Hearbs as healers

[minisoji]

Hangovers and heavy hearts

Rosemary makes a restorative herbal infusion that's ideal for waking up the grey cells, setting the stomach and lifting the pirits; perfect for suffers of seasonal affective disorder, or a hangover.

How to grow: Rosemary will be happy in containers filled with a soilbased potting compost or in the garden in welldrained soil in a sunny position.

Recipe: Place a 3-4 cm sprig in a mug, pour boiled (not boiling) water, cover to prevent steam evaporation and steep for five minutes before drinking. Take one cup a day for up to seven successive days; then have a few days' break.

Burns and bites

I used to have an aloe vera growing in a pot on my kitchen windowsill because i am renowned as a clumsy cook.

But I have started using the burn jelly plant which is also a succulent and produces many more leaves which are easier to use.

How to grow: Plant in containers using a soil-based potting compost mixed with an equal amount of sharp horticultural grit or perlite.

Recipe: To treat burns, simply cut off a bot of leaf and rub the glutinous gel straight on the skin, reapplying if the burn becomes uncomfortable.

The wound then heals without listering. This gel can also be used to cool the itching caused by insect bites and allergies.

Headaches and cold sores

An infusion of lemon nalm can be drunk every day to relieve headache, tension and tiredness, and restore memory.

How to grow: Plant in a container to stop from marauding around the garden like its first cousin, mint.

Repot every autumn using a sol-based potting compost, either into a larger container or by cutting the plant in half and repoting into the same pot size.

Recipe: To infuse, add 2 tsp of fresh herbs or 1 tsp of dried herbs to a small mug, pour boiled water, cover steep for five minutes. Alternatively, allow to cool, then soak cotton wool in the tea and apply to cold sores to help them heal and prevent recurrence.

Sunburn and Skin rashes

Calendula cream made from pot marigold flowers is simple to make and keeps in the refrigerator for up to eight weeks. Ue on inflamed skin or minor wounds, rashes ans sunburn.

How to grow: Sow seeds into small pots, using seed or soil-based compost, in a frost-free environment. When seedlings appear, move to a warm, light position. Once established, and with no threat of frost, pot up or plant out in the garden.

Recipe: 150g emulsifying oinment; 70g glycerol; 80ml water; 75g whole pot marigold fowers, green parts removed. Melt emulsifying ointment in a ceramic bowl over a pan of simmering water. Add glycerol and water. It will solidify slightly; keep stirring until melted. Add flowers, stir well and simmer gently for three hours, checking periodically that the water does not boil dry. Strain mixture while hot through a jelly bag or tea towel into a jug, then stir constantly while cooling to prevent separtion. Once set, spoon into dark glass jars, seal and label.

Coughs and sore throats

Thyme has many therapeutic and culinary uses, ansd its antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal properties are proven by current research.

How to grow: Plant in containers using a soil-based compost, or directly into the garden in a sunny position. Well-drained soil is essential.

Recipe: To make a tea, use a tsp of fresh leaves or 1 tsp of dried; steep for give minutes, then strain. Swwten with honey, then drink to ease a cough. Alternatively, allow to cool and use as a gagle for sore throats or mouthwash for infected gums.

Scars and sprians

Comfrey is a wildflower and has been used medicinally for thousands of years; applied to the surface of the skin, it helps scar tissue to heal and eases varicose veins, muscle strain, sprains and bruises.

How to grow: Comfrey is easy to grow but invasive, so plant it in a large container or a dustbin with drainage holes, using a loambased compost.

Recipe: To make comfrey oil, stir 500g of chopped fresh leaves into 750ml olive or sunflower oil in a glass bowl over a saucepam of boiling water. Cover and simmer gently for two to three hours. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then strain through a jelly bag or tea towel into a jug.

Using a funnel, pour the oil into dark glass storage bottles, seal and label. Place in a cool cupboard away from direct light, and keep for up to one year.