Chickweed - Stellaria media

Nutritional:More nutritious than most vegetables and high in copper and iron it can be cooked but is best enjoyed raw. Medicinal:Applied fresh to skin sores and wounds it draws away infections and impurities. Hold in place with a bandage and reapply every few hours. Use as a soothing tea for internal inflammations such as digestive upsets, sore chest, lungs and throat.
Uses:A good indicator of high nitrogen levels in the soil.

Comfrey - (Knitbone Boneset)

Description:Found in…. It can be propagated by dividing its roots in spring. Small root pieces will soon grow into tough, deep rooted plants, so choose your location carefully!
Nutrition:Comfrey tea is a lovely drink and very high in chlorophyll and vitamins.
Medicinal:By promoting cell growth comfrey helps heal inflammation and rebuild tissue and can be used both internally and externally for fractures, sprains, bruises and burns. Apply a poultice of fresh pulped leaves or a warm cloth, wet with a brew of the roots. A decoction of the root soothes and heals coughs, ulcers, respiratory and bronchial ailments due to its high mucilage content and strong antiseptic qualities. It also helps regulate blood sugar levels. Comfrey tea is also a lovely drink in its own right and very high in chlorophyll and vitamins.

Dandelion

Description:Found everywhere, this plant doesn’t get the admiration it deserves. The root contains more of its active ingredients.
Nutrition: has a large number of nutritive salts, the leaves contain more vitamins and minerals than ordinary garden vegetables. Steam the young leaves or cut small for salads. Dandelion leaves are milder before the flower stalks appear. Medicinal: dandelion is a blood tonic and stimulant for the entire system, energizing the stomach, liver, pancreas, kidneys and bowels.

Dock

Description:Collect in Autumn.
Medicinal:The roots which stimulate digestion and act as a laxative, are used for treating blood problems, skin ailments and as a nutritive tonic.

Echinacea - Echinacea purpea

Nettle

Nutrition:Rich in vitamins A , C and D, chlorophyll, iron and calcium,
Medicinal:it is an excellent herb to take for anemia and other blood conditions. Sting rheumatic joints and skin rashes to stimulate cortisone production, blood flow and relieve pain.Uses:Rinse hair with a strong tea to improve texture and remove dandruff. The roots yield a yellow dye. A vegan rennet can be made by boiling the plant with salt producing a liquor. Excellent fibre to make strong clothes. Used by British police upuntil 1995 for their uniforms.

Shepherd’s - Purse

Description:Prefering open ground and tough to remove once established.
Nutrition:high in vitamins A, C and K, calcium, sodium and sulfur.
Medicinal:Known for its bloodclotting properties it is made into an ointment or used fresh as a poultice for wounds.

St. Johnswort - Hypericum perforatum

Description:Easily grown from seed, spring cuttings or spring or autumn root divisions this plant likes good drainage, a slightly acid situation and full sun
Medicinal:St. Johnswort oil is applied topically to help speed healing of bruises, wounds and sores. Fill a jar full of finely chopped, fresh flowering tops, cover with olive oil and place in a warm spot. After two weeks of daily shaking strain the oil and store in a sealed, dark bottle in a cool place.Make tea or tincture for lung ailments, bladder infections, dysentery, diarrhea, bed wetting and worms. Taken daily for at least a few months, 2-4 g of the dried herb is a mood enhancer relieving mild depression, fear, and nervousness.

Yarrow

Description:This small feather leaved plant has many uses.
Medicinal:Make a tea from the leaves and flowers, for an uplifting and purifying tonic. A strong infusion opens skin pores, increases sweating and is good for fevers. A few lukewarm drops can also be used for earache. Chewing the leaves produces an anaesthetic effect similar to freezing and is good for toothache.

Tinctures

Are a way of storing a plants’ properties in a long lasting and highly concentrated form. Herbs can be prepared alone or in combination. To make a tincture, pack 100g of the powdered or cut herb into a jar with about 400ml of strong alcohol, brandy works well. Shake daily for at least two weeks, then strain out the herb with a fine cloth and pour the tincture into a dark bottle, ones with droppers are good. Take five or six drops in juice or water every day.