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If you're interested in organic herbs, and want to identify monkshood, find out about marigolds or learn how to control mint, then check out Jekka's Complete Herb Book.
Deadly MonkshoodIt’s beautiful, blue - and deadly. Monkshood (Aconitum napellus) has juice so lethal that it was used by the ancient Arabs and Chinese to poison arrow tips. This plant, which grows in shady areas: "contains one of the most potent nerve poisons in the plant kingdom and is used in proprietary analgesic medicines to alleviate pain". So writes Jekka McVicar in Jekka’s Complete Herb Book (pub Kyle Cathie Ltd, £25), a fascinating and comprehensive guide to herbs. Obviously, as Jekka warns, monkshood is a herb that should be left solely to the experts. Photographs show how lovely it is, but it's one that you'll want to leave out of your herb garden, since even handling it can have its dangers. Culinary Uses for MintIn complete contrast, Mint (Mentha), might be less beautiful but deserves a place in anyone's herbal patch. Its medicinal properties have been recognized since ancient times (it's been found in Egyptian tombs dating back to 1000 BC) and it also has many culinary uses. The Romans brought mint to Britain from where, hundreds of years later, it was taken to America with the settlers. Peppermint, says Jekka, can be used to relieve some gastro-intestinal disorders, help nervous headaches and increase concentration. You can use eau de cologne mint to scent your bath, Moroccan mint for a delicious mint tea and spearmint in an indulgent chocolate mint mousse. Lousewort for 'Elf Sickness'Jekka knows all about herbs. She has won loads of gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show, and has a herb farm in Gloucestershire which holds the largest collection of culinary and medicinal herbs in the UK. Her Complete Herb Book is packed with information on almost 400 herbs, from common ones like parsley to more exotic ones like asafoetida. She covers everything from history and mythology to organic cultivation and harvesting, and also looks at the cosmetic, medicinal, and culinary uses of herbs. You learn, for example, that Betony (Stachys officinalis) is also known as Lousewort and was considered a vital magical plant by the Anglo-Saxons (considered effective against ‘Elf sickness’.) Yes, that's Elf not 'elf (- health with an East London accent). There are also lots of useful herbal recipes - dishes such as sorrel and lettuce soup, poached trout with lemon thyme, lavender biscuits and even sweet marigold buns (made with the petals of fresh marigolds). Marigolds in The Civil WarThe book contains plenty of photographs and, with sections covering pests and diseases, how to plan your herb garden, and methods of propagation, makes an extremely practical guide for anyone wanting to grow their own herbs. But it's also a great armchair read, filled with nuggets of information, such as the fact that in the Middle Ages primroses were used as a remedy for gout, while marigold leaves were used by doctors in the American Civil War to treat open wounds on the battlefield. This is not just a book for people who love gardening, but one for anyone who is interested in history.
The copyright of the article Monkshood, Mint and Marigolds in Organic Gardens is owned by Rebecca Ford. Permission to republish Monkshood, Mint and Marigolds in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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