Lesser Circulation

A lot of the native plants used in this garden have been used throughout the ages to create life enhancing elixirs using ‘The Lesser Circulation’ alchemic method. This involves a condenser over a flask of herbs and pure alcohol which lets moisture condense and drip back into a bottom container- this creates the essence (or Mercury as it is known in alchemy) The remaining herb is then burnt in an earthenware bowl over a fire which will change colour from black to grey. After the ashes have become light grey, they are ground to a fine powder in a pestle and mortar (this is the salt).

The three alchemic products created from this procedure are mercury and sulphur (which are both in the essence) and salt which is the ashes.

The sulphur is then extracted from the essence by distillation.

T

he process of alchemy is to transform something into something better – striving for perfection or what is known in alchemic terms as the Magnum Opus (The Great Work). The purpose of ‘The Lesser Criculation’ is to transform plant material into life enhancing elixirs in the search for the Lapis Philosphorum (the philosophers stone) which is the Elixir of life.

GOLD MEDAL & BEST COURTYARD GARDEN