Lady’s Mantle - alchemilla vulgaris

A hardy perennial herb, member of the rose family, 40-50 cm high, with branched hairy stems bearing lobed leaves with serrated edges. Flowers are numerous and 3-5 mm in diameter greenish-yellow and with upper flowers smaller without petals, appearing early spring to mid-autumn. The herb is found in woodland and shady moist places in Europe and throughout northern temperate regions. It prefers a deep loamy moist soil but can grow in any soil. Self-seeds prolifically but the easier way to propagate is by division in spring or autumn. The plant is some times grown in gardens.

Lady’s mantle is a general tonic for women, especially for reproductive organs. This herb it has been used to restore normal menstruation for menstrual pain and help women to conceive. It is also used as a heart tonic and in acute diarrhea. It has anti-inflammatory properties and helps when applied externally with sores and skin irritation. The leaves are edible but they are slightly bitter. Take some springs of the herb and use in salad twice daily or make a standard brew of the herb and drink a small cupful morning and night .

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Tansy - tanacetum vulgare

A spreading perennial herb, to 1.2 m in height, found along roadsides and on waste lands. Tansy was in the middle Ages one of the essential strewing herbs. It is frequently now grown in herb gardens for its attractive and long-lasting yellow flowers and for its insect- repellent properties. Leaves are dark, fern like and of pungent sent. Flowers are small, of brilliant yellow, born in clusters. The whole plant has camphor like odor and is bitter- peppery to taste.

Despite the bitter flavor, there is plenty of evidence that it was widely used for culinary purposes in the past appearing in many old recipe books. The herb was a popular ingredient of cakes called tansies, tansy bans, as a substitute for mint in a sauce to accompany lamb and a yellow coloring matter was used to make tansy sugar rock.

It has traditionally been used as an insecticide or insect repellent to ward off aphids and other insects and in companion planting. It was rubbed over meat to keep flies away in past times. It is one of the most mineral rich of all herbs and contains many important substances, including Gallic acid, gum, stearin, bitter resin and precipitate of lime. This herb has many medicinal values. Parts used are the leaves. It has been used as a tonic, nervine, vermifuge and externally for treatment of swellings, enlarged, knotted varicose veins, as treatment for earache, toothache, sties and eye inflammation.

It is also an excellent general tonic against failing appetite, nausea, jaundice, blood pressure and dropsy. It is seldom used in herbal medicine today. This is a strong herb and can only be taken in small doses. A standard brew is made with one small teaspoon of finely cut herb. Take a tablespoon of this brew twice a day before meals. It is an irritant in large doses and if taken during pregnancy may induce abortion. The herb can grow well in dry, stony soil and prefer a sunny position. It can tolerate most positions provided the soil is not constantly wet. It is propagated by seed and division of old clumps.

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Wood Betony - betonica officinalis

The herb is found in woods and under dense hedges. Leaves are sparse, rough and dark, with the majority and larger ones springing from the root. The plant it comes up year after year from a woody root and rising to a height of up to 1 meter. It is a rough rather hairy plant. Flowers are tubular two-lipped and dark purplish and in bloom during summer.

Its botanical name arrives from the Celtic words ben (head) and ton (tonic). The herb posses’ powerful influence over the head region and it is much used in the treatment of headache and neuralgia of the head and face and will relieve most pains of this nature. It is also a valued remedy for jaundice. A standard brew of the leaves, it has somewhat the taste of tea, can be taken a wine glass morning and night. To make the tea, pour a cup of boiling water over a teaspoon of the dried herb. Let stand for 2 minutes and strain.

The dried herb used to be smoked as tobacco mixed with other herbs for relieving a headache. Also as a yellow die for wool. Externally has been used for bites and stings of all types of insects and animals.

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