Borage  The fresh herb has a cucumber-like fragrance. When steeped in water, it imparts coolness to it and a faint cucumber flavor- a refreshing summer drink. Often mixed with lemon and sugar in wine.  Formerly, always an ingredient in cool tankards of wine and cider, and is still largely used in claret cup.  It has long been grown freely in kitchen gardens, both for its uses as a herb and for the sake of its flowers, which yield excellent honey. Our great grandmothers preserved the flowers and candied them.  It is know that Borage makes the heart glad. The leaves are slightly more potent than the flower- both can be used in salad or greens as a pot herb. Many have found the plant useful for fever, snakebite, jaundice, consumption, sore throat, depression, jaundice, itch, ringworm and rheumatism.

 Burdock has an ancient and respected reputation as a nutritive liver tonic that helps to clean and build the blood, while its diuretic action of burdock helps in the elimination of waste materials. Taken internally, this root promotes sweating and urination. The roots, leaves, and seeds of burdock can all be used, but in commercial preparations, you'll most commonly find the root. Rich in minerals, this plant is used as a food by many cultures. Burdock helps to cleanse the body from the inside out and is most useful in those conditions that can be traced back to liver disorders or a general overload of toxins in the system.

The root is good the kidneys, liver, eczema, acne, psoriasis, and for lowering blood sugar.Use the dried or fresh root and make a tea.

Dandelion There are so many uses claimed for the dandelion plant that it take place among the herbal cure-alls. Its most frequent use, however, is an herb to heal the liver.It is thought to be especially useful in cases of enlargement of the liver, scurvy, scrofula, eczema and all eruptions on the surface of the body, for jaundice and it is safe for the smallest child. Throughout history, dandelions have had a high reputation as being effective in promoting weight loss. It is a good source of Pectin, Vit. C and Coumestrol, (an estrogen mimic) which is responsible in part, for stimulating milk flow and altering hormones. Pectin is prescribed regularly in Russia to remove heavy metals and radioactivity from body tissue and lowering cholesterol.

Echinacea, purple coneflower Originally native to a wide band stretching from Michigan south to Louisiana, then west to Texas and Oklahoma, but currently uncommon in the wild. Widely cultivated. Does well in pots.  The taproot of cultivated plant is harvested three-to-four years from seed.  It is the root that is believed to contain most of the plant’s medicinal value, although the herb is also used. It is regarded as the most chemically active plant, possessing anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties.  Traditional/folk uses include a blood purifier, fevers, acne, and to treat infections and sores. 

Elecampane-official Elecampane is known best as a respiratory tonic used as an expectorant to ease breathing and clear the lungs in cases of asthma, bronchitis and other pulmonary infections. A bitter tonic, elecampane also is used as a digestive herb, and was used in Europe was used in the manufacture of absinthe. The active ingredient, helenin has been shown to have antiseptic properties. Great as a tea for coughs-using the root or leaf. Has also been know to assist with asthma, bronchitis, sinus infection, horse medicine, and parasites.

Evening Primrose Self-seeding biennial. Native to Europe and North America. This herb is very drought tolerant, bravely producing bloom after yellow, mucilaginous bloom in the evenings, despite sun-baked conditions. The seed is high in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an intermediate in the synthesis of prostaglandins. Some women report alleviation of PMS by eating the plant and the seeds. The flowers especially make a tasty addition to salads. Plant in pots to keep it from becoming invasive.

Feverfew  This is a plant made for high medicinal activity. Its medicinal uses vary from gas relief; can promote menstrual flow, a purgative (strong laxative), stimulant, and bitter tonic. Feverfew will reduce fever and acts as a mild laxative and anti-inflammatory. Try a warm tea infusion for colic, flatulence, indigestion, flu, colds, fever and alcoholism. A cold extract has a tonic effect. The flowers in particular show a purgative action.  Relieves headaches, migraines, arthritis, neuritis, neuralgia, and indigestion, colds, and muscle tension. Eliminates worms. Stimulates the appetite, increases fluidity of lung and bronchial tube mucus, stimulates uterine contractions, and promotes menses. 1-4 leaves chewed per day proven in the past to be effective for some migraine headaches- noticeable results may take a few months. Bees and bug "pest" find the odor and taste of feverfew highly repulsive. Use as a repellant or place near plants that need natural bug killer such as roses.

German Chamomile  Besides being my families all time favorite evening herbal tea, dried chamomile flowers in a simple muslin bag make a wonderful, relaxing bath. I also love that sweet, apple aroma in herb pillows.

Chamomile is an excellent remedy for all manner of women's disorders and is especially valuable for problems arising from stress, anxiety, and tension. It has a wonderfully soothing, sedative and absolutely harmless effect. It is considered a preventive and the sole certain remedy for nightmare.

Inhaling the essential oil of chamomile lowers stress and helps to counteract allergies and insomnia, which are often factors in anxiety and attention deficit disorder (ADD). Herbalists especially recommend it for sleeplessness in children.

Hyssop Hyssop is usually used in combination with other herbs such as licorice, in herbal remedies, especially for lung conditions. Hyssop also has uses in the garden, it is said to be a good companion plant to cabbage, partly because it will lure away the Cabbage White butterfly. It has also "been found to improve the yield from grapevines if planted along the rows, particularly if the terrain is rocky or sandy, and the soil is not as easy to work as it might be". Hyssop is said to be antagonistic to radishes, and they should not be grown nearby. Hyssop also attracts bees, hoverflies and butterflies, thus has a place in the wild garden as well as being useful in controlling pests and encouraging pollination without the use of unnatural methods.

Lemon Balm Not to be confused with bee balm, Monarda species, is a perennial herb in the mint family. The leaves have a gentle lemon scent, related to mint. At the end of the summer, little white flowers full of nectar appear. These attract bees, hence the genus name Melissa (Greek for 'honey bee'). The crushed leaves, when rubbed on the skin, are used as a repellant for mosquitoes. Lemon Balm is also used medicinally as an herbal tea, or in extract form. It is claimed to have antibacterial, antiviral properties (nit is effective against herpes simplex), and it is also used as a mild sedative or calming agent. One study has found it to be effective at reducing stress. Its antibacterial properties have also been demonstrated scientifically, although they are markedly weaker than those from a number of other plants studied^. Lemon balm essential oil is very popular in aromatherapy. The essential oil is commonly co-distilled with lemon oil, citronella oil, or other oils.

*Lemon balm should be avoided by those on thyroid medication as it is believed that the herb inhibits the absorption of this medicine.

Marsh mallow Tall, ornamental, velvety leaved plant with large, soft pink flowers clustered in the leaf axils. A plant of many uses, the seeds, flowers, and young leaves can be eaten. In herbalism mallow is used as a gargle to treat mouth and throat ulcers. It is also useful for gastric ulcers. The flowers and young leaves can be eaten. They are often added to salads or boiled and fried. The root has been used since Egyptian antiquity in a honey-sweetened confection useful in the treatment of sore throat. The later French version of the recipe, called pâte de guimauve, included an egg white meringue and was often flavored with rose water.  This mix more closely resembles contemporary commercially available marshmallows, which actually no longer contain any actual marshmallow.

Orange calendula-Bon BonThe leaves and petals of the Pot Marigold are edible, with the petals added to dishes as a garnish and in lieu of saffron. The leaves can be sweet but are more commonly bitter, and may be used in salads. Calendula is a cultivated herb and can be grown easily in sunny locations in most kinds of soils. Calendula is used for the treatment of skin disorders and pain, and as a bactericide, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. Mix with olive oil, melted bees wax, juice from (slowly cooked down) plantain and comfrey for a soothing- very healing salve.  Most natural eczema salves contain calendula. It is a wonderful healer.

Peppermint  Peppermint is sometimes regarded as 'the world's oldest medicine', with archaeological evidence placing its use at least as far back as ten thousand years ago. Peppermint has high menthol content, and is often used as a flavoring in tea (MY FAVORITE), ice cream, confectionery, gum and toothpaste. Has been known to reduce irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms and colic.  *be prepared to contain plant as it will spread!!

Plantain-major-Turkish *when avail.  This is the largest true plantago worldwide.  EVERY garden should have this valuable plant. Given sun to part shade and moist soils, you'll have plantain to your waist, and leaves as big as dinner plates.  Very easy to grow and hugely impressive to visitors. Another one of its common names was "Soldier's Herb" for its use on the battlefield as a field dressing- it is a POTENT coagulant (stops bleeding). The leaves are edible and used in herbal medicine, but can be somewhat tough. The taste is that of very bitter salad greens with a lingering aftertaste like spinach. Young leaves are recommended as they are more tender. The leaves when dried make a good tea. Historical uses as a wound healer and snakebite remedy. It also contains the cell proliferate allantoin, and is used as a replacement for Comfrey (another good healer) in herbal preparations. Traditionally has been used to prevent uterine bleeding after childbirth (made into a tea and inserted via a douche), and a variety of other ailments. This can be tested easily by taking some water-based paint, making some plantain tea and mixing the two together. The paint particles will immediately permanently separate from the water. *People who take blood thinners or those prone to blood clots should never use plantain internally.

St Johns wort-

A pretty evergreen with yellow flowers. St John's wort is today most widely known as an herbal treatment for major and minor depression. The aerial parts of the plant can be cut and dried for later delivery of the active ingredient hyperforin in the form of an herbal tea with a pleasant, though somewhat bitter, taste. Hyperforin has also been found to have antibacterial properties, and is believed to stimulate the release of the neurotransmitter nor epinephrine, leading to speculation that it might alleviate the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

AS WITH ANY INJESTED HERB -USE ONLY WITH DR SUPERVISION

*keep from livestock*may interfere with medication*known to spread