Newsletter - Spring 2022

A hardy, low-growing perennial herb with a creeping habit. It forms a dense mat of green leaves, producing small, violet-blue flowers that bloom from late spring to autumn. The plant thrives in moist, well-drained soils and can tolerate full sun to partial shade, making it a versatile addition to gardens. It spreads through both seeds and underground stems (rhizomes), creating an attractive ground cover. Renowned for its medicinal uses. Traditionally, used to treat wounds, inflammation, and sore throats due to its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and astringent properties. It is also used in teas and topical applications to support overall immune health.

Perennial to 2m. Stalks and leaves culinary. Roots medicinal. Use seed immediately or store in fridge. Sow in spring. Plant in moist shady position. Supply limited.

Interesting profuse blue flowers resemble balloon before opening. Important herb in Orient. Cough remedy is prepared from roots, young foliage added to salads.

A pleasing lemon-scented aromatic American Southwest native wildflower belonging to the Lamiaceae (mint) family. This self-sowing annual is fast growing, reaching up to about 90cm with a show of long-blooming pinky-purple flowers that are highly attractive to various pollinating insects, especially bees and butterflies. Drought tolerant, prefers full sun to part shade, will die down through frost but keeps growing in warmer climates. Grows well in sandy loam, clay, and rocky soils and does not enjoy being waterlogged. Monarda citriodora is used in herbal medicine as an effective treatment for general immune debility, sore throats, coughs, colds, etc. Fresh or dried leaves and flowers can be eaten raw, added to salads, or brewed into tea.

Lavender flowers, strong fragrance, flavouring in beans, salads and meats, added to teas, soothes bronchial complaints and eases colds, attracts bees, perennial, sow spring.

Annual to 90cm. Companion to strawberries. Blue star shaped flowers. Good bee forage. Young leaves and flowers are excellent for salads and garnishes. Seems to have calmative properties - "gladdens the heart". Concentrates potassium. Spring, summer and autumn planting.

(Pot marigold) Mostly 90mm orange flowers in mild climates. Hardy, long flowering time. Likes full sun. Readily self-sows and easy to collect and save the interesting, curled seeds. Calendula is the darling of the herbal medicine cabinet. Useful for myriad ailments, with an affinity for the skin. Soothing inflammation is its main action, providing relief from eczema, bites, sunburn, nappy rash, painful or cystic acne, and so on. Also helpful for easing gastrointestinal distress - calming indigestion or heartburn and helping heal ulcerations. Calendula has been said to improve lymphatic drainage, assisting your body's detoxification processes.

Traditional European panacea for lack of appetite, sluggish digestion and stomach disturbances, convalescence.

German, or true chamomile. Annual to 40cm. Has healing blue oil. Dried flowers used as tea, used for conditioning fair hair. Known as the plant's physician. Tea of leaves used for "damping off" disease in plants. Tea of flowers used as calmative and is valuable in many nervous conditions. Sunny position. Spring, autumn plantings.

Heals and soothes anything it comes in contact with. One of the best remedies for external application to skin diseases. Use as a vegetable like spinach. It has a neutral flavour, was sold in bunches for salads before lettuce was developed. Infuse fresh or dried. Annual Sow winter, spring. Germination can take anywhere from 2-5 weeks. Seed can remain dormant but viable in soil for up to one year.

Young leaves have traditionally been added to salads, cooked in soups and pastas or fried in butter. Dried leaves and roots in tea, roasted roots in chicory coffee. One of 30 herbs in Norfolk Punch. Sow spring, summer. Rootstock can be divided and even the smallest cut portion (1-2cm) will set another plant. Difficult to get rid of completely once established. Due to Comfrey's deep reaching roots, it is very rich in Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK), along with many micro-minerals, and makes for a fantastic compost tea. Take a few leaves, soak in a bucket of water for up to several weeks or until broken down, and use this dark liquid to fertilise the garden. There is some contention over the Pyrrolizidine alkaloids present in Comfrey, and the potential hazards they pose to some portion of the population. If you have liver dysfunction, use caution with ingestion of Comfrey products or avoid to be extra safe. Used topically, these issues are not a concern. A folk name for Comfrey is Boneset, and indeed, it proves to be a powerhouse at healing bumps, bruises, breaks and sprains externally, via a poultice or compress. This is where you take some fresh leaves, pound them until they're mush, and apply to the injured area. Cover pulp with a clean cloth, and wrap in plastic to keep secure. A heat pack or hot water bottle can be applied over the top of this.

Dandelion seeds are great to grow and then use the leaves in salads or cooked. Rich in organic minerals, silica, iron, copper, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Very high in vitamin A. Four fresh young leaves eaten every day will supply an adult with most of the essential vitamins and minerals. Compost activator. Ground dried root used in 3rd year as coffee substitute. Leaves can be blanched by tying together. Perennial. Sow warm months, tolerates shade.

Perennial North American native in the Asteraceae family, used medicinally worldwide. Rich purple coneflower in late summer, sow spring to autumn in warmer climates. Grows in full sun or partial shade. Helps to cold stratify (store in fridge) at 5°C for 7 days but not so critical as Echinacea angustifolia. Therapeutically, Echinacea has been shown in clinical trials to be a powerful immune system stimulant with anti-inflammatory properties. Useful in cold, cough, flu states, rich with antioxidant, antiviral and antibacterial activity. The whole plant - above and below ground - is used in making teas and tinctures. Root is stronger source of medicinal components after 2 years in the ground.

Large flowering biennial herb, yellow, lemon scented flowers open at dusk. Entire plant is edible. Use leaf and flower in salads. Sow spring and summer.

Feverfew is a charming perennial herb that produces masses of small, daisy-like flowers with bright white petals and sunny yellow centres. Growing to around 60–90 cm tall, it adds a cheerful touch to garden beds, borders, and herbal gardens. Thriving in full sun and well-drained soil, Feverfew is known not only for its decorative appeal but also for its long history of traditional medicinal use. A favourite among pollinators, it’s a hardy and reliable addition to any garden. Sow spring, summer.

Chinese culinary and medicinal herb. Strengthen muscles and bones, liver function. Young leaves and shoots are popular green. Sweet berries eaten raw or added to soups and stews. Average days to maturity 90-110 days.

Attractive yellow flowers, effective for colds, coughs, nasal congestion and bronchial irritations. Used a healing wash for burns, rashes and blisters.

Usually contains the following: Alfalfa, Barley, Broad Bean, Clover Crimson, Clover White, Dun Pea, Lupin, Millet Jap, Mustard, Oats, Radish Tillage, Rye, Spinach, Vetch, Wheat, White French Millet, Dill, Mung Bean, Kale.

Usually contains the following: Alfalfa, Barley, Beetroot, Broad Bean, Corn, Cow Pea, Dill, Fenugreek, Millet Jap, Mustard, Radish, Rye, Vetch.