Phytotherapy – the use of plant extracts for healing – is one of the most
popular forms of alternative medicine. Indeed, before modern discoveries
such as antibiotics and peni-cillin, a herb garden was an essential part of
a household’s defences against ailments. We may be able to buy pills over
the counter nowadays, but there are many plants you can grow in the garden
to supplement those remedies.
An estimated 70,000 plant species are used medicinally, and more than 30% of
drugs employed in conventional medicine are derived from plant sources.
These range from painkillers such as aspirin (willow tree) and morphine
(opium poppy) to heart medicines such as digoxin (foxglove) and even the
oral contraceptive pill, originally based on diosgenin, sourced from the
Mexican yam. Plants have given us powerful cancer treatments such as
vincristine and vinblastine, from the rosy periwinkle, and paclitaxel from
the Pacific yew tree.
Chances are, you are growing useful plants in your own garden, though you are
more likely to have planted them for their colour, scent or flavour. It is
relatively easy to make useful remedies from common garden plants, although
many herbal remedies should be used only under the supervision of a herbal
practitioner. If you are planning a new border or knot garden this year,
think about including some of the following trusted herbs so you can
experiment with your own treatments. Most like a rich, welldrained soil in a
sheltered, sunny spot, and should be grown organically. Different parts of
the plants are used, depending on whether the roots, leaves, flowers or
seeds have the highest concentration of active ingredients. Once harvested,
they can be used fresh or dried, and made into aqueous infusions (teas or
tisanes), alcoholic solutions (tinctures), infused oils or creams – although
the last requires more effort.
RECOMMENDED PLANTS
Chamomilla recutita The German camomile, a pretty annual with white,
daisy-like petals, readily self-seeds once established. If you regularly
drink camomile tea, you can save money by making your own. Gather
flowerheads throughout the summer, on the day they open. Use fresh or dry
and store. Add three teaspoons of fresh flowers (two teaspoons of dried
flowers) to a mug of boiling water and infuse for 10 minutes before drinking.
A cup at bedtime is a popular way of promoting a good night’s sleep, and is
also a useful remedy for indigestion, wind and irritable bowel syndrome.
Cooled tea can be used as an eyewash, to alleviate tired, strained eyes.
Roman camomile ( Chamaemelum nobilis) has similar uses, but is
slightly more bitter.
Melissa officinalis Lemon balm is a popular addition to herb gardens,
as its sweet, nectar-rich flowers attract bees. These are best pinched out,
to encourage foliage growth, however, as it is the leaves that are used
medicinally. Try chewing them, or crushing then inhaling their scent, to
reduce stress and improve concentration – this was so popular in medieval
times that lemon balm became known as the scholar’s herb.
Crushed leaves can also be rubbed onto the skin to repel gnats and mosquitoes.
Recent research confirms that lemon-balm extracts have a powerful antiviral
action that counters herpes simplex, the cause of cold sores. Squeeze fresh
juice from the stems and dab regularly onto the affected area.
Calendula officinalis The annual pot marigold adds vivid colour to the
garden – and the brighter the orange, the greater the medicinal benefits.
Remove side branches to encourage taller growth and larger flowers: the part
you want. (Don’t confuse with members of the tagetes genus,
popularly known as African, French or Mexican marigolds.)
Pick flowers as they open, then pluck off the petals and wash them before
patting dry with kitchen paper. Calendula cream is a gentle, effective
antiseptic, though its preparation involves a little effort. Melt 150g
emulsifying wax (from pharmacies) in a bain-marie. Add 70g
glycerine, 80ml water and 75g fresh marigold petals. Stir well and simmer
gently for three hours. Strain through a muslin bag and continue stirring
until the cream cools and sets. Store in a dark glass jar in the fridge for
up to three months. Use to treat cuts, grazes, nappy rash, eczema and fungal
skin infections.
Rosmarinus officinalis Just about every kitchen garden contains a
rosemary bush, which needs a warm, moderately dry, sheltered spot. It
prefers full sun, but can tolerate semi-shade. The evergreen shoots can be
harvested all year round to relieve muscle aches and pains. Make an infusion
by covering a few handfuls of fresh leaves with boiling water and steeping
for 10 minutes. Soak a pad in the hot infusion and apply as a compress to
strains and sprains, or add the infusion to your bath water.
It also makes an effective mouthwash, combating bad breath. Traditionally,
rosemary lotion was rubbed into the scalp to stimulate hair growth, but
there is no published research to support this use.
Salvia officinalis This is one of the most versatile medicinal herbs,
so grow more than you need for just making sage and onion stuffing. Sage
takes its name from the Latin salvare (to cure), and its uses range
from relief of insect bites, sore throats and menopausal symptoms to
treating bronchitis and flatulence. Pick young leaves from the top of the
plant in summer. Sprigs can be frozen for later use, as this conserves the
medicinal properties better than drying.
Rub fresh sage leaves onto insect stings and bites or make a sage infusion to
gargle away a sore throat. Sage tea can ease menopausal hot flushes and, as
I found during a particularly unpleasant illness in Turkey, is an effective
folk treatment for gastroenteritis. Although trimming plants after flowering
stops them from becoming too woody, they usually need to be replaced every
three or four years. Propagate via cuttings in early summer, or by layering.
Echinacea purpurea The purple coneflower is among the most important
stimulants of the immune system in western herbal medicine. The perennial is
revered for its ability to increase the number and activity of white blood
cells, boosting resistance to fungal, bacterial and viral infections,
including the common cold. It looks spectacular in the border, but it is
mainly the roots that are used medicinally.
Lift the roots of four-year-old plants in the autumn, after flowering, and
wash well. The best-quality roots leave a distinctive tingling sensation on
the tongue. To make an echinacea tincture, place washed, chopped fresh roots
in a screw-top jar with enough vodka to cover completely. Replace the lid
and shake well. Store in a dark place, shaking well twice a day, for two
weeks. Drain the dark-brown tincture into a dark glass bottle, leaving
behind the sediment. Take 5ml twice a day, diluted with fresh fruit juice or
water, when you feel the first symptoms of a cold coming on.
Lavandula angustifolia The sweet-scented lavender shrub is a popular
edging plant, and its aroma acts as a soothing sedative that promotes sleep
and wards off headaches. Pick flowers in the morning of a dry day, before
the last blooms on each stalk are fully open, to maximise the amount of
essential oil. Tie the stalks in bundles and hang in a warm, shaded, airy
place to dry. After a few weeks, strip the flowers from the stems and store
in airtight containers. Make a sleep-inducing pillow by sewing dried
flowerheads into cotton pouches.
Hypericum perforatum If you hold the golden yellow petals of St John’s
wort up to the light, you can see why it is also called the Thousand
Puncture Herb. The petals contain pinpoint glands, resembling perforations,
in which nestle the fluorescent red pigments that provide its medicinal
effects. Gather the flowerheads when fully open in midsummer, but use gloves
in moist, sunny conditions, as, in this concentrated form, the pigments can
irritate the skin.
St John’s wort can be used to make an antiseptic, antiinflammatory oil
to dab on minor wounds or mild burns, or massage into cramping or aching
muscles. Wash a few handfuls of the flowers and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Pack in a small glass jar and cover with olive oil. Stand on a sunny
windowsill for six weeks, to draw out the red pigments. Strain the red oil
through a muslin bag and dab on minor wounds. It can be a good treatment for
piles, but don’t use internally except under the supervision of a qualified
medical herbalist.
Further reading: Herbal Remedies by Andrew Chevallier (Dorling Kindersley
£14.99); New Book of Herbs by Jekka McVicar (DK £12.99); RHS Encyclopedia of
Herbs & Their Uses by Deni Bown (DK £30) Specialist
nurseries: The National Herb Centre (01295 690999, www.herbcentre.co.uk);
Barwinnock Herbs (01465 821338, www.barwinnock.com);
Laurel Farm Herbs (01728 668223, www.laurelfarmherbs.co.uk)
