Gesneriaceae. Perennial to 2'. Full to partial sun. Requires a light, freely-draining humus-rich loam in light shade. Prefers a neutral to acid soil.
Large, gloxinia-like, 2"-4" long tubular, magenta flowers, in late Spring- early Summer.

Companion: Attracts hummingbirds and Butterflies

Harvest: The roots of cultivated plants are harvested in the autumn or early winter, while wild plants are harvested in early spring. They can be used fresh or dried.

Uses: This plant is commonly used in Chinese herbalism, where it is one of the most popular tonic herbs and is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs. The leaves are bruised and used in the treatment of scaly eczema or psoriasis.
Root - cooked. Boiled nine times (throwing the water away each time) before it is eaten. Use Caution. The root is somewhat toxic hence the need to be boiled nine times The roots are used in the treatment of a wide range of ailments, including anemia, cancer, bleeding, constipation, coughs, fever.

Origin: E. Asia - N. China, Korea.

Hardy Perennial to 6'. Full to part sun- any soil. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Distinguished from our familiar garden Rhubarb by its larger size, the shape of its leaves, with their oblong segments, the graceful loose, greenish-white flowers. The root is thick, oval shaped, sending off long, tapering branches. Externally it's brown, internally a deep yellow color. Division in early spring or autumn.

Beneficial: Plants in this genus seem to be immune to browsing rabbits. Companion plant for columbine. An insect spray is made from the leaves.

Harvest: In October, the 6 year old root is scraped, sliced diagonally & pieces strung on cords to dry in the sun.

Uses: The stem is superior in flavor to the common rhubarb. An acid flavor, sometimes used as a cooked fruit substitute.
The preparations used in medicine are the powdered root, a fluid extract, a tincture, syrup, infusion and solution. Astringent, tonic. Rhubarb powder acts as a simple and safe purgative, without clogging the bowels and producing constipation, a consequence of the use of the other purgatives.
Rhubarb in small doses is used for a tonic dyspepsia, assisting digestion & creating a healthy action of the digestive organs. Rhubarb when chewed increases the flow of saliva. Externally, the root is used in the treatment of burns.
People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should use caution if, since it can aggravate their condition. This remedy is not prescribed for pregnant or lactating women, or for patients with intestinal obstruction.
Origin: China 

Grossulariaceae. Hardy, Deciduous multi stemmed shrub to 8 ft. Sun to shade.  Tolerates many soil types. One of the first shrubs to leaf in the spring, It form suckers; red foliage in fall. fragrant tubular flowers -yellow, turning orange or red, fragrant..  Fruits yellow, orange, red, or purple black.
Hardy to USDA Zone 3

Companion: Very popular with birds, especially Chickadees. Bees love the heavily nectared flower clusters. Wildlife loves the berries.

Uses: Native people ate the young leaves as soon as they could. Tastiest of the current species
Current berries are an important ingredient in pemmican, the winter sustenance of many Native peoples

Large seeds are emetic when eaten raw in quantity. Cooking the berries removes this effect. Makes a wonderful jelly, pies, syrups and tart wine. Can be worked into almost any fruit recipe.

Easy to grow , Full to partial sun, slightly acidic soil. Native habitat is the open woods, prairies, and moist hillsides, banks of streams. Erect to spreading deciduous shrub with bristles and stout thorns. The fruits are round and smooth, with a good flavor when ripe.

Gooseberries contain vitamins A and D, and are high in vitamin C, as well as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, niacin, and dietary fiber. Rich in pectin, gooseberries are ideal for jams and jellies; but they can also be frozen for later use. They also contain ellagic acid, a natural cancer-fighting substance also found in many other berries. Even better, this all important phytochemical does not break down during cooking. Native Americans used the swamp gooseberry (R. lacustre) to make a tea for colds. Others made a “catnip tea” from the menthol-flavored leaves, branches and inner bark of the shrub. The resulting “tea” was not used as a beverage, but rather as a medicine in the event of colds or diarrhea.
The first record is a fruiterer’s bill from the court of the English King Edward I, dated 1276, for gooseberry bushes that were imported from France. it was probably named as a result of a corruption of the Dutch name Kruisbes (or Gruisbes), derived from Kruis (the Cross) and Bes (the berry) because the fruit was ready for use just after the Festival of the Invention of the Holy Cross.

The genus Ribes is native to high latitudes in all of the northern hemisphere. Currant cultivation has taken place in Europe since at least the 1500’s. The berries are said to have medicinal properties. The name “currant” probably arose as a corruption of “Corinth”, the Greek city which in ancient days exported small raisins (actually dried grapes) under the name currant. These raisins were of about the same size as our currants, and the name stuck. Black currants are the most vigorous of the Ribes and grow up to 5’ high. Renewal canes grow from the crown or beneath the soil, and will fruit for about 3 years. Prefers loamy soils, a pH between 6.2 to 6.5. and good drainage.

Very versatile and thus useable as hedge, against walls or garden-shrub. The wild variety always has red berries, but cultivation has made white and pinkish berries available too. The English common name refers to the similarity between the fruit of this shrub and those of the Corinth grape –Corinth being the root for the word currant. The fruits are excellent for jellies and jams, but the juice of the fruit is also tasteful, though on the acid side. Very hardy and resistant to diseases. Self-fertile, so even when you have a single shrub you’ll get fruit. It can take up to 3 years before the plant starts fruiting though. Prefers moist humusy soil in tempered afternoon sunlight.

Ribes sanguineum ‘Henry Henneman’ Flowering Currant
Native to the western USA, this member of the gooseberry family grows up to 9 feet tall. “Discovered” in 1793 by the crew of Captain George Vancouver’s expedition, the plant found its way into European gardens from the late 1810s. Easy to grow, early flowering with strikingly pink flower clusters, with the bonus of blue-black fruits.
‘Henry Henneman’ Large terminal clusters of flowers, pale green in bud and opening to pure white. Mature size is 6-8’ tall.

Ribes sanguineum glutinosum Flowering Currant
These deciduous shrubs native to the California Coast Ranges are a favorite for their striking flower clusters, providing a late winter to early spring bloom. Flowers form in clusters of 15 - 40 with deep or pale pink flowers. Reaches 5 – 12’ tall and wide with maple-shaped, dark green leaves. An excellent choice for a woodland garden or the rear border. Does well in sun or dappled shade, needing good drainage and moderate summer watering. All hardy to 15° F.

Low growing evergreen shrub with arching wine stems. It flowers in the spring and will set red berries most commonly in coastal gardens. This plant can grow two to three feet tall and extend eight feet wide not contained. It grows in shade and part shade, and will survive dry to moderate water as long as it has good drainage. Good ground cover for dry shade and is excellent for erosion control. Deer usually don’t eat this perennial.

Euphorbiaceae. Summer annual, 6-12 feet. Full sun, moist soil. Bold shrub-like plant with large, tropical-looking leaves 1-3 feet across. In Midsummer, small white flowers in clusters on stalks, followed by large seeds.
Companion: is said to deter moles and rabbits.
Caution: Extract oil from seeds is safe but the seeds themselves are poisonous. This is not a plant for home remedies.
Best to pinch off flowers as they fade. Bristly seed husks or leaves may cause rash on persons with sensitive skin.
Is great for temporary tall screen, background plant or focal plant in the garden.
Uses: seeds grown commercially for extracted castor oil.
Origin: Ancient India. Called eranda in Sanskrit, a name still in use. Used by the ancient Egyptians over 4,000 years ago. Ancient Greeks were the first to commercially extract the oil from the beans for liniment and lubricant. Seed oil for laxative use began in 18th century.

Leguminosae. A Hardy deciduous tree to 50' at a fast rate. Tolerates dry, barren sites, drought, pollution. Any well-drained soil. If grown in rich soils they produce coarse, rank growth of branches, brittle & open to wind damage. Pruning: late Summer in order to reduce the risk of bleeding.
Flowers in Summer: very fragrant with a vanilla-like scent. Flowers when 6 - 10 years old. Suckers freely, especially if coppiced & can be used for stabilizing banks.

Companion: Pollinated by Bees. Noted for attracting wildlife. Rich source of nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds. The suckers have vicious thorns- great deer barrier. Leaves are rich in tannin & other substances which inhibit the growth of other plants. It can fix Nitrogen. Resistant to honey fungus.

Uses: Seeds, boiled & used like peas. After boiling, seeds lose their acid taste. A strong, narcotic and intoxicating drink is made from the skin of the fruit. Piperonal is extracted from the plant, it is used as a vanilla substitute. The root bark has been chewed to induce vomiting, or held in the mouth to soothe toothache, Rarely if ever prescribed as a therapeutic agent. Leaf juice inhibits viruses. A drying oil is obtained from the seed. An essential oil is obtained from the flowers. Yellow dye from the bark. Bark used to make paper substitutes for silk & wool. Wood is hard & heavy, used in shipbuilding & for making fence posts, floors, etc. Very good fuel, but it flares up and scatters sparks.
**All parts of the plant (except the flowers) and especially the bark, should be considered to be toxic. The toxins are destroyed by heat.
Origin: Eastern N. America

Rosaceae. D/10' pinkish flowers. Succeeds in most soils, needs a sunny position. Prefers a slightly acid soil. Dislikes water-logged soils. Very ornamental & it fruits well.
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. The plant makes a good informal hedge. Watch for honey fungus.

Companions: Grows well with alliums, parsley, mignonette and lupins. Garlic planted nearby can help protect the plant from disease and insect predation. Grows badly with boxwood.

Uses: Fruit - raw or cooked. The taste is best after a frost. Juicy, pleasantly acidic -good source of vitamin C. The fruit can be dried, powdered and added to tea as a flavoring or used as a fruity-flavored tea. Caution: here is a layer of hairs around the seeds just beneath the flesh of the fruit. These hairs can cause irritation to the mouth and digestive tract if ingested. Petals - raw. The petals are pleasantly aromatic, but you need to remove the bitter white base. Young shoots - raw or cooked. Peeled and eaten in spring when they're still tender. Good source of vitamin E, it can be ground and mixed with flour or added to other foods as a supplement. Be sure to remove the seed hairs. The peeled stems & the leaves are used to make a tea. INFUSIONS & DECOCTIONS: Infusion of the roots and sprouts has been used as an eyewash for sore eyes. A decoction of the roots has been used by women after giving birth and also in the treatment of sore throats. A decoction of the bark has been taken to ease the labor pains of childbirth. A decoction of the branches, combined with chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) & red willow (Salix bonplandiana), has been used in the treatment of various women's complaints, diarrhea and vomiting.
A poultice of the leaves has been used on bee stings. The leaves have been placed in shoes as a protection from athletes foot.

The fruit of many members of this genus is a very rich source of vitamins & minerals, especially in vitamins A, C and E, flavinoids & other bioactive compounds. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids. It is being investigated as a food that is capable of reducing the incidence of cancer and also as a means of halting or reversing the growth of cancers.
Origin: Pacific Northwest

Shrub and Hybrid Musk roses are hardy to Zone 6, Zone 5 with winter protection

Nearly Wild
Light Fragrance, Repeat bloom, Disease Resistance Good,
Nearly Wild gets its name by closely resembling a species rose. The blooms look like a wild rose. An extremely hardy floribunda rose, Nearly Wild has single, medium-pink blossoms that cover the plant from early summer until frost. It can be used in perennial beds, as an edging plant or by itself. It grows best in full sun. This is an extremely beautiful and useful rose for the home landscape. It makes a neat compact plant about 3 feet wide x 2 feet tall. It would work well as a low hedge or as a container plant.
The flowers consist of five petals and are bright pink with white centers and yellow stamens. The best thing about Nearly Wild is that it is almost constantly in bloom. Dieback must be cut out to keep the rose looking good. Blackspot and powdery mildew can also be a nuisance, but is still a wonderful rose for the garden.

White Meidiland Creeping Rose
Hardy Groundcover, Vigorous, Shade Tolerant, Disease Resistant, Profuse Blooms. No Fragrance, No pruning needed. Repeat blooming clusters. Height: 2' x 5'.

Mystic Meidiland
Butter colored flowers with pink accents. considerable variation between varieties.

ALL OUR OTHER ROSES ARE ON THE ORNAMENTALS PAGE- USE THE LINK ON RIGHT SIDEBAR ABOVE

Labiatae. Evergreen with lazy growth habit
Provide mostly sun/part shade & good drainage, slightly alkaline soil. Avoid over watering. Space 12-18 inches apart. Fertilize after frequent cuttings. Small blue flowers in spring & summer. Mulch in late fall. Entire plant is fragrant, the leaves are resinous and have a warm nutty, camphor-pine flavor. Trains to topiary well. used in wreaths.

Companion: attracts butterflies and bees.

Harvest: branch tips as needed. Dry on screens or use dehydrator (don't over-dry). Don't crush dried leaf until ready to use, to preserve flavor.

Uses: Pound with sugar, mix with cream and add to a fruit puree. Toss fresh rosemary into salads, add to a meat dishes, especially lamb and pork. Flavor baked potatoes, mix crushed leaves with butter for bread, vegetables & baste. As a tea, helps cure headaches, stimulates digestion & strengthens the blood. Use tea as an antiseptic gargle, a facial steam, light body splash. Infuse with sage for a conditioning dark rinse for hair. Use fresh in bath to stimulate blood circulation. Bind several boughs to a wooden spoon handle & use as a basting brush for the barbecue. In the last 15 minutes, throw the boughs onto the coals to give food a rich, smoky flavor.

Origin: circa 1000 B.C. Used by ancient Egyptians, Arabs.

Gold Raspberry

Blackberry

Polygonaceae. Perennial to 3 feet. Grows best in full sun, afternoon shade. Moderate water & average soil needs. Bright green clumping herb resembling lettuce. Harvest leaves regularly or they will become coarse and tough. It will quickly re sprout if damaged by cold and will grow best during the coolest months of the year.  The flower spikes are reddish and should be removed to promote leaf growth. 

Sorrel can be pestered by snails and slugs, attempt to limit their access surrounding with diatomaceous earth, crushed egg shells, or by "fencing" with thin copper strips.
Uses: Its sharp, acidic taste is valued in cooking. High in vitamin C, has lemony flavor. Leaf used in salads, soups and herb butter; makes great pesto for spinach salad, pasta salad, fish stuffing. Leaf sauce great on fish.

Rutaceae. Perennial to 2.5 feet. Full to part sun. Needs well-drained, average garden soil. Plant 12-18 inches apart. Makes a great no hassle hedge in a rockery or knot garden. A pretty plant with gray/green, ferny leaves and yellow flowers similar to yarrow. Dies down in Winter, comes back in Spring. The entire plant has a dry, strong scent.

Companion: Plant near roses & other plants to help deter Japanese beetles. Bumble bees .

Uses: A perennial with a very strong flavor, so use sparingly. High in iron and mineral salts. In Italy & Greece, chopped leaves are used in salads and as a seasoning. Infused as a tea, is said to stimulate the appetite, induce perspiration and is an effective expectorant. Seed: Infuse with lovage and mint as a marinade for poultry.

Origin: Native to S. Europe. Used by ancient Greeks & Romans, grown by Charlemagne and by Benedictine monks in the monastery gardens of St. Gall in Switzerland.
Caution: Once an important medicinal herb- but inadvisable to use without supervision. Leaves can be toxic in large quantities, and especially dangerous to pregnant women.

Labiatae. Tender perennial. Provide full sun and rich, well drained soil. Moderate water needs. Grows to 3 feet. Green, heart-shaped, fruit-scented leaves with tubular red blooms in summer. Can be evergreen only if moved indoors for winter. Good as container and topiary plant.

Companion: Great hummingbird and butterfly plant.

Harvest : anytime, main harvest in late Summer. Dry in bundles, hang upside down. Strip leaves from stem when dry and store in large airtight dark container. Don't crush leaves until ready to use to preserve flavor.

Uses: Add fresh or dried to sweet and sour, barbecue sauce, fruit salads, fruit drinks and teas. Toss stems on barbecue embers to add slight, sweet flavor. Use in facial steams and as a rinse to condition hair. Add to potpourri and herbal bouquets. Edible flowers make a great garnish for cakes, in fruit salad and tea sandwiches.

Origin: Central and South America.

Labiatae. Annual to 2'. Requires a very well-drained light soil in a sunny position. Prefers a rich soil. Plants can be killed by excessive winter wet.

Companions: Scented flowers are pollinated by Bees. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Members of this genus are rarely browsed by deer.

Uses: Leaves are very aromatic and added to salads, soups and cooked greens. Also used as a flavoring. Seeds used as a flavoring. The leaves and the seeds, when added to fermenting liquors, greatly increase the potency of the brew. An essential oil from the plant is used for flavoring certain beers and wines.
The leaves and flowering stems are aromatic and antiseptic. They make a good gargle for treating sore gums. The flowers can be air-dried and used as everlasting.

Origin :S. Europe

Labiatae. Perennial to 18" It is hardy to zone 6. Prefers well-drained, light soil in a sunny location. Succeeds best in well amended soil. Plants can be killed by excessive winter wet. Rose flowers from June to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs).

Companion: Pollinated by Bees. Rarely troubled by browsing deer.

Harvest: The roots are harvested in the autumn and early winter and are dried for later use

Uses: Tan Shen has long been used in Chinese medicine and recent research has confirmed the validity of its use in the treatment of heart and circulatory problems. Its use improves the micro circulation, increases blood flow to the coronary artery, improves myocardial contraction and adjusts the heart rate. It has an antibacterial action. Used internally in the treatment of coronary heart disease, poor circulation, palpitations, irritability, insomnia, breast abscesses, mastitis, ulcers, boils, sores, bruises, menstrual problems and post-natal pains

Origin: E. Asia - N.E. China.

Labiatae. Evergreen herb with lanky, upright growth habit. Provide full to part sun and good drainage. pH 5.5-6.5. Avoid over watering.

Companion plants: Rosemary, cabbage & carrots. Deters cabbage moth. Do not grow near cucumbers.

Harvest: branch tips, inside leaves and largest leaves to keep bushy and provide air circulation. Dry leaves slowly to preserve flavor.

Uses: Toss fresh leaves into salads. Infuse for light balsamic tea, mix with onions for poultry stuffing, wrap around liver and saute in butter, dip and fry whole leaves in batter, blend into cheeses. Make a sweet, sage blossom vinegar for marinades & dressings.
Sage tea is an old & reliable aid to a cloudy head, restoring alertness. Sage tea benefits digestion, combats sweating and, used as a gargle, soothes colds and coughs.
Use as a rinse to condition & darken gray hair. Mixed in a bath, it's a good deodorant.

Origin: N. Mediterranean. Circa 1300 by the Saxons, in French monastery gardens and in the Benedictine monastery gardens of St. Gall in Switzerland.

Perennial to 18" Full sun/ partial sun
Aromatic native to South Africa with showy flowers in shades of blue, mauve and white.
Used to treat indigestion, diarrhea, coughs, colds, fever, flu, bronchitis and flatulence. A tea is used to cleanse rashes, infections and sores. Dried leaves are burned as smudge or incense to repel insects.

Hardy Perennial to 2’. Flowers in Summer, Requires a very well-drained, average garden soil in a sunny position. Plants can be killed by excessive winter wet. This species is well suited to the wild garden, growing well in the summer meadow .

Companions: Pollinated by Bees and self-pollinating without flowers ever opening. The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Rarely troubled by browsing deer.

Uses: Leaves - raw or cooked. They are most often used as a flavoring in cooked foods. They are aromatic. The young leaves can be eaten fried or candied. An herb tea made from the leaves is said to improve the digestion. Flowers are a good addition in salads.
Medicinal Uses:The seed forms a thick mucilage when it is soaked for a few minutes in water. Helps in removing small particles of dust from the eyes.

Origin: Britain, Italy, Spain

Tall shrub for dry to moderately moist areas, in sun or part shade. Long, green 2-6" leaves. White, flat flower heads, 5-8" across in summer. Masses of small berries August and September, which may hang on after leaves drop in fall. Habitat is moist streams, along streams and canyons, open areas in coniferous forests, clearings. Great berries for birds. People make jellies, jams, and wine. Native Americans dried berries for storage and punched out stem pith and used cavities to store crickets for food in winter.

Though we have Red, Black & Blue Elderberries on the farm, My Favorite is Sambucus glauca- Blue Elderberry. Hardy Deciduous shrub to 10’. Flowers in Summer, tasty fruits in the Fall. Full/part sun, tolerates most soils, grows well in heavy clay soils. Tolerates pollution and coastal situations.

Companion: pollinated by insects. Resistant to honey fungus. A strong leaf tea, when watered on plants, repels caterpillars. Dried flower stems repel insects and rodents.

Uses: Fruit, raw, cooked or used in preserves. Sweet & juicy but full of small seeds, It’s the best flavored N. American Elder. Dry fruit for later use. Wine made from the fruit is a tonic.

Flowers are pleasant raw or cooked in fritters etc. Pleasant tea made of the dried flowers. Strong flower tea for stomach problems & lung complaints; externally to treat sprains, bruises & as antiseptic wash for open sores & itches.

Tea or extract from the flowers, bark and root used to treat fevers, is also laxative. Bark is analgesic and astringent. Strong tea used in the treatment of diarrhea, rheumatism & wash for swellings & pain. External ointment for treatment of burns, ulcers, skin irritations.
Leaf & flower tea used as a steam to treat colds/headaches, antiseptic wash on limbs affected by blood poisoning. Strong tea of root to treat bladder problems and dyspepsia. Hollow stems for flutes and pipes.

Fresh bark placed in a tooth cavity for toothache.

Leaves make a strong tea, treats new colds. Poultice of crushed leaves for burns & swollen hands. *Caution: The leaves, green fruits and stems of some members of this genus are poisonous. The fruit has been known to cause stomach upsets to some people.Very low toxicity destroyed when the fruit is cooked

Origin:: Western N. America

Compositae. Hardy Evergreen. Provide full sun and well drained, sandy soil. If soil is too rich, growth is soft and less silvery. Plant 18-24 inches apart. Give protection in frosty weather. Silver foliage with yellow, button flowers in Summer. Clip to shape in spring or summer, never in autumn. Deadhead blooms in autumn. Makes good indoor plant, topiary, hedge, bank cover. Keep clipped tightly for knot garden.

Harvest: pick flowering stems in late summer, gather leaves anytime.

The whole plant is highly aromatic. Dry flowering stems and leaves for aromatic decorations. To deter moths and other insects, lay in drawers, closets and bookshelves. Add to potpourri.
Do not take internally.
Origin: Southern Europe.

Caryophyllaceae. Perennial to 1 foot high, runners to 3 feet long. Rangy, medium-height ground cover. Full to partial sun, average water and soil needs. Dies down to ground in winter. Divide every 4 years.
Pink flowers in Summer. Great for covering walls & bulkheads.

Uses: Entire plant can be simmered to produce a soap for fine fabrics.
Crush fresh leaves with water and work into a lather with hands.
Use leaves as a poultice or decoction for rash, acne, eczema and boils.

Contains saponins, not recommended for consumption.

Origin: Europe

Labiatae. Annual. Provide full sun and well drained, slightly alkaline soil. Sparse upright with spreading branches, very slender leaves and pale lilac to white flowers in summer. Great for a fast one-season topiary, when pruned as a miniature tree.

Companion plants: beans and onions. Deters bean beetle. Good bee plant.

Harvest: Cut entire plant down as flowers begin to open. Hang bunches upside down to dry. Crush leaves and store in the dark to preserve flavor. Tastes like a spicy thyme.

Uses: Infuse to make savory vinegar or oil, cook with beans, use to flavor meats, good for salt-free diets. Delicious in a stir -fry with summer squash. Great teamed with parsley. Infuse flowering top as tea to stimulate appetite, ease the symptoms of colds or flu. Crush leaf and apply to insect bites or wasp stings for pain relief. Throw branches on fire for an aromatic disinfectant. Use as an astringent and antiseptic in facial steams or baths for oily skin. Use branchlets in herbal or floral bouquets.

Origin: Asia & Mediterranean. Used by ancient Romans and Greeks, grown by Charlemagne and in the Benedictine monastery gardens of St. Gall in Switzerland.

Labiatae. Hardy Perennial evergreen to 1 foot tall. Full to part sun, well drained soil, water sparingly. Transplant 12-18 inches apart. A decorative, well-shaped plant suitable for edging and knot gardens. Leaves are narrow and pointed, tasting spicy and sharp. Abundant white flowers in June-July. Divide every 3-4 years.

Companion: Flowers attract bees & butterflies.

Harvest this evergreen anytime. Best harvest as flowers begin to open, harvest non-flowering branchlets.

Strongly flavored, best used dried. Used in seasoning beans, soups and casseroles. Infuse to make savory vinegar or oil, use to flavor meats, good for salt-free diets. Delicious in a stir -fry with summer squash. Great teamed with parsley.

Origin: Hillsides of the Mediterranean.

Other cultivars: SAVORY, CREEPING WINTER - SATUREJA MONTANA 
SAVORY, LEMON - SATUREJA BIFLORA

Scrophulariaceae. Hardy Perennial to 3'. Sun, Dappled Shade. Flowers June to September. Division in spring. Divisions can be planted into their permanent positions.

Companion:pollinated by Bumble Bees and honey bees

Harvested as the plant comes into flower in the summer and can be dried for later use.

Uses: Supports detoxification of the body & it may be used as a treatment for various kinds of skin disorders. A decoction, applied externally to sprains, swellings, burns, inflammations; said to be useful in treating chronic skin diseases, scrofulous sores and gangrene. The leaves, applied fresh or be made into an ointment.

Internally, the plant has been used in the treatment of chronic skin diseases (such as eczema, psoriasis and pruritis, mastitis, swollen lymph nodes and poor circulation.

** WARNING not for those with heart conditions. Don't brew figwort tea in a copper pot!

Origin: Britain

Labiatae. Perennial to 3'. Prefers sun/partial sun - in any ordinary garden soil that does not dry out during the growing season. Plants are not long-lived when grown in rich soils. Divide in Spring. Dark purple flowers from June to August, and the seeds ripen from July to September.

Companions: The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees and flies.

Uses: Excellent tea from the dried leaves. A commonly used herbal medicine, a very effective nervine, traditionally used to treat a wide range of nervous conditions. Its tonic and restorative properties support and nourish the nervous system, calming and relieving stress and anxiety. Long use in American and British herbal medicine. A tea used to promote suppressed menstruation, relieve breast pain & encourage expulsion of the placenta.

Origin: N. America - The plant was once believed of use in the treatment of rabies, hence the name 'Mad Dog'.

Caution: Many of the plants grown under this name in gardens are in fact S. altissima.

**Insure you have the correct plant if using it medicinally. Avoid if pregnant - it can induce a miscarriage. Use with some caution - in excess it causes giddiness, stupor, confusion & twitching.

Labiatae. Perennial to 18". Full sun, well- drained humus-rich soil, slightly alkaline. Once established, this is a very drought-tolerant plant, it grows well in a hot dry position. Perfect for rock gardens and borders with grey-green leaves and pale yellow tubular flowers.

Beneficial: pollinated by Insects.

Uses: An aromatic herbal tea is made from the plant. Traditionally used in Greece as a tea for the common cold. Is also anti-inflammatory.

Origin: S. Europe - E. Mediterranean in Crete.

Umbelliferae. Rare biennial to 18 inches. Likes loose, rich, moist soil and full to partial sun. Transplant 18-24 inches apart. Not suitable for growing indoors. Bears strong stemmed yellow-green flowers in umbels early to mid-summer, followed by black, aromatic seed. Resembles Angelica and lovage. Self seeds.

Harvest: Leaves in Summer; stems when young; dig roots in late summer of second year.

Uses: Use fresh-cooked root, fresh stems, buds, leaves and spicy seed. Entire plant is edible.
Leaves in salads, stew, fish or steam with vegetables as side dish. Dried leaves were taken on long voyages to prevent scurvy.
Flowers: in salads & dumplings.
Stems: steam and serve like asparagus.
Root: decoct to improve appetite, boil like parsnips, or sliver and crystallize as a sweet.
Seeds: in cooking, breads, crush seed and add to soft cheese. Grind seeds and use as pepper substitute.
Add seed to potpourri.

Origin: Native to the Mediterranean, widely naturalized anywhere the sea. All parts of this plant have a long history of use.

Compositae. Hardy perennial to 2 feet. Full to partial sun, average soil and water needs; Grows even in heavy clay soils. 4"-6" plumes of golden yellow flowers. Long flowering season, July -Oct.

Companion: Attracts various beneficial insects such as ladybugs, lacewings and hoverflies to the garden, these insects will help to control insect pests in the garden.

Harvest: The plant is gathered in the summer and dried for later use.

Uses: Leaves can be used in tea. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant. Has been used in the treatment of kidney and bladder disorders, rheumatism and arthritis, skin diseases, influenza, whooping cough. The plant contains saponins that are anti fungal, rutin which is used to treat.

Yellow dye from the flowers

LABIATAE. This common perennial is so widely grown and cultivated. basically a weed, it does its own thing.

Some common names for these plants include woolly betony, woolly hedge nettle and lambs ear. These low growing perennials produce silver-gray, velvety foliage that is soft and fuzzy, like a lambs ear. Most children love the fuzzy leaves, and can pull them off and never harm this plant.

In late spring or early summer, the plants send up furry, silver stalks of small lilac- pink, fragrant flowers on spikes to about 2 feet high.

Companion: bees

Native to Northern Turkey, the Southern Caucasus Mountain region and Southern Iran

Labiatae. Hardy Perennial to 2'. Partial to full sun; average soil & water needs. Flowers after first year. Native to grassland, hedge banks, heath and open woods of Britain.
Deep green crinkled leaves and spikes of purple flowers make this one of the more attractive herbs. Once viewed as something of a panacea, it is still considered to have value as a nervine.

Tender Perennial to 2'. Full sun to part sun, average soil, nutrient and moisture needs. Keep as a houseplant or place in garden. Needs protection from frost, plant the whole pot into the ground, making it easier to bring in for next winter.
Many Guarani medicinal and nutritional uses for stevia . There haven’t been any reports of ill effects in over 1500 years of continuous use by Paraguayans. Over 20 years of widespread use of stevioside as a sweetening agent in Japan, not a single report of side effects.

The leaves are one of the sweetest substances known- hundreds of times sweeter than sugar——with no calories! Mix it into tea blends without any aftertaste. A fragment of leaf is enough to sweeten the mouth for an hour. There are three distinct traditions of stevia use. Is a flavor enhancement, an herbal tea and is medicinal. Stevia can be added to herbal teas. Combine stevia with yerba mate, lapacho, and other herbs. Stevia tea, made from either hot or cold water, is used as a low calorie, sweet-tasting tea, as an appetite stimulant, as a digestive aid, as an aid to weight management. Helps reduce the craving for sweets and fatty foods and as a stop-smoking and/or stop drinking aide.
Enhances the nutritive value of the other herbs. Stevia is nutrient-rich, with protein, calcium, phosphorous and other important nutrients. Try straight stevia tea. Individual leaves and pieces of leaf can be added to beverages, sprinkled over salads or cooking vegetables and substituted for sugar in recipes. A little bit goes a long way. Helpful for hypoglycemia and diabetes because it nourishes the pancreas and helps restore normal pancreatic function. In Brazil, stevia tea and stevia capsules are approved in the treatment of diabetes. Stevia does not lower blood glucose levels in normal subjects. Studies show hypoglycemic, anti-diabetic action.
Many diabetics experience a lowering of blood sugar levels following the ingestion of several cups of stevia tea, a slight lowering of arterial blood pressure at low and normal doses, changing to a slight rise in arterial pressure at very high doses. Suggesting a mild strengthening of the heart and vascular system.

Anti microbial Action:Inhibits the growth and reproduction of bacteria and other infectious organisms; a lower incidence of colds and flues; used in mouthwash and tooth paste products.
Use tea to help clear up skin problems, effective when applied to acne, seborrhea, dermatitis, eczema, etc. Placed directly in cuts and wounds, more rapid healing, without scarring, Stevia poultices makes skin softer to the touch.

Origin: Paraguay, South America