Weeds are simply wild plants and can hold a huge range of medicinal and nutritional properties, just waiting to be used.

Flowering weeds will also help encourage bees to your garden, and plants can be easily contained if you harvest them before they seed.

Dandelions

Dandelions may be a gardener’s nightmare, but they are amazing little plants;

-Young leaves can be added to salads – only use very young leaves as they become bitter with age.

-The milky sap inside the stem can help cure warts and verrucas. Dab onto wart as it begins to show. Then keep dabbing for as long as necessary.

-The flowers can be made into a jam. (“tried, tested and delicious!”) Recipe here

-The roots are used in dandelion and burdock cordials and also can be roasted and ground to make a caffeine-free substitute for coffee.

Daisies

Don’t mow down the daisies before you enjoy their magic! If you haven’t any daisies popping up in your garden, you could always get some seeds and start your own daisy lawn! These seeds were found on Amazon UK (at the time of writing) although I would definitely ask at your local garden centre if you can, before going online.

PREMIER SEEDS DIRECT – OX Eye Daisy – 5GM Approx 15000 Seeds
A familiar and attractive grassland perennial found in meadows, grass verges and railway embankments. It flourishes in well drained poor to medium rich soils.

Daisies have been recorded as a medicinal herb for centuries and they’ve been used to treat many ailments.

-Make a tisane from the flowers to soothe stress and anxiety

-Daisies have been used to treat wounds on battlefields and can help soothe bruising.

-A concentrated liquor or essence of the roots can help chronic skin disease such as eczema.

Nettles

– Wear gloves to protect your skin – unless you’re into ‘grabbing the nettle’ 🙂

-Young nettle leaves are full of vitamins and minerals and can be used in salads and soups and steamed as a green vegetable.

-Make a tisane, adding other natural ingredients to taste, e.g. honey, lemon etc;

-And the whole plant can be used to make a greenish dye.

Collect some or all of these garden ‘weeds’ in any combination, for a super tonic to relax in the bath with:

-lawn daisies (flowers)
-dandelions (flowers and leaves)
-nettles (young leaves)
-blackberry/bramble (leaves)

Crush flowers and leaves together and place on a square of muslin. Bring up the edges to form a bag and tie securely with a length of string. Make a loop in the string and hang over the hot tap. Let the hot water run through the herb bag. Lie back and enjoy.

NB: When self-medicating, double and triple check your plants, methods of preparation and recommended doses – Google recipes and cross reference before you start treating yourself. Don’t be put off by 5 or 10 minutes research though. The long term benefits are priceless!

Your Good Health!

Linda x