Healing Herbs for Health and Wellbeing

January 17, 2022

I love herbs. In a world framed by elite gardeners it can be perceived as a bit frumpy to love such inelegant plants, and I have certainly been ridiculed for it.

All great loves overcome their challenges, and this is no exception. I think the versatility of herbs is a key ingredient in my love affair with them. Their smells can evoke feelings of pleasure, they can bring balance to your backyard ecosystem, they are stars in the kitchen, and they can be turned into health remedies. A far cry from just a pretty face.

While most people have at least a few herbs in their garden (maybe rosemary for when they roast potatoes or basil to make pesto), there are so many other herbs that are worthwhile growing, not only for their culinary use but also for their health-giving properties. Here are some of the herbs that I grow.

OREGANO (ORIGANUM VULGARE)

 An amazing antiseptic that’s packed with antioxidants. The dried leaves are
so high in antioxidants that it’s ranked ninth by the National Institutes of Health in America, and contains more than blueberries, green tea or any of the other well-known sources. A fellow gardener put me onto the powerful healing properties of the oil and I am forever indebted to her! It’s believed to be great for reducing inflammation and is currently being researched as a possible anti-viral. People take it for everything from relieving muscle pain to killing fungi and bacteria. The plant is super tough, loving a well-drained sunny spot, and the flowers are great for attracting beneficial insects. I like to liberally include it in any recipes involving tomatoes or vegetables.

CALENDULA (CALENDULA OFFICINALIS)

This herb is a stayer in my garden, I think that even if I wanted to get rid of it, I wouldn’t be able to. Super easy to grow and very adept at spreading itself around, which is fine by me! I like to make my own skin care products and love infusing the petals through oil to add to moisturiser. It’s considered a very healing herb that’s good for most minor skin problems. I also love to scatter the petals, which are packed full of antioxidants, through salads for some extra colour. I like to plant calendula near my cabbages to trap aphids, whitefly and thrips. The calendula plants have a sticky sap that these
pests can find more attractive than my cabbages.

ALOE VERA

Many herbalists tend to gush about the healing properties of Aloe vera and consider it to be an indispensable part of any natural first aid kit. My primary experience with this plant, and the reason for its place in my garden, is its amazing healing effect on burns. Both sunburn and cooking! I also like to use the inner leaf gel as a base for a light summer moisturiser. It’s easy to grow but doesn’t like frosts. Thankfully, if you live in a cool climate, it grows well indoors in a nice brightly lit spot.

CHAMOMILE (MATRICARIA RECUTITA)

The sweet little flowers of this herb pack a powerful punch. Having antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and sedative effects, people have been brewing chamomile tea to help with insomnia, anxiety and stomach aches for generations. Chamomile is an acquired taste, so if you are not a fan, mix with something like lemon verbena or mint. If you do like the taste, you can also eat the flowers. They go well with strawberries, lemon and honey.
Apart from their healing benefits, the flowers are wonderful for attracting beneficial insects and the plant itself is used as a companion plant in the garden. It likes nice loamy soil with good water. We use lawn chamomile (which is equally medicinal) in the garden at The Garden of St Erth as a border and always get comments about its lovely appley aroma.

PEPPERMINT & MINT (MENTHA SPP.)

 A favourite for beneficial insects. Most well-known for the ability to help digestive complaints, nausea and flatulence. I use it to help relieve congestion over winter and I soak my tired feet with the leaves. It’s also an extremely important ingredient in summer mojitos (and ladies of a certain age, you can make a nice cooling spray for hot flushes). It grows best in rich moist soil, where it has room to spread.

LAVENDER (LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA)

I like to think of lavender as the aristocrat of herbs, probably due to
it being a favourite of both Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria. It’s been used by humans throughout history for a range of applications, mostly for perfumery and washing. It’s now known for its antiseptic qualities, its inducement of sleep, and relief of tension, anxiety and headaches. My friend likes to drink lavender tea to help reduce her blood pressure, but I use the oil whenever I bump myself, as it stops bruises from forming.


Lavender is also edible. Queen Elizabeth was fond of lavender conserve. I like to use the flowers in a savoury chicken marinade – delicious!