A Practice of Observation

It's incredible to witness the swift succession of plant life as the weeks go by. Just as we are beginning to learn about the wildflowers and plants that surround us, those which were dominant for weeks vanish, and new plants alight.

 

Lesser Stitchwort

Herb Robert with Bracken

The spring began with Hairy Bittercress, Nettles, Cleavers, Wild garlic, Bluebells and Herb Robert. Then Mouse Ear Chickweed, Pignut and Stitchworts began to cover the fields, soon joined by Cotton grass, Buttercups, Foxgloves, Red Campion, Curled Dock, Jack-by-the-Hedge and Sorrel to name but a few.

 

Beck-side Umbellifer

The roadside towards home.

Now the Brambles are flowering, and just as the Foxgloves are beginning to wane - the first Harebell.

Discovering the local plant life is a continuous practice of observation. As I try to uncover the possible medicinal or edible aspects of one plant, it - seemingly as quickly as it arrived - is going to seed, and being replaced by entirely new plants as the seasons progress.

As the weeks pass, I'm having to adjust my presumptions about what is here - and what I'm able to gather for food or medicine - just as I have to adjust my gardening practices to suit this soil, weather, flora and fauna.

I must learn from what already flourishes here; observing what grows, what conditions dominate, what is able to thrive - and in so doing, adapt my practices and behaviours to, hopefully, thrive here also.

 

Harebell

Ragged Robin

A list of Common and Botanical names used in this post:

Bluebell; Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Bramble or Blackberry; Rubus fruticosus
Buttercup, Bulbous; Ranunculus bulbosus
Buttercup, Creeping; Ranunculus repens
Buttercup, Meadow; Ranunculus acris
Cleavers; Galium aparine
Cotton grass or Bog cotton; Eriophorum angustifolium
Curled or Yellow Dock; Rumex crispus
Foxglove; Digitalis purpurea
Hairy Bittercress; Cardamine hirsuta
Harebell; Campanula rotundifolia
Herb Robert; Geranium robertianum
Jack-by-the-hedge or Garlic Mustard; Alliaria petiolata
Mouse Ear Chickweed; Cerastium fontanum
Nettle; Urtica dioica
Pignut or Earthnut; Conopodium majus
Ragged Robin; Lychnis flos-cuculi
Red Campion; Silene dioica
Sorrel, Common; Rumex acetosa
Stitchwort, Greater; Stellaria holostea
Stitchwort, Lesser; Stellaria graminea
Wild garlic or Ramsons; Allium ursinum

"A Veritable Medicine Chest"

When one is collecting wild plants for food or medicine, it can be alarming how short the window of opportunity may be. The seasons and the weather may shift swiftly or unexpectedly, and the chance to gather a vital medicine may be lost for another year. This year nearly everything has blossomed late due to an extended winter and harsh spring. Here in the fells we'd been waiting patiently for the Elders (Sambucus nigra) to flower - and then suddenly they did - but amidst the damp and rain - which doesn't bode well for collecting. But luckily in the past week, dry, sunny weather has arrived, and so out we went in search of Elder blossoms, both to dry for tea and to use fresh for making cordial. 

Elder is a most remarkable tree. It was one of the first plant medicines to enter into my life, and is still a constant companion. David Hoffman, author of The New Holistic Herbal, writes "The Elder tree is a veritable medicine chest...". These words have forever stayed with me (as has Hoffman's Herbal). He goes on: "The leaves are used primarily for bruises, sprains, wounds and chilblains. It has been reported that Elder Leaves may be useful in an ointment for tumours. Elder Flowers are ideal for the treatment of colds and influenza. They are indicated in any catarrhal inflammation of the upper respiratory tract such as hayfever and sinusitis. Catarrhal deafness responds well to Elder Flowers. Elder Berries have similar properties to the Flowers with the addition of their usefulness in rheumatism."

The bark, flowers, berries and leaves can all be used medicinally. In addition, the blossoms can be prepared as fritters, made into a refreshing, tonic cordial, and the berries can be used for making wine, jams, chutneys and vinegars.

According to Hoffman, the actions of the various parts of Elder are as follows:

"Bark: Purgative, emetic, diuretic.

Leaves: Externally emollient and vulnerary, internally as purgative, expectorant, diuretic and diaphoretic.

Flowers: Diaphoretic, anti-catarrhal.

Berries: Diaphoretic, diuretic, laxative."

There are other herbals that cite Elder as having tonic and alterative properties as well. (See glossary below for definitions of these and other terms used.)

Here is a wonderful quote in praise of the Elder from English herbalist and diarist John Evelyn (1620-1706) :

"If the medicinal properties of its leaves, bark and berries were fully known, I cannot tell what our countryman could ail for which he might not fetch a remedy from every hedge, either for sickness or wounds."

Personally, I like to take the flowers as a spring tonic and blood purifier. They promote blood circulation and sweating; this is their diaphoretic quality, which means they aid the body in eliminating toxins through the skin by promoting perspiration. They are also diuretic, which means they assist in the elimination of toxins through increased urination. Both of these actions are helpful for bringing the body out of illness or weakness and into balance, especially after a long, cold winter. Along with other tonic plants found in the spring and early summer such as Nettles, Cleavers, Dandelion and Hawthorn to name but a few, Elder flowers assist us to purify and revitalise the body.

 
Please note that I have barely touched upon the virtues and abilities of Elder in this short post - only hinting at the contents of this "veritable medicine chest"...

To give a sense of scale, here I am beside the Elder tree. Elders can live from around 30 - 250 years, though most of the ones we see are shrub-sized, often growing in hedgerows. I suspect this one is past a century in age.

Glossary 

Most of the definitions I have used here are extracted from The New Holistic Herbal by David Hoffman, 1990 (Third Edition), ISBN 1-85230-193-7. 

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Alterative: These are herbs that will gradually restore the proper function of the body and increase health and vitality. They were at one time known as 'blood cleansers'.

Anti-catarrhal: These assist the body in removing excess catarrhal buildups, in the sinuses or elsewhere. They also help reduce the rate of production of mucus.

Diaphoretic: Diaphoretics aid the skin in the elimination of toxins and promote perspiration.

Diuretic: These increase secretion and elimination of urine.

Emetic: Emetics promote vomiting. 

Emollient: Emollients are applied to the skin to soften, soothe or protect it.

Expectorant: The expectorants support the body in the removal of excess amounts of mucus from the respiratory system.

Laxative: These promote evacuation of the bowels.

Purgative: Strongly laxative in effect.

Tonic: The tonic herbs strengthen and enliven either specific organs or the whole body.

Vulnerary: Vulneraries are applied externally and aid the body in the healing of wounds or cuts.

"I Burn"

Last year we had a small patch of nettles growing up on the fell behind the house, so I cleared around it and cut back the brambles which grow everywhere here. This year the patch has expanded beautifully. We love nettles for their young tops and fresh green leaves - these are rich in vitamin C, minerals, including iron, and protein, and can be eaten as a spring vegetable, steamed, or added to soups and stews. We like them in pasta and potato dishes.
 
More importantly however, nettles are a valuable source of food and habitation for more than 40 species of insect here, including the caterpillars of several butterflies such as the Comma, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock.

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)

Here in Britain the loss of wildflowers and wild meadows is a considerable threat to the welfare of many pollinating insects, which of course effects the entire ecosystem - including the health of orchards, gardens and farms everywhere. All are connnected. I try to think about this when I'm 'weeding'. Though I want my own crops to do well and to flourish, I practice permaculture principles, which to me is a new name for old wisdom, and leave masses of space for wild plants to flourish. I don't 'tidy' too much, and hope that wildlife will also thrive in the spaces that I'm choosing to garden. 

I came across my first common toad in the garden a few nights ago, and today, a common frog!

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A few facts about Stinging or Common Nettles (Urtica dioica):

Their generic name 'Urtica' stems from the Latin 'uro', meaning "I burn" or 'urere', "to burn."

Their common name 'nettle' stems from the Anglo-Saxon 'noedle', meaning 'needle', which may refer either to the fine stinging hairs found upon the stems and leaves or to its use in making cordage or thread, which was once a widespread practice in western Europe.

Hedgerow plants near our house, including Nettles, Herb robert, Cleavers and Tormentil

A small excerpt from A History of Herbal Plants by Richard Le Strange:

"The stem fibre of the plant was also spun coarse or fine and woven into  rough or fine cloths, sailcloth, sacking and table linen, or was spun into rope or twine for fishing nets. A green colouring matter extracted from the leaves was once a popular wool dye, while the roots boiled with salt or alum yielded a beautiful yellow, for use on yarn... 

The dried herb... makes excellent fodder, increasing egg and milk yields. Chopped up fresh it was at one time added to feed, to make the animals' coats and eyes shine."

Medicinally nettles have a wealth of applications. They are astringent, diuretic and tonic. They support and strengthen, cleanse and purify our whole body. They are considered a specific for skin conditions, especially eczema in all of its forms. The aerial parts of the herb are used, collected when the flowers are in bloom.

As well as all of this, in late summer nettles produce huge quantities of seed, providing a valuable source of food for many of our seed eating birds. 

Such an incredibly productive and generous plant - it's time to head out and weed the nettle beds...