A Tour of the Garden

Herb Garden

You enter the herb garden by the arch at the top of the sales area, this is covered with a Blush de Noisette rambling rose and a pretty blue flowered Clematis Macropetala. The path is rather narrow, don’t worry if plants are growing between the bricks, they are happy to be trodden on! On the right the garden is fairly wild, basically anything which will flower under the oak tree is left to spread. In the Spring this area is full of Hidcote Pink Comfrey, Herb Robert, Ground Ivy and Sweet Violets. Herb Robert, with its rose-pink flowers and downy red stems is an astringent herb, externally applied to wounds and used as a gargle for sore throats and mouth ulcers. Ground Ivy was once commonly known as Alehoof and used for flavouring ale. Comfrey is commonly known as Knitbone, the leaves made into compresses and ointments and applied externally. The garden to the left of the path is home to some lovely Oregano ‘Kent Beauty’ and various thymes. Also woad seems to flourish in this bed, with its lovely lime green seeds which turn a shiny black as the summer progresses. Wild flowers such as small scabious, centaury and cowslips, self-seed here, and the buddleia and buddleia (horse) mint are smothered in butterflies in the summer months..

In between the three balls of Lonicera Nitida, there is an Amalanchier Canadensis which blooms May to June. To the left of this there is a large Viburnum Opulus, its lacy hydrangea-like flowers are followed by yellow berries and vibrant Autumn colour.

Through the next arch, with Rose New Dawn, you enter the main herb garden, which we started work on in 2001.

This area had been a vegetable garden although it was very overgrown when we took it over, and was full of buttercups and nettles. We decided to divide it into eight sections and work commenced on laying the paths and building the walls.

The first two sections are surrounded by box hedging, the centre beds are full of rue. This pretty, silvery blue leafed herb has a strong scent and the plant itself has insect repellant properties. The left hand bed has hyssop, with its pretty blue, pink or white flowers, infusions can be used for coughs, colds and chest infections. Creeping golden thyme makes very attractive ground cover. Garlic Chives are thriving in one section, they have beautiful white flowers and strap-like leaves. Lavender comes from the Latin word ‘lavare’ to wash, the Romans are said to have scented their bath water with it. The Lavender in this section is ‘Munstead’ variety. The trees in the centre are Juniper, a male and a female are needed to produce the berries. Juniper berries are an important constituent in gin, and a lovely addition to beef or game casseroles.

.The right hand beds within the box hedging contain Southernwood or Lad’s Love. This bitter herb when dried is ideal in sachets to keep away moths, or dried in pot-pourri. The Iris Germanica with its white flowers tinged with mauve is what is used to make Orris Root. We make pot-pourri with the herbs from our garden, and Orris is used as a fixative in this. We have planted Bergamot or Bee Balm in one corner, the leaves of this herb are wonderful in wine cups, or added to tea for an ‘Earl Grey’ flavour. Golden Marjoram enjoys a little shade and is a useful culinary herb with pretty pink flowers that dry well.

The next two beds are mainly full of culinary herbs. On the left there is the massive Lovage, ideal for soup and salads, and a border of Thymes. Buckler Sorrel and English Mace are used sparingly in salads. The Globe Artichoke has spectacular purple flower heads and is adored by the bees. The right hand bed has Angelica (candy the stem before it flowers), lots of Apple Mint, Ginger Mint, Pineapple Mint and, rabbits permitting, Caraway.

Take a seat under the central pergola, planted with scented roses and honeysuckle and clematis. In Mid Summer the garden will be buzzing with bees and butterflies. The central path on either side of the pergola is planted with Wall Germander, most attractive to bees and butterflies too, this evergreen herb has pretty pink flowers and is often used in knot gardens. It can be clipped formally or left to flower as ours does. This hedge does require a couple of clippings each Summer, it grows so quickly that it soon invades the path!

The next bed on the left is planted with pot-pourri in mind. Blue delphinium flowers dry beautifully. Lemon balm adds a citrus scent, or is lovely made into a refreshing wine or as a calming tea. This has been a bee plant for over 2000 years, bunches being put into empty hives to attract swarms. Valerian flourishes in this bed, in fact it is rather too vigorous and we have to pull up a lot of little seedlings! This narcotic herb is still used as a sedative and the essential oil used in the perfumery business. The smell of the roots is attractive to cats, ours adore it when we are potting up! The red and white striped rose is Rosa Gallica or Apothecaries Rose, a variegated form known since the sixteenth century. Paeonies have been planted for their glorious scent, also Cotton Lavender, the silver and the green form, both can be clipped hard back in Spring to keep them neat.

On the right the herbs are mainly medicinal, the massive elecampane with its yellow daisy flowers grows to about 8’ high. This ancient herb remained popular in folk remedies as a medicine for coughs and asthma, the root being candied and used as lozenges or conserves. Joe Pye Weed is named after a traditional healer from New England, who used the herb in his remedies. It is used for its restorative, cleansing action for kidney and urinary disorders. Virginian or Mad-Dog Skullcap spreads rapidly in this bed, reputedly able to cure rabies, hence the name. It is used as a nervine because of its sedative and anti-spasmodic capabilities, however, in large doses can cause twitching and giddiness etc, so be careful! The Motherwort self-seeds prolifically too, this herb is used to control heart rhythm and has a long standing reputation for being invaluable to female disorders, hence the name.

The last two beds are crammed with herbs to attract bees and butterflies. Self-seeding plants with attractive flowers such as mallow and borage. Freeze some borage flowers in ice cubes and add to Pimms or Summer drinks. The Sweet Woodruff thrives in the bed on the right, this is a pretty little woodland plant with white flowers that can be used in wine cups. The foliage, when dry, smells of newly mown hay, and is a lovely addition to pot-pourri. There are a number of useful dye plants in this bed too, the yellow flowered woad, with its lovely black seeds, and toadflax with its yellow flowers has been used for its golden yellow dye.

‘Healing Herb’ Wheel

Roman Chamomile:This apple scented herb has an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory action and is soothing and sedative. Taken as a tea for nausea and indigestion and to help promote sound sleep. An infusion of the flowers makes a rinse for fair hair, or a skin freshener for sensitive skins.

Thyme: Strongly antiseptic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, use infusions for coughs, colds, chest infections. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2 tsps dried thyme, steep for 10 mins then strain. Allow to cool before gargling. If used as a tea for coughs, sweeten with honey. The thyme in this bed is the broad leaved ‘Tabor’. Growing with the thyme is the delightful little Heartsease, known to be a heart tonic, to treat high blood pressure, colds and indigestion. The flowers can be candied or added fresh to salads.

Pot Marigold: This cheerful flower is used for making ointment to soothe irritated and chapped skin and can be used as a poultice for sprains and dislocations. For a poultice, steep 2 tbsps flowers for ten minutes in 1 cup boiling water. Immerse a linen cloth in infusion and wrap around injury, cover with towel until cloth is cold, repeat several times a day.

Fennel; The seeds are usually used as an aid to digestion and often added to babies’ gripe water. To make fennel tea, bruise 1oz. Fennel seeds and pour on 1 pt boiling water, infuse for 5 mins then strain. Drink in small cupfuls to relieve flatulence. In Medieval times fennel seeds were inserted into keyholes to ward off evil spirits and ghosts.

Lavender: Lavender tea can be used for nervousness, anxiety and sleeping disorders. A lavender bath is soothing and refreshing, and lavender flowers under your pillow facilitates deep and refreshing sleep.

Purple Plantain: An astringent herb that is diuretic promotes healing and is effective against bacterial infections. Mainly used as a poultice or in ointments to apply externally to wounds, sores, bites and stings. This is a variant of Plantago Major, or the greater plantain.