Designing for medicinal resilience

Overview There are literally thousands of plants with medicinal actions. As we are home herbalists, we aim to grow a wide variety but with a focus on nourishing and tonic herbs that we can harvest for regular use. Tonic herbs are herbs that strengthen and enliven a specific organ or system or the whole body. Nourishing herbs are those that we can consume on a daily basis. In this section there are notes on seasonal medicine making, but also research which informs my planting plans, by helping me to identify which herbs I need to cultivate and prioritize such as: Nourishing & tonic herbs used frequently Native medicinal plants & those used traditionally in my bioregion Herbs with specific medicinal actions, such as antibiotics Perennial herbs including trees & shrubs Those which I need to buy or import How to harvest herbs sustainable from the wild where necessary Herbal Antibiotics Plant medicines, with their complex mix of multiple antibiotic compounds, are remarkably effective against drug-resistant bacteria5 says US herbalist, Stephen Harrod Buhner. In his book, Herbal Antiobiotics, he identifies several of the top antibiotic herbs. This research will inform my planting decisions for Brook End. His Top 15: acacia, aloe, cryptolepsis, Echinacea, eucalyptus, garlic, ginger, goldenseal, grapefruit seed extract, honey, juniper, licorice, sage, usnea & wormwood. His 5 top herbs for strengthening the immune system to prevent infection include: ashwagandha, astralagus, boneset, red root & Siberian ginseng. Other immune system boosters include ginger root, onion, shitake mushrooms & vitamin C.

Summer
Fresh root tinctures: Mallow, comfrey, valerian, yellow dock, burdock, elecampane, echinacea Fresh leaf & herb tinctures: Hawthorn berries, ground ivy, elderberry, garlic Dried root tinctures: Angelica, Other: Comfrey root oil, horseradish composition, horseradish syrup, horseradish infused oil, elecampane root syrup, hawthorn tonic wine, elderberry syrup, garlic oil & vinegar, licorice root syrups, ladys mantle root infused oil, rosehip syrup, aloe vera gel Dry roots: Valerian, burdock, elecampane, angelica, licquorice, sweet cicely, licquorice, lovage, evening primrose Dry leaves & flowers: Hawthorn berries, elderberries, fennel seed, bilberry leaves, dill seeds, oatstraw

Traditional Medicinal Plants in Somerset Below is a list of herbs gathered from my research into herbs used traditionally in Somerset for medicinal purposes. They have been sourced by David E Allen and Gabrielle Hatfield in their book Medicinal Plants in Folk Tradition, An Ethnobotany of Britain & Ireland, which verified hundreds of historical sources to obtain a clear picture of folk herb use. I seek to use native medicinal plants to make medicine and therefore this list is useful for my planting decisions: Alder, Blackberry, Bladder wrack, Broad leaved dock, Bulbous buttercup, Chickweed, Cleavers, Coltsfoot, Dandelion Devil's bit scabious, Elder, Germander speedwell, Greater Celadine, Greater plantain, Greater stichwort, Hedge garlic, Juniper, Lords & ladies, Mallow(s), Meadowsweet, Nettle, Pennyroyal, Poppy, Scarlet pimpernel, Spearmint, Stinking Iris, Sweet violet, Viper's bugloss, White poplar, Wild carrot, Wild Rhubarb, Wild Teasel, Yarrow

Summer
Fresh leaf & herb tinctures: Hazel flower blossom, mallow, comfrey, yarrow, agrimony, fumitory, chamomile, wood betony, red clover, st johns wort, goldrenrod, chickweed, mullein, meadowsweet, hop flower, white deadnettle, elderflower, milk thistle seed, catnip tops Dried root tinctures: Other: Mallow flower syrup, comfrey infused oil, yarrow infused oil, plantain leaf infused oil, hyssop infused oil, yarrow tonic wine, red clover wine, st johns wort infused flower oil, chickweed salve, chickweed juice ice cubes, mullein infused flower oil, basil tonic wine, oregano leaf infused oil, meadowsweet infused oil, hop pillows, elderflower syrup, elderflower infused oil, calendula infused oil, frozen bilberry juice Dry roots: Yarrow Dry leaves & flowers: Hazel flower blossom, mallow leaves, yarrow, eyebright, chamomile, plantain (and seeds), hyssop, wood betony, red clover blossoms, dog rose petals, goldenrod, nettle seeds, mullein leaves, hawthorn blossoms, hop blossoms, white deadnettle, milk thistle seed, sweet wormwood, calendula petals, chrysanthemum, borage, lavender, chamomile, catnip tops, evening primrose leaves, passionflower

spring
Fresh root tinctures: Dandelion, nettle Fresh leaf & herb tinctures: Dandelion, mugwort, sheperds purse (when flowering), coltsfoot leaf, nettle, vervain, cleavers, mint(s), feverfew, wild thyme, thyme, lemon balm Dried root tinctures: cowslip Other: Coltsfoot flower syrup, harvest Oak bark & dry, cleavers juice ice cubes, cleavers infused oil, Fresh oat bark tincture, dry cramp bark, sweet violet flower syrup, sweet violet infused oil, burdock root syrup Dry roots: Dandelion, cowslip Dry leaves & flowers: Nettle, cleavers, cowslip, sweet violets, rosemary, comfrey, sage leaves, lovage, lemon balm

Regularly harvested fresh herbs Nettles, peppermint, bay leaves, basil, rosemary, ladys mantle leaf, fennel, sweet cicely leaves, sage, parsley, borage, lemon balm

Wildcrafting ethics Wildcrafting means harvesting herbs from the wild. Guidelines can be followed to make this process sustainable: Attempt to cultivate first before using wild plants Only take what you need with enough remaining for healthy regeneration (525% take max) Do not harvest endangered, threatened or sensitive species unless absolutely necessary. Respect plants & ask permission Be active for plants in threat

Nicole Vosper, Wild Heart Permaculture 2011

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