Basil is one of the world’s most loved herbs. It was introduced to Europe from India many centuries ago and, one could say, has never lost its popularity. The Greek word for basil is basileus, which means king — and this little 19th-century poem says it all:

Of all the herbs Basil’s king

For all the healing it can bring,

For taste and fragrance praises sing

Basil’s good for everything!

A. CULTIVATION Owing to the deep tap roots none of the basils like to be moved. So select the site with care and when transplanting the little seedlings, do so in the cool of the late afternoon and keep the soil moist and shaded around them until they strengthen. Read the rest of this entry »

• Family: Gramineae
• Species: Hordeum distichon
• Origin: Europe and Mediterranean regions
• Plant: winter annual
• Height: 80 cm; sow 2 cm apart
• Soil: well-dug, rich soil
• Exposure: full sun
• Uses: medicinal
• Propagation: seed

An annual grass grown in winter and cultivated in temperate regions all over the world, barley is an ancient, revered grain that has been part of the diet from the earliest days. Dioscorides in the 1st century AD urged the consumption of barley as a porridge, as a gruel and as a drink for ulcerated sore throats, convalescence and to ‘restrain all sharp humours’. By the Middle Ages barley was gradually replaced by wheat, but to this day it remains important for its nutritional content and medicinal value, and is extensively marketed as green barley health products. Rich in protein, B vitamins and minerals, barley is a hugely important health grain and in the century ahead will become part of a new health regime that is already taking hold. Young and tender leaves can be finely chopped and sprinkled onto food as an energy booster, but the highest nutritional and energy value is in the sprouted seed. In neolithic times the grain was cooked, crushed and pounded into a nutritious milk that built strong bones — barley is now recognised to be important for osteoporosis due to its high calcium and potassium content. A glass of barley water 3 times a week is a superb detoxifier and will restore hair and nails as well as clear a multitude of ailments. Read the rest of this entry »

1. Family: Umbelliferae
2. Species: Pimpinella anisum
3. Origin: Eastern Mediterranean, Western Asia, North Africa
4. Plant: annual
5. Height: up to 30 cm; space 30 cm apart Soil light, well-drained, alkaline
6. Exposure: full sun, sheltered
7. Propagation: seed

Uses: culinary, medicinal, cosmetic

Aniseed is a pretty, dainty quick and easy to grow little annual, and has been cultivated for its delicious culinary values for thousands of years. Records of its cultivation in Egypt date back over 4 000 years and in the Pharaonic texts it was recorded as a treatment for toothache, to relieve colic, digestive nausea, sour belching, flatulence and heartburn. The ancient Greeks grew aniseed as a pain reliever and Dioscorides, the Greek physician from the first century AD, recorded that aniseed ‘warms, dries, dissolves, facilitates breathing, provokes urine, eases thirst and relieves pain.

Throughout history anise was used as a flavouring for cakes, known as ‘mustache cake’ at banquets and weddings and served at the end of the banquet to prevent indigestion and colic after the rich foods (often as many as 12 or 15 courses!). Modern wedding cakes, richly spiced, are derived from this ancient custom. Read the rest of this entry »

The name Amaranthus derives from the Greek amaranton, unfading’. The beautiful deep wine-red flowers keep their colour and shape for a long time and thus the plant came to symbolise immortality. According to the 17th-century ‘doctrine of signatures’ the colour or shape of a plant symbolised an ailment or a part of the body. In this case the red colour of the flowers indicated the blood of the patient, thus crushed leaves and flowers were placed over wounds or a decoction of the leaves was drunk to stop bleeding and to build the blood. Modern scientific findings indicate this isn’t far wrong!

A. CULTIVATION Amaranth grows best in full sun, in areas that have been dug over and well composted. Keep seedlings moist and protected, and the sturdy, quickly growing plants will reach maturity in about 6 weeks, from 20 cm upwards. Some varieties grow up to 2 m in height, so you will have red-tinged leaves for a long time in great abundance. The young tender leaves and sprigs are most sought after: remember the more leaves you pick the more it will produce. Once you have amaranth in your garden you will always have it — it reseeds quickly. It is a short- lived annual and will continue up until the first frosts. Read the rest of this entry »

Hieroglyphics and paintings on the walls of Egyptian temples prove that aloe vera was revered over 3 000 years ago, and in the fourth century BC Aristotle reportedly asked Alexander the Great to conquer the island of Socotra to assure a constant supply of this medicinal herb. Aloe vera gel is a storehouse of nutrients. A stabilized gel or juice is produced that can be taken orally for a number of ailments. The protein contained in aloe vera includes 18 of 20 amino acids found naturally in the body and the nutritional content is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C and E.

A. CULTIVATION As a pot plant aloe vera is most often grown in large terracotta tubs — but remember, in a pot it needs daily watering as it must stand in full sun. Feed twice yearly with a dressing of good compost to ensure vigorous growth. Be sure to shield from frost or cold winds, as it is very tender. Read the rest of this entry »