Wednesday, 4 January 2012

Herbal Ally & herbs to explore this year

After some deliberation (very torn between this and my Ally from last year - Burdock) I have decided to work with Elder this year. Last year I enjoyed working with Burdock and am looking forward to seeing the 2nd year growth from the plug plant I grew in my garden (to a few raised eyebrows from my family who are keen gardeners, you want to plant what?!). But Elder or Sambucus nigra keeps coming back on my jaunts out and about. As part of a task last year I plotted lot's of Elder trees within a mile radius of my home and there is one just beyond my back gate so it will be close at hand.

Other Herbs I particularly want to work with this year are as follows (Common name followed by latin name): 

Dandelion - Taraxacum officinale                       Motherwort - Leonurus cardiaca

Meadowsweet - Filipendula ulmari                    Marigold - Calendula officinalis

Ginger - Zingiber officinale                                  Angelica - Angelica archangelica

Lemon Verbena - Aloysia triphylla                     Peppermint - Mentha piperita

St Johns Wort - Hypericum perforatum              Garlic - Allium sativum

Fennel - Foeniculum vulgare                               Marshmallow - Althaea officinalis

I plan to wildcraft some of these and grow (or am already growing) others.

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