Herbs by Common or Folk name 'A'

Acanthus mollis
Oyster Plant or Bears Breeches

Bear's Breeches is a luxuriant perennial with generous foliage that can grow to 700mm in height.  The white and purple spires of flower can exceed 1m. in height.

We have found that it seems to do best in damp ground with shade for a short time during the day, but our summers are often extreme.

Traditional uses of Acanthus include treatment for for dislocated joints as well as burns. The amazing amount of mucilage and tannin probably account for this. We use it in similar circumstances to marshmallow for treatment of the digestive tract. Parts Used: Leaves in spring and summer and root in Autumn - Winter.

5 large fresh seeds $5.50

Achillea millefolium
Yarrow

We pick the young shoots to add to salad, as they have a slight peppery taste.
The flowering tops are digestive and cleansing tonic but over use can make the skin over sensitive to sunlight.
The leaves, combined with peppermint leaves and elderflower is a great soother for colds when we use it as a tea.

As a poultice for grazes, cuts and bruises it is not equalled in the garden. As to it's use for high blood pressure, improving circulation and toning varicose veins, we are still unsure and will update this when we have used it for such.

50 fresh seeds $4.50

Ajuga reptans
Carpet Bugle

This is a great little groundcover. It has a very low growing, creeping habit, sprouting many stems from it's rhizomes.
It has quite a decorative leaf with many blue-violet flowers in spring and summer. You can pick the young shoots to add to salad, but medicinally, the aerial parts have an analgesic effect on bruises and non exposed wounds.

The leaves are a mild laxative and we have read that it can be used for internal bleeding but have not had the opportunity to try it. We do use it Homoeopathically for mouth ulcers.

Root sets  $5.50

 Unfortunately we cannot supply rootlets or divisions to Western Australia, Tasmania or Overseas.

Aloe vera syn. A. barbadensis
Aloe and Aloe bitters

What a great herb this is to have in any garden.
It requires so little input and attention. It thrives in almost any condition and reproduces itself with amazing vigour. We started our aloe garden with a dozen small specimens and within 18 months we had literally hundreds. We harvest the 'gel' as we need it.
If you extract it carefully, 'wizz' it in the blender, and pop it in a clean bottle in the refrigerator it will last for weeks. Especially great during hot summers when you get a little too exposed to the midday sun.
When harvesting the gel from the leaves, care must be taken not to use the bitter yellow juice at the base of the leaf.
While 'bitter aloes' are used by herbalists as a treatment for constipation, the accidental use of this compound can have serious effects.

I year old plant $5.50
plus $2.50 extra postage

Unfortunately we cannot supply rootlets or divisions to Western Australia, Tasmania or Overseas.

Angelica archangelica
European Angelica

As a bit of an aperitif the seeds are very effective at settling an upset stomach after eating something that maybe you should not have eaten.

It does in part shade and although it is a short lived perennial it does not look wonderful during winter.

The leaves add an interesting tang to salads and stew well if you are making Rosella Jam or Marmalade. It will grow up to 1.8 metres in the garden but it does not like to dry out.

In the garden it will self seed easily especially in part shade but as it seeds, it dies, so prepare the garden around the plant for 'seed fall, as soon as it comes into flower.

20 fresh seeds $3.50

Angelica pachycarpa
Shiny Leaf Angelica

We are not sure if this gorgeous Angelica has any medicinal properties at all, but it is wonderful in the garden.

It does well in pots too, making a beautiful statement wherever it sits. In a pot it will stay quite a manageable size but in the garden it can grow to over 1 metre tall.

It is a frost hardy perennial that flowers in showy umbels of green to white every summer.

In the garden it will self seed easily especially in part shade.