| The Herb Garden |
 |
 |
 |
|
Until the advent of our pharmaceutical industry, herbs were the primary source of medicine. Often a physician or herbalist might grow medicinal herbs, known as simples, in a "physick garden". Herbalists and housewives had a knowledge of botany as well as medicine, for the success of any treatment was dependent not only upon appropriate plant identification, and appropriate use, but also of the plants’ growing conditions, harvest times, methods of preparation and preservation. Today, science, ethnobotany and herbalism combine to teach important lesson about herbs, both historically and in contemporary use. Herbs contain a complex chemical makeup, and need to be regarded with careful consideration. While caution should always be employed, and unsupervised experimentation should be avoided, it is also important to remember that historically, the majority of medicinal herbs were incorporated into daily diet. “Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food” was the philosophy carried down through the ages since it was first written by Hippocrates. Botanical medicine and household botany was generally drawn from common, garden-variety herbs that are considered by most to be little more than harmless flavoring for the diet of the 21st century. Downloadable Garden Map (PDF) John’s Favorite Herbs (PDF) Herbs to Inspire (PDF) Heirloom Herbs and Their Uses (PDF) Strawbery Banke Museum Herbarium (PDF) |
