One of my great joys is my large rambling Suffolk garden, which has mature trees and shrubs, and a pond just big enough for a one-person rowing boat. Among the garden flowers are many wild native ones, which some people might call ‘weeds’. None has been planted; all have arrived by means of bird, mammal, wind or rain. The variety is astonishing, with no less than 88 different species across the seasons, and I’m still counting the new arrivals.
Healing herbs
While some ‘weeds’ are poisonous, others have impressive medicinal properties. Gardeners who are proud of their stripey lawns will not be pleased to see a rosette of mid-green leaves with prominent veins appearing from time to time — plantain. It will be quickly dug up or sprayed with herbicide. The Anglo-Saxons knew better! To them, plantain was a sacred plant, the ‘mother of herbs’, which could heal anything. They were right! Recent scientific studies have demonstrated that extracts of the plant have wound-healing activity and are naturally anti-inflammatory. It is also an analgesic (suppresses pain), an antioxidant (prevents cell damage), an antibiotic, anti-ulcerogenic and supports the immune system. It is astonishing that this down-trodden plant should have such remarkable healing properties.
The name is derived from the Latin planta, sole of the foot. American Indians used to refer to it as ‘White man’s foot’, because it arrived on that continent along with the new settlers and then seemed to spring up wherever they went. Indeed, the herb became well known for its soothing effect on sore feet. If you have blisters after a long walk, simply place some leaves inside your socks and allow the juice to soak into your skin as you move about. This can give quick relief.
Plantain poultices can be easily made to heal cuts, insect bites, blisters, bruises and to draw out splinters. Just tear up a leaf or two, put in a mug and pour on hot water. Infuse for five minutes, then soak a cloth in the liquid and apply to the problem area. You can also drink the tea for coughs, or use it as a gargle for sore throats. However, best to add some honey as the taste is a little bitter.
Many other ‘weeds’ have healing properties, often revealed by their names, as in ‘woundwort’ or ‘selfheal’. John Gerard, the Elizabethan herbalist, describes how he cured a shoe-maker’s servant with woundwort, the man having attempted suicide:
“First, he gave himself a most mortall wound in the throat, in such sort, that when I gave him drinke, it came forth at the wound, which likewise did blow out the candle: another deepe and grievous wound in the brest with the said dagger, and also two others in Abdomine.”
It is surprising that this poor man survived long enough to present himself to the herbalist! The remedy comprised of four handfuls of woundwort boiled up with hog’s grease and olive oil from which ‘plaisters’ were made and applied to the injuries. He was cured “within twenty daies”. This may seem incredible, however, woundwort is a proven styptic (aids in the binding of body tissues), and contains the compound betonicine, which is a haemostatic (stops the flow of blood). It is also an antibiotic and naturally antiseptic.
Edible weeds and berries
Many of our native wild plants are edible and can be used in recipes or as a garnish for salads or cakes. Violet flowers, for example, make an attractive decoration and can be crystalised. Traditionally, they were always thought to have a calming effect.
I came across an 18th-century diary written by a farmer’s wife. She describes how they used to dry violets to make puddings, saying, “It be a good cure for cross husbands”. As the recipe is very rich, with six eggs and eaten “with plenty of cream”, I have no doubt it would send any bad-tempered man to sleep.
Brambles, hawthorns and wild roses can plant themselves anywhere and many gardeners find them a nuisance. Yet the prickly stems provide safe nesting sites for birds, while the berries offer them nutritious food. Small mammals will devour those on the ground. All are rich in vitamins and minerals. Thirty rosehips contain as much vitamin C as 40 oranges. The syrup made from rosehips was given to children during WWII, when it was too dangerous to import oranges.
Like foxgloves, from which the heart drug digitalis is extracted, haws are known to be beneficial for the cardiovascular system. Among many other benefits, blackberries can support good vision. John Gerard records that these berries “heale the eies that hang out”, which conjures up rather a startling image. Nevertheless, the vitamin A content of blackberries is certainly good for vision and, like blueberries, there is evidence that they guard against degeneration of the macula at the back of the eye. The deep purple pigment contains anthocyanins which are potent antioxidants that protect the body’s cells from damage.
Treasure your ‘weeds’!
Some people might question why it’s so important to include wildflowers in our gardens. “Surely,” they say, “garden flowers offer good nectar to bees and butterflies.” Yes, of course, many do. However, some insects specialise in particular food plants, or even just one plant. If that plant isn’t available, then that insect may become locally extinct.
I have just spotted the beautiful orange-tip butterfly flitting about my garden. This insect chooses nectar exclusively from cruciferae (flowers with four petals), such as honesty or garlic mustard, both flourishing in my semi-wild patch and often difficult to differentiate before they flower. Its favourite is the dainty lady’s smock, which only grows reliably in damp conditions. Many of these lovely plants have been wiped out due to drainage for agriculture. I was so thrilled when a few turned up by my pond.
If some of our native ‘weeds’ arrive in your garden, please don’t disdain them. Remind yourself that they may contain some remarkable properties which support not just the wildlife, but we humans, too.
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