Grow your own medicine cabinet and give a new twist to your herb garden using everyday plants we sell right here at our garden centre in Hereford.
Herbs can be used to treat all kinds of everyday ailments: it's like having your personal pharmacy outside your back door.
The beautiful purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, is thought to fend off colds and flu, while deliciously fragrant lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla) helps you get off to sleep at night. Lavender, too, is famously relaxing, while rosemary eases anxiety and can help your memory, too.
The easiest way to use most medicinal herbs is in boiled water, as a tea. Pick a generous sprig of young foliage and steep it for about five minutes, then remove and drink. Peppermint is wonderfully refreshing taken like this after dinner, when it helps your digestion.
Alternatively, wrap stems of lavender in muslin and hang them under the hot tap while you run your bath to gently fragrance the water and soothe away the worries of your day.
There are dozens of ways medicinal herbs can help your health and well-being, but use them with respect and never to excess. If you are pregnant or have a specific medical complaint, consult a doctor or herbalist first.
