About-The short version

Dan Riegler is an Herbal Apothecary, Artisan, formulator, distiller and advocate for sustainable management of our aromatic and medicinal plants. Apothecary's Garden provides an ever-growing selection of fresh & fair trade, ethical and sustainably harvested medicinal and aromatics including Frankincense and Myrrh, local and exotic fragrance materials, artisan distilled essential oils, natural perfume ingredients and animal essences. Apothecary's Garden shop also showcases Dan's aromatic, cosmetic and therapeutic preparations, salves, cremes, tinctures and oils, as well as those of Guest artisans from around the world. 

The Blog, Apothecary's Garden is a journal about Herbs, plants and processes, recipes, plant Alchemy, traditional wisdom and our Relationship with Nature.

The long version

I have spent the last 60 years as an artist, artisan and maker, the last 30 I've been engaged with aromatic and medicinal plants. I have grown them in my gardens, nurtured and harvested them in the wild. Visited the trees and plants in exotic lands, spoken with academics, researchers, farmers, harvesters and collectors, middlemen and fellow artisans. Over the decades, I have made many beautiful creations and forged close relationships with the materials.

Apothecary's Garden is where I would like to share what I have learned with you. You will usually find abundant information in each listing and more in-depth research in the blog. There is always more to learn and I am by no means an expert. However, what I have learned is yours. You will also find a growing number of informative articles and tutorials in the Blog and I invite you to check them out.

What is an Apothecary's Garden?

Historically, an Apothecary's Shop was a storehouse of diverse materials used for medicine, art, crafts, perfume and incense.

Some plants were grown in the Apothecary's own garden, where they were planted, tended and harvested and dried or prepared in very specific ways and times to ensure the highest quality.

Other materials in the Apothecary were exotic and brought in from distant lands. Ideally, a perfumer, Physician, Incense-maker, artisan or Artist could find the materials they needed for their craft and count on their quality and purity from a reliable source.

 Traditionally, an Apothecary not only sells the materials but dispenses instructions for use, precautions, history and insights about the materials that are gleaned from years of personal experience and study.

We live in a world that is so focused on profit that many people will not hesitate to adulterate materials or hoodwink customers. The internet is a perfect lair for them to wait for unsuspecting customers. (I have spent thousands of dollars over the years being duped while painstakingly and slowly learning how to tell the difference between fakes, imitations, fabrications, adulterations, outright lies and the true, pure and high-quality materials.

Wouldn't it be nice to find someone that could save us the grief, disappointment and the expense of learning everything the hard way? I invite you to benefit from my experience and knowledge.

 Dan