Create a medicinal garden

Easy to grow, medicinal plants have many interesting properties for our well-being and against everyday ailments. Also called "simples," they are perfectly suited to pots on a balcony or directly in the garden. Medicinal plants have been cultivated for millennia by humans; for example, there are traces of the use of yarrow, centaury, and marshmallow by Neanderthals more than 100,000 years ago. In the Middle Ages, monks cultivated medicinal gardens in every abbey and monastery. Bordered by boxwood or wattle, they organized them into squares or rectangles, grouping the plants according to their pharmacopoeial uses. How to create a medicinal plant garden? Since medicinal plants are mostly easy to grow and require little maintenance, you can grow them in the garden or in pots on your balcony. Be careful, however, growing them in pots on a balcony will require much more water than growing them in the ground. You can choose to grow your medicinal garden the way the monks grew them by dividing your squares with boxwood or wattle fence or by keeping a natural and wild look by mixing tall and short plants in one part of your garden. Of course, you should not use chemical treatments on your medicinal plants. Choosing medicinal plants suited to your soil It is strongly recommended to choose varieties suited to your soil type so that they can flourish without having to give them too much care. We will talk about medicinal plants for wet areas (Angelica, lemongrass, marshmallow, valerian etc.) or medicinal plants for dry areas (Absinthe, yarrow, borage, hyssop, mallow, etc.). Medicinal plants for dry areas will require very little water and will therefore adapt very well in case of drought. Some medicinal plants will adapt very well to growing by the sea, particularly wormwood, fennel, marshmallow, lemon verbena, etc. To sow your medicinal plants, refer to the growing instructions on the sachets, respect the sowing periods as well as the instructions for sowing under cover or in the ground. Water well when planting in the garden. Many medicinal plants will adapt very well to pots, such as marigold, basil, mint, parsley, or verbena. Make sure to water well and add a little compost after planting. The properties of medicinal plants The properties of medicinal plants are very numerous and can have different effects depending on the individual, so it is recommended to seek the advice of a professional before using them. Medicinal plants have many properties and it can be difficult to find your way around, you will find below some plants classified by their main indication, some will therefore be found in several places, this list is not exhaustive. Digestive: wormwood, yarrow, angelica, woodruff, anise, chamomile, lemongrass, fennel, hyssop, lemon balm, peppermint, dandelion, licorice, sage, lemon verbena Circulatory: arnica Nervous: angelica, chamomile, lemon balm, St. John's wort, valerian, lemon verbena, lavender Stress: valerian, lavender, lemon balm, chamomile Respiratory: borage, nasturtium, marshmallow, hyssop, mallow, plantains, licorice. Endocrine: yarrow, mugwort, nettle, sage Liver: dandelion Diuretics: borage, dandelion, horsetail. Laxatives: marshmallow, mallow Skin disorders: burdock, borage, Sleep: angelica, chamomile, valerian. Antirheumatic: lemongrass, nettle, horsetail Antihistamines: plantain Discover all our medicinal plants Harvesting medicinal plants and preserving their active ingredients Depending on the species, different parts of the plant are harvested: flowers, seeds, roots. Harvest using pruning shears or sharp scissors to ensure proper healing of the plant and avoid disease. Place the harvested leaves or flowers in a wicker basket to prevent the plants from fermenting. Dry them directly after harvesting to prolong their conservation. To do this, spread all the leaves in a single layer and then store them in a ventilated, dark room, not in direct sunlight so that the plant retains its benefits, without dust for a few days at 26-33°C. Then place the dried leaves, flowers or seeds in tightly closed jars to keep them all year round. Do not store in a humid place to avoid the development of mold.