I’ve always loved citrus scents and flavors for their clean refreshing quality. In my efforts to use natural cleaning products, I have acquired many with  lemon or orange oil. So, in all of my cleaning and purging for the move into my new home at the end of this month, I’ve been surrounded with a lot of citrus scents lately. This has inspired me to try an herbal called Australian Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia Citrodora). Grown in  the Queensland rainforests, it is a wonderful source of citral essential oil, known for its anti-microbial action. I could probably use a solution of lemon myrtle for cleaning but right now I would much rather drink it!

The leaf is a leathery yellow green, chopped up into smaller pieces. Lemon Myrtle is a tree that grows to about  1 1/2-2 feet in a home garden but a lot larger in the wild. The aroma is fresh and lemony. I was expecting a tart taste but the liquor is smooth and sweet with just the right amount of lemon flavor. I bet this would make a great iced tea for the warmer months, either by itself or mixed with South African Rooibos.

I have been very busy with the cleaning and purging process so there hasn’t been much time for me to write lately. The wonderful news is that I will be living in a house once again which means my own studio space and a garden. I look forward to writing about their process and birth into my life again!