Sweetgrass

Sweetgrass has long narrow leaves that reach 30cm and smells vanilla scent when it is dried. The top of the leaves are green, but the bottom near its roots is red. They are burned or harvested during mid to late summer regularly to keep the population healthy. North of the medicine wheel is for sweetgrass and dried sweetgrass is twisted into braids to make objects such as baskets. It is also used as medicine and in ceremonies. 

East of the medicine wheel, tobacco is an annual plant and its leaves are used for spiritual purposes such as praying, ceremony and sacred pipe. Our garden is transitioning from commercial tobacco to more traditional tobacco, with lower height and smaller size leaves. Tobacco leaves and seeds from flowers are collected each fall. Tobacco leaves are dried to be sent to local indigenous groups and seeds are used for the next year.

Sage represents the west side of the medicine wheel and it is harvestable over the year, except for winter when it is dormant. Sage is similar to creeping juniper in terms that they are both low growing shrubs. It has long olive leaves, about 10cm in length and 2.5cm in width. It radiates in all directions, usually branching once out of soil with a sweet aroma. Pollinators like bees enjoy its white flowers and sage is used in smudging to heal the spirit by the Mi'kmaq.

Cedar trees grow up to 15m and they are located throughout the garden to provide shades with its fan-shaped leaves. The cedars were originally arranged to be grown in two of the eight raised beds, but due to its massive size, we decided to move it along the border of medicine wheel. Four seedlings are planted so far and we are planning several more in upcoming months. Cedar represents the south of the medicine garden and all of its parts from its scented leaves to barks are handled professionally. The leaves are burned for smoking and their best method of transportation, canoes are built from its barks.

As the alternative to cedar trees, creeping juniper was selected for the south portion of the medicine garden. Unlike other plants, its low green body spreads horizontally, covering the soil. Creeping juniper has a strong pine-like smell and seeds that are blue and shaped like a crotal bell. Creeping juniper serves similar purpose to cedars and the berries are collected during winter season to be boiled as tea with its fresh taste.