Herbal Health Pack

Only have a small garden but want to grow some herbs to help your health and that of your family. Which ones should you grow. This selection provides those that we think are most essential for a good herbal health garden. Not a cooking, salad or food garden but those plants you want to run to for minor emergencies (cuts, bruises, indigestion etc) but are also easy to grow. These plants are fairly tough, don't need that much attention once they are established and for the most part come back year after year. Basically a collection of the most essential medicinal herbs for any garden. To help you cope with the most common issues that happen in any family. Easy to grow and to use, and most are pretty and aromatic too!

Pack contains:

 

Basil Holy.

Basil Holy - Ocimum sanctum/ Ocimum tenuiflorum
Amazing herb that everyone should grow. It's an adaptogen that helps bring the body back into healthy balance and restore health. Makes a great tea or can be eaten or cooked in foods. Many Naturopathic doctors recommend consuming some Holy Basil every day to ensure good health.
Specific uses include: reducing inflammation, lowering fevers, relaxing spasms, easing pain, lower blood sugar levels and helps to strengthen the immune and nervous systems. It can also help with feverish illnesses, colds, influenza, headaches, digestive disorders, low libido as well as easing arthritis. Its a general all around herb that no household should be without.
Bees and butterflies of all kinds love this plant. The flowers are always festooned with them. An annual plant flowers early from seed but if cut down after most of the flowers have finished will spring back up and re-flower. Grow in rows or groups and cut one section at a time so there are always flowers. Done this way it will continue to flower until frost kills it. more

California Poppy Eschscholzia californica
Beautiful plant with bright orange gold flowers and blue green leaves this plant is mostly grown as an annual although it can act as a perennial in warmer zones. Medicinally the plant is cut down to the ground when its starts flowering or the whole plant is harvested. Very useful plant acts as a mild sedative and nervine that helps to relieve pain and relax spasms. Used to help nervous tension, anxiety, insomnia and incontinence and is safe to use in young children which makes it extremely important. Helpful in controlling bedwetting, nervous tension and psychological issues. It is also used in older people to treat restless leg syndrome and many herbalists state its the most effective for this malady. Very easy to grow either direct sow or start inside for earlier flowers. Best grown in small groups of 3-4 seeds per location as this gives a more dramatic effect. More more

Coneflower Purple
One of American most beautiful native plants. Coneflowers are desirable for many different kinds of pollinators especially bumble bees and most importantly sweat bees, tiny bees that have a very small home range so growing these plants can certainly encourage good pollinators. Tough perennial plants that bloom often for several months once established. Echinacea is also a strong immune stimulant helping to fend off colds and other infections so having some on hand is always useful. Plants can be mown to the ground in fall or early spring. more

Fennel Seeds (Foeniculum vulgare)
Fennel is a very effective digestive aid and has been for centuries. Commonly used to relieve flatulence and colic while stimulating digestion. It's also a carminative anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, and is similar to anise in calming bronchial coughs. It is used in many herbal digestive formulas as well as OTC ones from the pharmacy. Its also included in toothpaste and other digestive aids. Fennel is a perennial. This variety produces a mixture of green and bronze delicate lacy leaves that have a strong aroma and tastes of sweet licorice/anise. Both the leaves and the seeds can be used and its a perfect herb to have on hand for those over indulgent times when the digestion is protesting. Hardy to zone 5 this beautiful plant is a lovely addition to any garden. Forms a strong tap root and does not like to be moved so choose location carefully. Larger wildlife don't eat it but it is the food source of the Eastern Black Swallowtail butterfly, so grow enough for all of you and help protect this beautiful creature. more

Feverfew Tanacetum parthenium
Delightful easy to grow short lived perennial is best know for treatment of migraines. Its also very effective against the inflammation of joints that comes with arthritis. It is also used for treating muscle pain and digestive complaints. Some women have used the plant to help with the pain of menstrual cramps with success, but it should be avoided by pregnant women. Growing to about 36 inches (91cm) it produces masses of white daisy like flowers in late spring. Cut down it will flower again in mid summer to autumn. Highly aromatic the leaves and flowers are used but the leaves seem to have the most effect. it is very bitter so experiment with best way to use it. Chewing the leaves is claimed to be the most effective against migraines but some people develop mouth sores. Very easy to grow, just scatter the seeds on the surface where you want them to grow. Equally good in full sun or light shade. Very hardy and needs little water will even grow on pure gravel! more

Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis HERBAL
If you like the smell of fresh lemon this plant is for you. Once of our favorites because it has such a delicious lemon scent but also because the leaves have such a crinkly attractive on short bushy plants that just seem to beg you to grab some leaves and either chew or make a delightful drink from them. A very important medicinal herb because of its calming properties. Helps with stress, tension and everyday life, helps to increase positive mood and wellbeing. is a mild sedative, not enough to cause sleep but enough to calm and relax. Delightful strong lemon aroma makes a wonderful refreshing tea that is also used to treat colds, fevers indigestion and nervous tension. Very easy to grow, likes full sun but will do reasonably well in light shade. Short bushy plants with lush leaves that should be harvested before flower spikes arise. Good pot or deck plant. more

MeadowSweet Filipendula ulmaria
An essential herb for any medicinal garden as it can be used as a pain reliever. It is high in salicylic acid (from which aspirin was derived) so can be used to treat most of the same maladies such as headaches and other aspirin treated aliments such as arthritis, gout, general pains and feverish colds. It is also used to treat gastric ulcers because unlike the extracted aspirin, which can cause gastric ulceration at high doses, the combination of constituents in meadowsweet act to protect the inner lining of the stomach and intestines whilst still providing the anti-inflammatory benefits of aspirin. A robust perennial plant hardy to zone 2 it has attractive dark green fern like foliage from which tall stems of fluffy white flowers arise in early summer. Likes semi shade and is ideal for dappled shade or areas that have morning or evening light. Its also quite happy in wet soils especially clay and is a great addition to a rain garden that does not get full sun. more

Motherwort Leonurus cardiaca
Valuable in treatment of many female disorders especially menstruation, childbirth and menopause. Sadly many herbalists stop there, but Motherwort has long been used for treatment of heart issues. It is especially good for palpitations and helping to strengthen weak hearts. It is also a calmative and helps to promote a relaxed state without causing drowsiness and is excellent for treating nervous irritability. It is also used to treat over active thyroid but needs to be taken for several months for the effects to be noticed. Very easy to grow perennial plant with tall stems of mid green leaves with hints of blue. The flowers are not that impressive to us but pollinators of all kinds flock to them, and will choose this over other flowering plants. Tough and drought resistant once established can just be cut or mown down once a year. More more

Valerian Valeriana officinalis
calming and sedative properties plus mild painkiller. It is most commonly used as a tranquillizer and nervine, particularly for those people suffering from nervous overstrain and restlessness. Has been shown to encourage sleep as well as improve its quality as well as reduce blood pressure. Other important uses are as a mild pain killer especially for painful menstruation, cramps, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome. While the roots are the most commonly used the leaves and flowers also have similar properties although much milder. Can be used with children and in pets. Is recommended as a pain killer and calmative for cats and dogs. Leaves and flowers can be used in salads, cooked dishes and made into teas. Roots can be dug in fall for later use. Flowers are very aromatic. more

Yarrow Achillea millefolium
Yarrow is a very tough plant. In its best conditions it will grow to about 3 feet (cm) but mown down it will survive at around 2 inches or less and even flower there. Its strong, hardy to zone 2 and drought tolerant. Prefers full sun but will grow in semi shade too. It has been used for centuries to help stop blood flow. Get a cut while outside. Grab some yarrow, apply to wound to help it stop bleeding. Its other major uses are for treating colds, fevers, and pain reduction, especially good for menstrual pain. No garden should be without yarrow. more