies) to make a simple tied-up moth chaser for your wardrobe or drawers.

Ingredients:
• 2 parts each of lavender and rosemary
• 1 part each of thyme, mint and marjoram
• 1tsp Orris root powder
• 10 drops of essential oil of your choice.

Strawberry and lavender gin
One for the over 18s only!

Ingredients:
400g ripe strawberries, sliced
• 175g caster sugar
• 750ml gin
• 8 lavender flower heads

Method:
1. Place everything in a jar, seal, keep cool and shake everyday for a week
2. Strain and decant into bottle. Serve over ice or with tonic

'Morning After' herb tea
The perfect hangover cure

Ingredients:
• 2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp rosemary
• 1/2 tsp mint

Find out more about Karon and access more of her unique recipes from her official Dream Acres website.