We were invited by Weleda for a first-hand experience of their biodynamic gardens in Germany.  Here now is the Second in a series of exclusive posts by our green globetrotter, Jessica B. Howell, (photo, R).

Two weeks ago, in the midst of an unusually chaotic week, I found myself at Detroit Metro Airport. It was raining, the kind of rain—interlaced with pops of lightening and rolls of thunder—that you hope won’t occur while you’re waiting to catch a flight. The kind of rain that makes you wonder if nine hours of transatlantic travel isn’t better than curling up on the couch at home. Definitely the kind of rain that makes you question whether spending two days in Schwabish Gmund, Germany, is a smart decision. After all, shouldn’t it be a prerequisite that you’re able to pronounce your destination before arriving?

My reasoning for heading to Schwabish Gmund (think rolling, German countryside dotted with idyllic, historic villages) was to visit Weleda’s Biodynamic Medicinal Plant Gardens, where the skin care company not only harvests the plants used in their products, but mixes up and manufactures many of them.

Sure enough, as soon as we arrived at the sprawling gardens, blossoming against a backdrop of perfectly blue sky, I knew it was well worth the half-day of travel it took to get there.

Eva Maria Walle, (above) manager of Weleda’s gardens, kicked off our visit with a personal tour, pointing out a potpourri of herbs and flowers whose properties are critical to Weleda’s potions.

During our stay, sweeping, bright orange fields of calendula were being harvested—the full-bloomed flowers plucked one-by-one from the stem for use in the brand’s baby care line and toothpaste.

Later on, even the amateurs had a chance to do some harvesting… equipped with gray buckets and wide-brimmed hats, we got to work pinching bittersweet nightshade, and carefully avoiding the pale green berries on the same stem, before dropping them by the handful into the buckets. The herb, with its pretty purple petals, is used to treat eczema and is used in Weleda’s medicinal products.

Browsing the rows and rows of plants, kneeling to inspect the property’s Insect Hotel and dining under a living roof at the organic cafe, (above) was akin to stepping back in time. The gardens, in all of their beauty, shine more brightly because of their function than flowers.

It’s planting with purpose, per se. And I like it. Seeing the process, with its seasonal rhythms and natural spirit, completely changes the consumer experience in my eyes, but more on that next week when I touch on some of the products offered here in the U.S. (visit weleda.com)

(above L to R:  Insect Hotel; Harvested Herbs )

Photo Credits:  (copyright, Jessica Howell & The Alternative Consumer)