About Me
I firmly believe that in these stressful times, we need to take the time to appreciate the simple beauty of life and of nature. Trained at Cambridge and the Chelsea Physic garden in Botany and Horticulture, for me it is herbs and flowers that lift my spirits. My aim in setting up L'Herboriste de La Chapelle is to return to the timeless art of preserving herbs and flowers in order to provide a touch of beauty and nature in everyone's home.
I hope you feel inspired by the values of L'Herboriste de la Chapelle. Having grown up, worked and lived in London, I moved to the South Manche area of Normandy in Autumn 2006 to pursue my vision. Having renovated an old barn for drying, and created a plantation from pastureland, December 2008 saw the launch of my website and the sale of my products on eBay, and the selling of my products in local markets.
Normandy is most noted for the apples and pears that are grown, though it is, of course, quite suitable for growing many different varieties of flowers and herbs. I raise the plants from seeds or cuttings and transplant by hand into the plantation. Because I pick the flowers and leaves by hand, I can ensure picking at the exact stage of development to ensure the maximum quality of the end product.
The flowers and herbs grown (currently a hectare) are air-dried in my converted barn. The barn offers ideal drying conditions to ensure that the full flavour, aroma and colour of the plants are maintained.
The pot pourris are made using traditional methods of mixing selected scented leaves with spices and a fixative, and allowing to mature for several months. Flowers are then added to give colour and vibrancy to the mix.
At launch, I am offering over 30 products, and I aim to expand this selection through the growing season of 2009, along with beginning the production of fresh-cut flowers for sale in local markets. I am also beginning to supply fresh herbs to local restaurants; please don't hesitate to contact me if you'd like to find out more.
I have also been invited to contribute to The Rendezvous magazine by writing a monthly column featuring herbs. Click here to visit the Rendezvous website.
Customer testimonials
"Perfect, meticulous and professional service" M.Camut, Moselle
"Superb products, don't hesitate to buy!" M. Le Quentrec, Rhône-Alpes