Herbarium

While some of us cannot get outside to wander along hedgerows and visit gardens here are some notes for healing walks, from Grigson's The Englishman's Flora. 

The names of plants speak to human complaints and hopes. 

Some plants have gathered more than one name. Some names make one want to hold a stem to a particular part of the body – the letters shape a salve.

The names speak to a time when nature was our pharmacy. Medicine has evolved, but nature is still our cure.

Bellywind

(Clematis vitalba)

Clench

(Ranunculus arvensis)

Jaunders Berrry

Woodsore

(Berberis vulgaris)

Blind Eyes

Headaches

Sleepyhead

(Papaver rhoeas)

Bruiseroot

(Glacium flavum)

Wartflower

Wartweed

(Chelidonium majus)

Poor Man’s Pharmacetty

(Capsella bursa-pastroris)

Eyebright

Heart Pansy

(Viola tricolour)

Touch-and-Heal

(Hypericum androsaemum)

Bladderweed

(Silene cucubalus)

Mother-Die

(Melandrium album)

Headache

(Stellaria holostea)

Dodder

(Spergula arvensis)

Bloodwort

Cry Baby

(Geranium robertianum)

Pins-and-Needles

(Ulex europaues)

Flesh-and-Blood

(Potentilla erecta)

Care Tree

(Sorbus aucuparia)

Healing Blade

(Sempervivum tectorum)

Kidneyweed

Cut-finger

(Umbilicus ruperstris)

Scabby Hands

(Anthriscus sylvestris)

Adam’s Plaster

Red Joints

(Polygonum persicaria)

Hartberry

(Vaccinium myrtillus)

Earthgall

(Cantaurium minus)

Devil’s Guts

(Convolvulus arvensis)

Poor Man’s Salve

(Scrophularia nodosa)

Throatwort

(Digitalis pupurea)

Horse Well-cress

(Veronica becccabunga)