Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    From $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Green Guide to Herbs Of Britain And Europe
    Green Guide to Herbs Of Britain And Europe
    Green Guide to Herbs Of Britain And Europe
    Ebook357 pages1 hour

    Green Guide to Herbs Of Britain And Europe

    By Bob Press and Christine Hart-Davis

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    This compact, easy-to-use pocket-size guide is aimed at both the general reader and the amateur naturalist.
    Presenting 150 of the best known and most commonly used herbs, this book can be used for both home reference and as a companion in the field. The extensive introduction contains helpful advice on growing, collecting, harvesting and storing herbs, as well as explaining how to use them safely. A section on the history of herbalism and a glossary are also included. Each species is described in detail with information on where it can be found along with its different uses, accompanied by a full colour illustration to aid identification in the field.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBloomsbury Publishing
    Release dateSep 8, 2016
    ISBN9781472916471
    Green Guide to Herbs Of Britain And Europe

    Related to Green Guide to Herbs Of Britain And Europe

    Related ebooks

    Gardening For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • UNLIMITED

      Every Shade of SAGE

      Aug 30, 2019

      SAGE’S DISTINCTIVE, SAVORY SCENT makes it one of the most versatile and useful herbs around. Though best known as a seasoning for meat and vegetables, sage’s roots are steeped in history. Common sage (Salvia officinalis) originated in the Mediterrane

      7 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Medicine In Nature

      May 29, 2020

      Medicine In Nature
      1 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Herbal First Aid

      Aug 20, 2014

      Herbal First Aid
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      What the Ashwagandha?

      Aug 7, 2023

      What the Ashwagandha?
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Home grown Remedies

      May 24, 2020

      Home grown Remedies
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Plant Power

      Oct 1, 2022

      Plant Power
      1 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Respiratory Relief

      Jan 10, 2020

      Respiratory Relief
      6 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Homemade Honey Hand Salve

      Jul 12, 2019

      Homemade Honey Hand Salve
      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Make Elderberry Syrup at Home

      May 8, 2020

      Make Elderberry Syrup at Home
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      The Healing Power Of Herbs

      Apr 20, 2022

      The Healing Power Of Herbs
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      FIRST AID From The Garden

      Apr 10, 2020

      FIRST AID From The Garden
      5 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Medicinal Mushrooms For Pets

      Jun 13, 2018

      Functional foods promote wellness and healthy cellular function. Examples of those we may give to pets include curcumin, milk thistle, probiotics, spirulina and some berries. Medicinal mushrooms are also becoming popular for pets with chronic illness

      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      CBD Drinking

      Feb 26, 2021

      CBD Drinking
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Thyme Of Your Life

      Jun 8, 2022

      Thyme Of Your Life
      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Safe Herbs For Pets

      Oct 10, 2018

      BY KAREN GOLDRICK is a holistic veterinarian at All Natural Vet Care, Russell Lea, Sydney. T: +61 2 9712 5844 W: naturalvet.com.au Most herbs are safe and gentle but there are some we use with care. In holistic veterinary practice we regularly use he

      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Delicious Thistle

      Apr 13, 2022

      Delicious Thistle
      4 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Free Gardening

      May 12, 2023

      Free Gardening
      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Hoya

      Apr 1, 2020

      Hoya
      3 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Anise Hyssop: Herb of the Year

      Aug 30, 2019

      Anise Hyssop: Herb of the Year
      5 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      How to Fight HORNWORMS

      May 29, 2020

      How to Fight HORNWORMS
      4 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Cbd Every Day

      Jun 4, 2019

      Cbd Every Day
      8 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Herbal Remedies

      Jan 6, 2022

      Herbal Remedies
      2 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      Plant Life

      May 1, 2021

      Plant Life
      1 min read

    • UNLIMITED

      A Touch Of Scarlet Fever

      Feb 5, 2020

      A Touch Of Scarlet Fever
      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Green Guide to Herbs Of Britain And Europe

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Green Guide to Herbs Of Britain And Europe - Bob Press

      Contents

      INTRODUCTION

      WHAT ARE HERBS?

      NAMES OF HERBS

      THE SAFE USE OF HERBS

      GROWING HERBS

      COLLECTING, HARVESTING AND STORING HERBS

      THE HISTORY OF HERBS AND HERBALISM

      GLOSSARY

      THE HERBS

      IMAGE GALLERY

      BIBLIOGRAPHY

      ORGANISATIONS

      HERB GARDENS AND COLLECTIONS TO VISIT

      Introduction

      This book is intended to introduce the reader to 150 of the most common, important and widely used herbs by describing the plants themselves, indicating which parts are used and for what purpose. It is not a herbal in the true sense, since it does not attempt to describe preparation methods, precise dosage or other information vital to the safe and successful use of herbs. Such information can be found elsewhere if required, although the reader is advised that a qualified practitioner should always be consulted before use. Despite the necessary warnings, herbs are a fascinating, useful and, above all, enjoyable area to investigate.

      The relatively recent resurgence of interest in various alternatives to standard medical treatment, as well as the popularity of foreign cuisines, signals a willingness on behalf of the public to take a more active interest in herbs. Yet almost everyone already reaps the benefits of herbs and their products, whether knowingly or not. Herbs can be employed in a variety of ways, which include their use for medicinal, therapeutic and culinary purposes. In commercially produced medicines, in health and beauty products, in preserved and ready-prepared foods and in recipes prepared at home or in restaurants, herbs are an everyday part of our lives.

      Medicinal herbs were originally regarded as the simple ingredients of medications, hence the old term simples for such preparations. Combinations of such simples formed the compound medicine that would be prescribed for sufferers. Once the only remedies available to the population at large, simples have long been a mainstay of domestic medicine. Although some have been shown to be without value or even dangerous, others have been proved effective and a surprising number have a long, unbroken history of use. As such they are as valuable today as they ever were.

      Therapeutic herbs are those used in aromatherapy and other holistic preparations – they are a source of the various essential oils used in aromatherapy. Although the unique properties of essential oils were recognised some 5,000 years ago, it is due to the recent interest in alternative remedies that aromatherapy is becoming an increasingly popular method of promoting good health and wellbeing. Essential oils are extremely concentrated and are therefore used in very small amounts in massages, aromatic baths, inhalations, compresses and various cosmetic preparations.

      The use of herbs for culinary purposes began for purely practical purposes – to improve the keeping qualities of meat or, where this failed, to disguise or make more palatable the poor quality and often rotten food that was all to be had. Modern technology and health regulations such as sell-by dates have improved this state of affairs immeasurably, yet culinary herbs are still used as widely as ever. Many herbs make food more palatable by easing digestion. Indeed, they are regarded as essential ingredients in a vast array of dishes and are of great commercial importance as preservatives.

      Juniper

      What are herbs?

      The word ‘herb’ can be used in a variety of ways. In a scientific sense it refers to plants which lack woody tissues, but as an everyday term it also refers to plants used for culinary or medicinal purposes. This can cause confusion since many herbs in the latter sense are woody plants such as the shrubby Lavender or even trees like Willow. Even greater confusion arises over the distinction between herbs (in the everyday sense) and spices.

      Herbs are plants, or parts of plants such as roots, leaves, flowers or fruits, which are used to prepare medicinal items, in therapeutic medicine, and to flavour foods. They are usually thought of as being fragrant but this is not always the case; many herbs have no particular fragrance whereas some are very strong smelling indeed. The word ‘herb’ also covers prepared products of herbs. Although a distinction between plant and product should strictly be made, it generally makes little difference. The dried and fragmented leaves of Oregano obviously come from the plant of the same name but in cases where the products have an appearance or a name very different from that of the plants from which they are derived, the two may not be easily linked. Mustard is derived from two different plants (Brassica nigra and Sinapis alba) while Neroli is obtained from the Seville Orange tree.

      Spices are generally regarded as the hard parts of aromatic plants, usually of tropical origin. They include roots and stems (Ginger), bark (Cinnamon), dry fruits (Cardamom) and seeds (Pepper) but some spices are actually soft parts such as flower buds (Cloves). Equally, the hard parts of many temperate plants provide herbal products and can be regarded as spices, such as Cumin seeds. Another term that can include examples of herbs and spices is ‘condiment’, usually defined as a seasoning that gives relish to food. This is a general term which includes inorganic substances such as salt and in the last century even vegetables such as onions and turnips were counted as condiments. In the medicinal sense even less distinction is made between herbs and spices. In addition there are a number of herbal products that fit neither category well, such as gums, resins and essential oils, and all medicinal plants tend to be referred to simply as herbs.

      Perhaps the clearest difference between herbs and spices is that herbs tend to be mild-tasting and are usually more effective as flavourings when used fresh, while spices tend to be stronger and more pungent and are usually used dried. However, there is so much overlap between herbs and spices that any precise distinction is rather meaningless and plants from both categories are included in this book.

      Names of herbs

      Plants, and therefore all herbs, often have two names: a popular or common name and a scientific name. Scientific names, which are the international currency of botanical nomenclature, are the more reliable and informative of the two and it is well worth becoming familiar with them and with their correct application.

      A scientific name consists of two elements, showing the genus and the species to which the plant belongs. The name not only labels or identifies the plant but can provide information about the plant itself or about its relationships. Thus the Dog Rose, Rosa canina, and the Apothecary’s Rose, Rosa gallica cv.

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1