leaves, whereas Foxglove leaves are slightly serrated. Get to know these differences. Another potential risk is that it is possible to confuse the toxic leaves of Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria majalis) or Lords and Ladies (Arum maculatum) with those of Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum). The best way to distinguish between these look-alikes is through using the sense of smell. Never check the identification of a plant species by nibbling it. Wild Garlic leaves smell unmistakable. You can also look closely at the leaves and see that they are, in fact, quite different. Wild Garlic leaves arise from the base of the plant, whereas Lily-of-the-Valley bears two or three leaves on the same stem. Lords and Ladies leaves are a different shape, having downward-pointing lobes on either side of the leaf stalk. You may know these differences very well, but it is still easy to inadvertently include some of the wrong species in your basket if you are not mindful while picking.
Toxic Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) leaves, left and centre; Comfrey (Symphytum officinalis) leaves, right.
In both of these examples the potential difficulty arises because at first glance the leaves look alike and the species grow in similar habitats. While the plants are easily distinguished when flowering, there is scope for confusion before they flower. One way around this is to get to know your foraging area throughout the year, so that you have a chance to mentally map the location of medicinal species at a time when they are easily identified. If, for example, you come across a large flowering Comfrey plant, you can make a mental note not only of where it is but also whether there are Foxgloves growing nearby. If there are, you may need to take extra care at the time of gathering, or you may prefer to find a plant or plants that are growing in a less potentially contentious location, until you are more confident of your plant identification.
Meadowsweet growing along a small river bank.
It is also important to be able to identify plants in the vicinity of the plants that you wish to gather and to take care appropriately. If you are gathering medicinal plants in areas where poisonous plants are growing, vigilance and mindfulness are absolutely essential. For example, the highly toxic Hemlock Water Dropwort (Oenanthe crocata) often shares a habitat with Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) and tends to flower at the same time of the year. The two species look completely different, but if you are gathering Meadowsweet flowers from such an area, you will need to take great care to avoid inadvertently including seed or leaf fragments from Hemlock Water Dropwort plants in with your harvest. If you are gathering mindfully, you will always be able to avoid including any unwanted species in your basket, but in the case of Meadowsweet and Hemlock Water Dropwort, there is the added risk of poisonous seeds being knocked off the plants into your gathering basket among the Meadowsweet flowers. To be absolutely safe, find areas where the Meadowsweet is not growing interspersed among Hemlock Water Dropwort plants. Definitely do not reach through seeding Hemlock Water Dropwort plants to cut Meadowsweet flowers, and do not leave your basket in a location where seeds may drop or be blown into it.
Another thing to be aware of is that the sap of Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) can lead to photosensitive reactions, such as blistering and burning of the skin. If your gathering activities involve walking through Giant Hogweed plants, make sure your skin is well covered. It is essential to completely avoid any contact between the plants and your bare skin.
A swathe of Meadowsweet in flower.
I certainly do not want to give the impression that foraging is a highly risky activity. It really is not. My intention here is to raise awareness of potential issues. By following the simple guidelines given in this chapter, we can all have the enormous satisfaction of sourcing high-quality, beautiful and safe herbal medicines while connecting with our ancient instinct to gather plants from the wild. We can also feel confident that our wildcrafting activities are not damaging to the environment or to scarce plant populations.
A butterbur hat!
Wild harvesting is a wonderfully nurturing and relaxing activity. It provides a really good counterbalance to the demands of clinical practice and restores our spirits if we are feeling a little depleted. It is most definitely in our bones, and I encourage you to learn to connect with it if, so far on your herbal journey, you have not yet done so.
7
Planning your herb garden
At the planning stage of a herb garden it is a very good idea to assess what opportunities and constraints there are at your site. Every site has its advantages and disadvantages. It is very tempting to get stuck in and start planting straight away, but a little patience and planning will reward you with far fewer obstacles down the line as well as beautifully vibrant herbal crops.
The first priority is to understand the nature of the site that you have chosen. What is the soil like? Is the site shaded or in full sun? What climatic constraints are there: is it prone to frost or high winds, for example? If it is prone to drought, is there sufficient clean water to provide adequate irrigation? What was the site used for before? Could it have been subject to chemical applications, or does it have a persistent weed population? What browsing animals could have access to the site, and will you need to fence it to keep them out?
The site of my herb field in West Dorset before its creation, and nearly the same view four years later.
As well as common herbs, I grow Himalayan Burdock (Saussurea lappa), a Tibetan medicine that is officially extinct in the wild.
Once you understand the broad physical qualities of your herb-growing site, you can move on to the second main consideration, which is to review your herb-growing objectives. Do you want to grow a wide range of medicinal herbs in order to provide a dispensary for treating your patients, or do you have specific requirements for an established herbal product range that you make? Do you intend to grow some commercial crops of herbs to supply others alongside your own needs? Is your main objective to concentrate on growing herbs that are difficult to get hold of from wholesale sources, or do you wish to focus on conservation, growing species that are endangered in the wild? Will your herb garden be ornamental or utilitarian in nature? Would you like to create a demonstration garden to teach people about herbs? Does the design of the garden need to accommodate visitor access or reflect particular themes, such as a sensory garden for the visually impaired?
Most herbs are very easy to grow and will tolerate a wide range of sites, especially if you can modify the growing conditions a little with good soil management and irrigation, as needed. This means that most of us can establish a beautiful and productive herb garden and grow the herbs of our choice. With that happy thought in mind, let us find out how to understand the physical attributes of our site.
Soil
The most fundamental thing to consider is the soil. Soil is so much more than something on which to grow our herbs. As human beings, we only survive and thrive due to our relationship with plants. Soil enables those plants to grow, and in turn we are nourished and formed by them. Yet, alongside this physical action, soil has a deeper
