Herbs for health and beauty, back garden style

Calendula

I was leafing through some of my books on natural bodycare, and looking at the plants and flowers that are commonly used.  I realised that I have a lot of them in my garden, and thought that I would list them, just to see how impressive my list is!


Aloe vera (in the house)
Apple
Basil
Blackcurrant
Burnet
Calendula officinalis  (Marigold)
Chamomile
Chickweed
Chives

Nettle

Clary sage
Coltsfoot
Comfrey
Cucumber
Dandelion
Elder
Equisetum arvense  (Horsetail)
Evening primrose
Fennel
Feverfew
Flax / linseed
Galium aparine  (Cleavers, Sticky willy)
Globe artichoke
Hawthorn
Hops
Houseleek
Jasminum officinale
Lady's mantle
Lavender

Poppy

Lemon balm
Lungwort
Marjoram
Nettle
Olive
Parsley
Pelargonium graveolens
Peppermint
Pink
Plantain
Poppies
Rasberry
Red clover
Rhubarb
Roses
Rosemary
Sage
Self-heal
Spearmint
Strawberry
Strawberry, wild
Tansy
Thyme
Willow
Yarrow


and very locally live Scots pines, Meadowsweet, Rose hips, Wild Honeysuckle, Tormentil, Blaeberries and lots more.  Not bad for suburbia!!

I use quite a few of these plants in my soaps, most especially the calendula petals, the nettles, rose petals.  Parsley gives a great green colour in soap, then the jasmine flowers get collected, so do the elder flowers.  I would like to get a Burdock plant this year, to make homemade dandelion and burdock juice, scrummy!