Valeriana officianalis

Uproot… Zzzzzzz

A beautiful summer flower that will inhabit any waste ground, spread throughout Europe but does prefer damp ground.

It is very much a July flower although can seen a month either side.

The flowers are beautiful and perfect in a wild flower bouquet for the table – but they also smell nice and can be used in home made pot pouri.  They have a slightly pinkish hue to a white flower, the leaves are delicate and they grow around 60cm tall.

But it is really the roots that are the best bit about the plant.. they don’t go deep and are very easy to uproot – in tact.  Cut the flowers off for the table, clean the root and then finely chop.  Place a couple of teaspoons in a half pint of cold water and leave for at least 10 hours to infuse… then drink a few times during the day to have a relaxing effect.  In order to sleep the concoction can be made a little stronger (double).  Although I haven’t heard of any problems with an overdose of valerian root, care should still be taken not to make it too strong.

Relax and enjoy.

Salix – all species

Contain salacilic acid which is the active ingredient in asprin…

Historically used in pain relief and equally thins the blood like its modern counterpart.

Can chew the bark or steep it in hot water in the same way you might make an infused tea.. Flavour leave’s a lot to be desired but add some mint and goes a long way to being palatable..

An example (of which there are many) of where science has synthesised nature so as to make money from the shop shelves.. but all you need to do it chew bark!

…OK not free of energy… you probably need to walk a good 200m from your house to get the ingredients!

Just need a few simple ingredients

Cleavers / Sticky Willy

Nettle

Yarrow

Mint **  careful when picking water mint as if there is any livestock around there could also be ‘liver fluke disease’ – needs to be cleaned.

Maybe just a little bit of honey or agave syrup? – the gain is more than the cost!

Grab a load of each – steep them in boiling water and wait…..

In as much time as it takes to brew a tea you have a health tonic worthy of a cool £5 spent at your local health store.

Better effects are had by leaving the tea for longer – Don makes a tea before bed, places it in a flask, it brews over night and hey presto a morning pick me up.

If you are reading this then you are at least interested.. DONT BE AFRAID - all of these might be things that might have been used either as a play thing or an object of avoidance but please go beyond that and just have a go…

I include some pictures of yarrow as it will be the one people might not know..