MHG Volunteer Blog 35: Common Fleabane

It's time for the latest blog from our dedicated team of volunteer gardeners at Pontefract Castle.

Find out more about their blog series here.

Another blustery day with intermittent rain. Helen cut back the Good King Henry and dug up some mammoth clumps of Cinqfoil. 

Helen and Lillie then weeded the top of the drystone wall. They took care to not disturb the many chocolate mining bees that have made their home in the soil below the grass.

A chocolate mining bee popping out to say hello!

Plant of the week: Common Fleabane (Pulicaria dysenterica)

This plant was called 'fleabane' because it was used to repel fleas. The Latin name 'Pulicaria' comes from 'Pulex' meaning flea. 'Dysenterica' refers to its other supposed ability to cure dysentery.

Other names are wild marigold, camels, harvest flower, pig-daisy and Job’s tears.

Common fleabane is native to Europe and Western Asia. It is a bushy, deciduous, stoloniferous (grows horizontal stems above the ground), perennial. It prefers damp or poorly-drained soil, in full or partial shade, in any aspect but north-facing.

When grown in favourable conditions, it will reach a height and spread of 3 ft. In the presently bone-dry Medieval Herb Garden it gets to about 12 inches.

It flowers from August to October. It has 1 inch, golden-yellow, composite, daisy-like flowers. These grow atop downy stems with stalkless, very downy, wavy-edged lanceolate leaves. The leaves are alternately arranged and clasp the stem. The basal leaves wither by the time it flowers.

The root is a creeping, scaly, underground rhizome. It sends up shoots at intervals, thus forming spreading clumps. These need to be controlled before they “take over” the garden.

Common fleabane growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

Culinary uses of fleabane

Fleabane is not used in cooking. The plant has a bitter, astringent and salty flavour.

Folklore and other facts about fleabane

The plant's smell is similar to carbolic soap. It was used to repel fleas and other insects. Dried leaves were hung indoors or burned as a fumigant.

Fleabane was thought to have protective qualities. Some traditions suggested it could be burned to cleanse stagnant energy or hung above doorways to ward off evil spirits.

The name Job's tears is linked to a tradition that Job used a decoction of this herb to cure his ulcers.

Most animals generally avoid fleabane due to its bad taste and pungent qualities. The plant is toxic to cats and dogs.

Fleabane is visited by a wide range of insects. These include hoverflies, honeybees, wasps, butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies. Pollination is mainly successfully done by flies.

It is the main food plant for the fleabane tortoise beetle (Cassida murraea). It is also mainly eaten by four micromoths, Apodia bifractella, Ptocheuusa paupella, dusky plume (Oidaematophorus lithodactyla) and Digitivalva pulicariae.

Medieval uses of fleabane*

Fleabane was used more commonly in mainland Europe than in the UK. The plant's sap and infusions of the dried herb were used to treat dysentery.

A paste made from the plant was applied to wounds to promote healing and to treat other skin disorders and itchiness.

It was also used for coughs, jaundice, epilepsy and gastric problems.

The following is taken from Miss E. S. Rohde's 'Old English Herbals': 'Fleabane bound to the forehead is a great helpe to cure one of the frensie.'

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.

MHG Volunteer Blog 34: Snapdragon

It's time for the latest blog from our dedicated team of volunteer gardeners at Pontefract Castle.

Find out more about their blog series here.

Another Bank Holiday Monday. Where does the time go? 

Unfortunately, the plants in the Medieval Herb Garden don’t have access to a calendar. They are acting as if it is early Autumn, not late August! 

After completing the weekly flower count, Carole continued to cut-back various plants that had already “gone over”.

Plants in the Medieval Herb Garden that already think it's Autumn!

She also spot-weeded plants like tansy, green alkanet and hound’s tongue that had self-seeded everywhere. These would threaten to take over next year, if left to their own devices.

Finally, Carole stocked up the sales barrow. Sorry, all the liquorice plants have now been sold. Due to the heat, she then “called it a day”.

Plant of the week: Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)

The botanical name, 'Antirrhinum', refers to the 'snout-like' form of the flower. The common name snapdragon originates from the flowers' reaction to having their throats squeezed. This causes the 'mouth' of the flower to snap open like a dragon's mouth.

Other names are lion's-mouth, rabbit's mouth, bonny rabbits, calf-snout, toad's mouth, bulldogs, and lion's-snap.

Snapdragon is native to Southern Europe and North Africa. It is closely related to toadflax. It is a bushy, deciduous, herbaceous perennial. Despite this, snapdragon is often grown as a biennial or annual plant. This is particularly in colder areas where it may not survive the winter.

It prefers to grow in full sun in south or west-facing, moist but well–drained sandy, loamy or chalky soil.

Snapdragons can grow to a height of 3 ft with a spread of 18 inches. It has upright or scrambling stems. The leaves are spirally arranged and broadly lanceolate. They are up to 3 inches long and 1 inch wide.

Yellow snapdragons growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

It flowers from late Spring to Autumn with purple / red / pink, yellow or white flowers. Modern cultivars have extended this colour range. 

There are between 8 and 30 short-stalked flowers on a tall spike. Each is up to 1.5 inches long and zygomorphic (only symmetrical when folded in half). The flowers have two lobed 'lips' closing the corolla tube.

Culinary uses of snapdragons

Snapdragons have been used in salad, desserts, soups, teas and liquors. They are used for decorative and flavour‐enhancing purposes. However, they are not to everyone's taste. Their flavour can be slightly bitter.

Folklore and other facts about snapdragons

Snapdragons were often planted in gardens as a protective shield against evil forces. They were thought to protect against falsehoods, evil spirits, and witchcraft.

In some traditions, snapdragons are linked to boldness, inner strength, and resilience.

Essential oils and flower essences derived from snapdragons are used in aromatherapy and homeopathy. They can promote relaxation.

Like toadflax, snapdragons are pollinated by bumblebees. These bees are strong enough to open the flowers, collecting pollen in the process.

Spider mites will attack snapdragons. Thrips are commonly seen in newly opened flowers and will cause small lesions in the shoots and flower buds. They will also remove pollen from the anthers. Aphids target and consume the terminal growth and underside of leaves.

Snapdragon suffers mostly from fungal infections. These include snapdragon rust, anthracnose, botrytis blight, downy mildew, and powdery mildew, fusarium wilt, leaf spots, and sclerotinia diseases.

Medieval uses of snapdragons*

The leaves and flowers have been traditionally used as poultices for various inflammations. These include haemorrhoids, ulcers, and rashes. Crushed snapdragon flowers were also used to treat burns, rashes, and insect bites.

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.

MHG Volunteer Blog 33: Devil's Bit Scabious

It's time for the latest blog from our dedicated team of volunteer gardeners at Pontefract Castle.

Find out more about their blog series here.

A chilly start to the day. That didn’t deter the many visitors this Monday! During the regular weeding, Carole spoke to an American who was visiting the castle. They were interested due to Pontefract Castle's connection to the Pilgrimage of Grace in the 1500s. Carole later spoke to a family from Perth, Western Australia and a delightful couple from Malta. They were in the UK to attend the Coldplay concert in Hull.

Later, a lady from Liverpool joined Carole and learned how to take cuttings from the castle’s pink mophead hydrangeas. She successfully prepared six for the castle, to sell next year, and one to take home.

A pink mop hydrangea at the castle

Afterwards, Helen showed Caroline and Louis the same procedure. They were similarly rewarded with their own cuttings.

Plant of the week - Devil's Bit Scabious (Succisa praensis)

The name of the plant commonly known as devil's bit scabious has been changed from 'Scabiosa succisa' to 'Succisa pratensis'. This reflects the change in classification. 'Succisa pratensis' is now recognized as the only species within the genus 'Succisa'. 'Scabiosa' is a separate, related genus within the honeysuckle family.

The word 'scabies' comes from the Latin word for 'scratch' ('scabere').

In folktales, the black root was short because it had been bitten off by the Devil. He was angry at the plant's ability to cure diseases – hence the name. Its other names are blue ball, blue bonnets and blue buttons.

Devil's bit scabious is native to the British Isles and Europe. It is a clump-forming, spreading, herbaceous perennial. It prefers moist but well-drained soil, in full-sun to partial shade in any aspect but north-facing.

Devil's bit scabious growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

It flowers to a height of 3 ft with a spread of up to 18 inches. The flowers appear between July and October. They are borne on top of hairy, little-branched stems. The stems rise from a basal rosette of simple or distantly-toothed, lanceolate leaves.

The flowers are bluish to violet. They are in tight compound flower heads up to 1 inch across. Individual flowers are tetramerous, having four petals, four sepals (calyx), and a four-lobed epicalyx. Male and female flowers are produced on different flower heads. The female flower heads are smaller than the male flowers. The plant's anthers are large and borne upon filaments or threads. These are also almost as long as the petals.

In the first year of the plant's life the root is like a small carrot in shape. The lower part becomes woody and dies away. This gives the root a gnawed or bitten appearance. The root that remains throws out lateral roots. These compensate for the portion that has died.

Culinary uses of Devil's bit scabious

The plant is not typically classified as being edible. However, its young shoots and leaves can be eaten. They have a slightly bitter aftertaste, so probably not your new favourite snack.

Folklore and other facts about Devil's bit scabious

Due to the story of the Devil's anger over the plant's abilities to cure people, the devil's bit scabious has been associated with jealousy.

In some traditions, the plant is believed to offer protection from witchcraft.

A Cornish legend warns that picking devil's bit scabious will lead to the Devil appearing at your bedside that very night.

The flowers are frequented by hoverflies of the genus Eristalis. It is a good source of nectar. It is the larval food plant of the marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia), and the narrow-bordered bee hawk-moth (Hemaris tityus).

The flowers are galled by the gall midge Contarinia dipsacearum. The leaves are eaten the triozid bug Trioza munda, and the roots by the nematode Meloidogyne hapla. The leaves are parasitised by the chytrid fungus Synchytrium succisae, the powdery mildew Erysiphe knautiae, the rust fungus Aecidium succisae, and the leaf spot fungi Fusicladium consors, Ramularia succisae, Septoria succisicola, and Septoria scabiosicola.

The flowers are parasitised by the smut fungi Microbotryum succisae and Microbotryum flosculorum. They're also affected by the downy mildew Peronospora violacea.

Fortunately, so far, these lovely plants in the MHG seem to have avoided being troubled by all of the above!

Medieval uses of Devil's bit scabious*

According to the herbalist John Gerard (1597):

"The greater part of the root seemeth to be bitten away; old fantastick charmers report that the divel did bite it for envie, because it is an herbe that hath so many good vertues and it is so beneficial to mankinde."

Traditionally, devil’s bit scabious was used to treat scabies, skin conditions, fevers, and coughs. It was supposedly very powerful against the plague and all pestilential diseases. It also treated fevers and poison, and the bites of venomous creatures.  

It was associated with various medicinal properties. These included being able to expel parasitic worms, being a cleanser and promoting urination.

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.

MHG Volunteer Blog 32: Sneezewort

It's time for the latest blog from our dedicated team of volunteer gardeners at Pontefract Castle.

Find out more about their blog series here.

Another sunny day was due. We started early to beat the heat. Helen potted on some winter savory and southernwood. Carole re-stocked the sales barrow. Then Helen and Lillie went to work on weeding the dry-stone wall. Meanwhile, Carole carefully pulled up the dying borage and cut back the viper’s bugloss. Those tiny little hairs can get through practically anything!

Caroline and Louis started to weed near the top of the MHG. Carole carried out the weekly flower count and thought about her preparations for the busy week ahead.

On Wednesday morning, Carole will be giving a “snip and sniff” tour and talk of the MHG to the Darrington Gardeners’ Club. In the early evening, she will be giving a short talk about the flavours of the some of the herbs at August’s Museum Meet-up at Pontefract Castle. On Saturday she will give the free monthly MHG talk.

We had two notable visitors today, one more welcome than the other. The first was a huge house spider! It had hidden from the heat amongst the plant pots. It gave us quite a scare as it suddenly scurried around.

A very large eight-legged visitor!

Most welcome was a councillor for the Hemsworth ward, who pops in on a regular basis. She wanted to let us know how well her pink mophead hydrangea was getting on. She had previously bought it from our sales barrow.

This was a timely conversation as next Monday we will be taking more hydrangea cuttings. Just pop along at 11 am if you want to know how it’s done and have a go yourself.

Plant of the week - Sneezewort (achiellea ptarmica)

The name 'sneezewort' comes from the plant’s ability to cause sneezing when dried, powdered and inserted in the nose. 

The genus name 'Achillea' is named in honour of the Greek warrior Achilles. In mythology he was taught the healing properties of this herb by his tutor Chiron the Centaur. 

The species name 'ptarmica' comes from the Greek word 'ptarmikos', 'to sneeze'.

Sneezewort is native to Europe and Western Asia. It is a vigorous, upright, clumping, herbaceous perennial. It can grow to a height and spread of 3ft. Its leaves are typically lanceolate or ovate in shape, with finely-toothed or lobed margins. They grow in an alternate arrangement along the stems. Like many other plants, the sneezewort's pattern of development displays the Fibonacci sequence.

It will grow in any moist, but well-drained, soil with a pH of between 6.5 and 8. It is best in full sun to part shade as long as it gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day.

Sneezewort growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

It flowers between June and September. It grows loose clusters of white flowers with yellow-brown disc florets. Occasionally, as shown above, double-flowered forms are seen. The petals on each flower are notched.

Culinary uses of sneezewort

Sneezewort has a bitter, slightly peppery taste. The leaves have been used in salads or as a garnish.

Folklore and other facts about sneezewort

In some traditions, sneezewort has been associated with Venus. It was used in love potions and spells.

Sneezewort was often associated with purity and cleanliness. It was believed to ward off evil spirits and negative energies. In many cultures, the flower was used in various rituals and traditions to represent sincerity and straightforwardness.

Travellers sometimes carried sneezewort as a charm to protect them from injury on their journeys.

The leaves are also known to act as an insect repellent.

Medieval uses of sneezewort*

Chewing the fresh leaves or root can produce a numbing and tingling sensation, similar to Sichuan pepper. This made it a traditional remedy for toothache.

The dried and powdered leaves of sneezewort have been used as a 'sneezing powder'. In some cases they were added to snuff. This was thought to help clear nasal passages, relieve congestion and help with headaches.

Sneezewort is mildly toxic to cats and dogs. It is poisonous to horses and cattle.

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.

MHG Volunteer Blog 31: Toadflax

It's time for the latest blog from our dedicated team of volunteer gardeners at Pontefract Castle.

Find out more about their blog series here.

It was a bit of a wild start today. With both wind and rain lashing the Medieval Herb Garden it looked quite Autumnal.  This did not deter two lovely ladies, from near Lake Constance in Germany! They had stopped off to visit the castle on their way to Scotland.

Due to the weather, little could be done outside today. So, Dave checked on the strength of our “home-made” liquid fertilizer. Carole repackaged the lovage and alexanders seeds into smaller packets for storage and sowing next year. These had been harvested in the last couple of weeks. It was also an opportune time to tidy the grounds’ equipment cupboard. We also did a stocktake of plant pots and labels etc.

The Medieval Herb Garden on a windy summer's day

Plant of the Week - Toadflax (linaria vulgaris)

The Latin name 'Linaria' comes from 'linum' (flax). It was named by Linnaeus, due to its likeness to a flax plant before flowering. The name 'Toadflax' originated in the resemblance of the flower to the wide mouth of a toad. Because of its similarity to flax, it is often known as flaxweed.

It is also known as bridewort, gall wort and fluellin.

The mixture of light yellow and orange in the flowers has given it the folk names of 'Butter and Eggs,' 'Eggs and Bacon,' etc.

The genus 'Linaria' contains 125 species, seven of which are found in Great Britain. Toadflax is a perennial or annual, columnar, deciduous, herbaceous plant. It grows to a height and spread of 18 inches. It will grow in full sun in any South or West-facing, well-drained, loam or sandy soil.

Before flowering, it has a strong resemblance to flax. It has slender 6–18 in high stems. The leaves are fine, lance-shaped, threadlike, glaucous blue-green leaves. They are 0.75–2.25 in long and 0.04–0.20 in broad.

Toadflax flowers from mid-Summer to mid-Autumn. The flowers are similar to those of the antirrhinum or snapdragon. The flowers are pale yellow, except for the lower tip which is orange. They are are 0.98–1.30 in long, borne in dense terminal racemes (clusters).

Annual seed production is between 1,500–30,000. Most seeds fall within 18 inches of the parent plant.

Toadflax growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

Culinary uses of toadflax

There are no culinary uses of toadflax. The leaves of the Toadflax contain an acrid, but not milky, juice. This makes them quite unpleasant - even if the flowers look a bit like fried eggs!

Folklore and other facts about toadflax

Seeds of the common toadflax were identified from the Hoxnian interglacial strata at Clacton (424,000 to 374,000 years ago).

Toadflax was used in spells and rituals. It was also used as a protection against evil magic. In England, three toadflax seeds strung on a linen thread were said to ward off evil. It was also seen as a useful plant for breaking hexes. In Scotland, walking around a toadflax plant three times was said to unbind any spell.

The flowers have been used in Germany as a yellow dye.

During the 1600s, many people wore toadflax on the soles of their feet to ward off fevers.

The mouth of the flower is closed. It never opens until a strong insect forces its way in. Usually, the only visitors are the large bees; bumble-bee, honey-bee, and several wild bees. These are able to open the flower, and their tongues are long enough to reach the nectar.

Toadflax is a food plant for a large number of insects. These include: the bog fritillary (Boloria eunomia), sweet gale moth (Acronicta euphorbiae), mouse moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis), silver Y (Autographa gamma), toadflax moth (Calophasia lunula), toadflax pug (Eupithecia linariata), satyr pug (Eupithecia satyrata), red-fringed conch (Falseuncaria ruficiliana), boarded sallow (Pyrrhia umbra), brown rustic (Rusina ferruginea), and twin spot plume (Stenoptilia bipunctidactyla).

Medieval uses*

It was gathered when coming into flower and could be used fresh or dried. The plant was valued for its strongly laxative and diuretic activities. As a tisane, it was used internally for the treatment of jaundice, liver diseases, oedema, gall bladder complaints and skin problems.

A cooling ointment was made from the fresh plant. The whole herb would be chopped and boiled in lard until crisp. It was then strained. When cooled, it produced a fine green ointment, used against haemorrhoids, sores, ulcers and skin eruptions.

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.

MHG Volunteer Blog 30: Dyer's chamomile

It's time for the latest blog from our dedicated team of volunteer gardeners at Pontefract Castle.

Find out more about their blog series here.

Today, a new volunteer called Lillie joined us. Carole introduced Lillie to the other volunteers and showed her around the Medieval Herb Garden. Lillie had to read the MHG-specific health and safety guidance (with photos of the plants to be “wary of”). She then got to see them outside in situ.

Carole then chopped back some of the spent flowers, such as alecost, marigolds, and chicory. These are currently at least three weeks ahead of last year. She also harvested some lovage seeds for sowing next year.

Helen and Dave were kept busy weeding the MHG in the meantime.

Some unexpected, but most welcome, visitors this morning were three members of the Brazilian punk rock band 'Anti Virus'. Their lead singer was especially interested in the herbs. He translated our words for the other members of the band. He also explained to us how some of them are used in Brazil today.

Plant of the Week - Dyer's chamomile (cota tinctoria)

The word 'chamomile' comes from the Greek 'chamai', meaning 'on the ground', and 'mēlon', meaning 'apple'. This likely refers to the plant's low-growing habit and its flowers' apple-like fragrance.

The term 'dyer's' is added because the plant has been historically used to produce a yellow dye for fabrics. The name 'tinctoria' itself means 'dyeing' in Latin.

Its other names are yellow chamomile, golden marguerite and ox-eye chamomile.

In horticulture this plant is still widely referred to by its synonym, 'Anthemis tinctoria'.

Dyer's chamomile growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

Dyer's chamomile is native to Europe, the Caucasus and Iran. This amazingly bright yellow flowered plant can flower from May to October. Last year in the MHG, it flowered for 30 weeks!

It is a clump-forming, evergreen perennial. However, it tends to go leggy and needs a good 'haircut' after flowering.  It can sometimes die after two years of growth.

It will grow in any neutral to alkaline, well-drained soil. It can grow anywhere but north-facing, in full sun to part shade. It will even survive maritime exposure. It grows to a height and spread of up to 2ft.

It has deeply-cut, ferny foliage. This is mid to dark green above and downy-grey beneath, and has a pleasant smell. 

It has long-lasting yellow, daisy-like flowers, with darker yellow dome-shaped centres. The flowers are borne on long, thin angular stems. They have an apple-like scent.

Culinary uses of dyer's chamomile

As a dye plant, dyer's chamomile has no historically recorded culinary uses. 

It's not to be confused with German or Roman chamomile, which are used in teas.

Dyeing with dyer's chamomile

Dyer's chamomile flowers can be used either fresh or dried. They have been used for centuries to dye fabrics.

Dyer’s chamomile contains several chemicals that contribute to its yellow dye. These include flavones like apigenin and luteolin, as well as flavonols such as quercetagin and patuletin. These compounds, when extracted and used with a mordant, can produce a range of yellow shades. Mordants, like aluminium sulphate (alum), are crucial for fixing the dye to the fibres and intensifying the colour. Without a mordant, the colour may be very pale or even colourless.

The plant is said to work better on wool and silk than on cotton.

Folklore and other facts about dyer's chamomile

Dyer's chamomile may be used in combination with yarrow and nettles to create a liquid fertilizer.

It is pollinated by bees, butterflies, moths, flies and beetles.

Medieval uses*

Some traditional medicine may have used dyer's chamomile. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-muscle spasm and soothing properties.

It was drank as a tea, which could be made either from the flowers or the whole plant. Applied externally, it was used as a poultice on haemorrhoids. It could be applied to bath water. The leaves were also rubbed onto insect stings.

Care must be taken, however, as it is possible that dyer’s chamomile can raise blisters on the skin.

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.

MHG Volunteer Blog 29: Clary sage

It's time for the latest blog from our dedicated team of volunteer gardeners at Pontefract Castle.

Find out more about their blog series here.

The recent downpour had left the Medieval Herb Garden a bit too damp to walk on. We don’t want to squash all the air out of it. Instead, Carole pricked-out the winter savory seedlings for selling later on in the year. 

Winter savory is growing near the liquorice. It has an amazing citrusy smell that everyone immediately loves when they smell it. So, we are glad to be able to add it to our stock of home-grown herbs!

Winter savory seedlings in the Medieval Herb Garden

Carole was on her own today. She also chopped back some weld. This will be dried and used in future dyeing workshops, along with our woad. She then spent half an hour re-writing the plant labels for the sales barrow. Pencil, felt-tip and ink don’t seem to out-last the sun, so it looks like pyrography may be the way to go.

Plant of the Week - Clary sage (salvia sclerea)

The Latin name for clary sage is 'Salvia sclarea'. It comes from the Latin 'salvere' (to feel well, to feel healthy, heal). The English name 'clary' derives from Middle English 'clarie', via Anglo-Norman 'sclaree'. This in turn is from Late or Medieval Latin 'sclarēia', a word derived from 'clarus', meaning clear. Its other names are 'clear-eye sage', 'see bright' and 'tout-bonne'.

Clary sage was first introduced into Britain from Southern Europe in 1562. It is a deciduous, bushy, clump-forming, biennial plant.

In its first year clary sage forms a rosette of leaves. In its second year a 3-to-4-foot flower stalk forms with thick, square stems covered in hairs. The leaves are approximately 1 ft long at the base, and 6 in long higher up the plant. The upper leaf surface is wrinkled, and covered with glandular hairs.

The 1 inch flowers are in whorls, with between two and six flowers in each whorl. They are held in large colourful bracts that range in colour from pale mauve to lilac or white-to-pink.

Clary sage will grow in any south-facing, well-drained soil, in sun or partial shade.

Clary sage growing in the MHG

Culinary uses of clary sage

When clary sage is very young, the leaves can be used for cooking. Chopped leaves used to be dipped in batter and fried to produce fritters.

The flowers have a long history of being added to salads. They made a popular drink before black tea arrived from China.

In the Middle Ages, it was common to use clary sage instead of hops in beer. It was also used to flavour vermouths, wines and liqueurs.

In Germany it is known as Muscatel sage. It was infused with elderflower and used in the 1500s to flavour wines. It made an imitation Muscatel (a wine made from muscat grapes).

Folklore and other facts about clary sage

Clary sage is associated with vision. It was used as an aid for meditation, even opening the ‘third eye’ of clairvoyants. It was thought to enhance the ability to dream and remember dreams. It was also used in love spells.

Clary sage contains sclareol. This is a scent molecule that can be used to mimic the effects of ambergris in perfume production.

Medieval uses*

Clary sage's medicinal uses have been described as far back as the 300s BC.

It was called 'clear eye sage'. Ancient herbalists used it as an eyewash to soothe and cleanse the eye. This was because of its antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. It was also used for intestinal complaints, colic, soft bones and fractures. It could also be used to rejuvenate and calm the skin.

The chemical sclareol, found in the flowers, has also been explored for its potential in treating conditions like arthritis and dysmenorrhea.

Clary sage oil was renowned for its stress-relieving properties. The oil contains compounds such as linalyl acetate and linalool. These are known to have calming effects on the nervous system, promote relaxation, and even improve sleep quality.

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.

MHG Volunteer Blog 28: Lady's bedstraw

It's time for the latest blog from our dedicated team of volunteer gardeners at Pontefract Castle.

Find out more about their blog series here.

Another 'clammy' day!

Kaiden watered the rosemary wall and all the pots. Caroline started on the weeding and tidying up the rhubarb. Louis chopped back the horehound.

A visitor from Nottingham, here for the Liquorice Festival, asked if she could have some of the horehound off-cuts. She was organising a dried flower arrangement to celebrate the 90th anniversary of her local church. We happily obliged and gave her as much as she needed. The clusters of flowers and seed heads along the stems make the horehound a striking plant. It will make a wonderfully unusual display!

Horehound clusters growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

Carole pricked-out some more seedlings, grown from seeds collected from the MHG last year. Today it was vervain, meadow sweet and more motherwort and angelica. After a week or so, they will go on sale on the plant barrow.

We still have some liquorice plants for sale on the barrow. However, all of the white cosmos was sold already at the weekend. 

After the usual flower-count, Carole spoke to some members of a school party from Bolton about "What is St. Anthony’s Fire actually?" and medieval herbs in general.

Plant of the Week - Lady's bedstraw (galium verum)

The common English name of this plant is 'Our Lady's Bedstraw'. It possibly comes from its medieval use for stuffing mattresses. The name could also come from the Christian legend that this was one of the 'Cradle Herbs', meaning it was in the hay in Jesus' manger at Bethlehem. Among its common names are: maid's hair, petty mugget, cheese rennet, bed flower, fenwort and hundredfold.

The genus 'Galium' comprises some 400 species of annual and perennial plants. It is related to cleavers, madder and sweet woodruff (which can also be found in the MHG). The species is self-fertile, being hermaphrodite (it has both male and female organs). It is pollinated by flies and beetles.

Lady's bedstraw growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

Lady's bedstraw is native to the UK. It is a low, scrambling, carpeting, herbaceous, deciduous, perennial. It will grow in full sun or part shade, in well-drained, alkaline or neutral soil. It has stems which can reach 4ft. It has shiny, dark green, linear leaves, up to 1 inch long and 0.1 inch wide. The leaves are borne in whorls of 8 to 12, often rooting where they touch the ground.

It flowers in mid-to-late summer, when it produces upright, stiff stems. It produces frothy, terminal panicles (loose branches) of dense clusters of tiny four-lobed yellow flowers. The flowers are about 0.1 inch in diameter. They are honey-scented, and smell like new mown hay when dried. However, the plant has an astringent, bitterish taste. 

Culinary uses of lady's bedstraw

Lady's bedstraw flowers were used to curdle milk in cheesemaking. They were particularly used to make Double Gloucester, which also took its colour from the plant. The leaves of the herb are edible and can be added to salads or cooked. Roasted seeds are considered a good substitute for coffee.

In Denmark, the plant (known locally as 'gul snerre') is traditionally used to infuse spirits, making the drink 'bjæsk'.

A non-alcoholic drink can also be made by grinding the plant up, leaving it to soak in fresh water for a few hours, before straining it to drink.

Folklore and other facts about lady's bedstraw

In Norse traditions, lady’s bedstraw is associated with Frigg, the goddess of marriage and childbirth. It was believed that placing lady's bedstraw in a woman's bed during labour would ease her delivery. They called it 'Frigg's grass'.

Historically, the plant was used to stuff mattresses and cover floors. This is due to its supposed ability to deter fleas. More recently, it was thought that the dried plant could be used against clothes moths.

A red dye can be made from the roots. A yellow dye can be made from the leaves and flowers.

It is an important food source for caterpillars of the broad-bordered bee hawk moth.

Fans of 'The Archers' may remember that a 2002 poll by Plantlife resulted in Lady’s Bedstraw being voted the County Flower of Borsetshire.

Medieval uses*

Lady's bedstraw has a long history of use in herbal medicine. A powder made from the plant was used to soothe reddened skin and reduce inflammation. The fresh plant was also used as a poultice on cuts, skin infections, slow-healing wounds, burns and scalds. It was also used for destroying kidney stones and to soothe tired feet. It was also believed to act as a sedative.

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.

MHG Volunteer Blog 27: Liquorice

It's the return of Pontefract Liquorice Festival this weekend (Sunday 13 July)! 

So, we're afraid there's no prizes for guessing our Medieval Herb Garden volunteers' Plant of the Week this week...

Well, after the much longed-for heavy downpour at the weekend, the ground was still too wet to walk on today. Any weeding had to be done at the edges of the MHG.

We took some rose cuttings from the front garden. We put out some motherwort, angelica and goat’s rue plants on the sales barrow. Carole also made sure that there are plenty of liquorice plants available for the Liquorice Festival this weekend.

Whilst carrying out the flower count, Carole decided which plants to include in this Saturday’s free talk (1pm – 3pm). The plant list is always changing, so it’s never exactly the same talk twice.

Plant of the Week: Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

Liquorice is more than 30 times sweeter than sugar! It derives its name from the Greek words 'glycys' (sweet) and 'rhiza' (root). This Greek term was Latinized as 'liquiritia', from which came the Anglo-French 'lycorys'. 'Glabra' means smooth (relating to the seed pod). It was sometimes known as sweetwood.

Liquorice is native to West Asia, North Africa and Southern Europe. It is a bushy, deciduous, herbaceous, leguminous, perennial. It will not grow well on clay. It prefers rich, fine soil, where there is a lot of moisture during the growing period.

Liquorice in flower growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

It prefers full sun, facing South or West, where the ground bakes hard. Normally, liquorice doesn't show any growth until late May. It then grows to a height of 4ft with a width of 3ft. Liquorice has pinnate leaves about 7-15cm long, formed of 9-17 opposite pairs of leaflets.

The roots are deep, soft, flexible, fibrous and stoloniferous. Stoloniferous means the roots grow stolons. Stolons are creeping horizontal plant runners that take root at points along its length to form new plants. Liquorice runners can grow up to 20ft in length! It is a mix of the root and runners which are harvested as “liquorice root”.

Liquorice flowers in June to July. It has purple to pale whitish-blue pea-like flowers. The flowers are 8-12mm long produced in a loose inflorescence (cluster). The fruit is a pea-like, oblong pod, 20-30mm long, containing several seeds. New plants can be raised from either seed or root cuttings. 

There are various types of liquorice grown around the world. Glycyrrhiza glabra is the type that was (and still is) grown at Pontefract Castle. This type is considered to have a more delicate flavour than the types later imported into Britain.

Culinary uses of liquorice

Before the 1200s, liquorice was most commonly brewed into a stout beer. At the time of the Renaissance (starting around the 1400s), it began to be added to sweets. Liquorice was also used as a flavouring for bread and other baked goods.

Liquorice has also been used to flavour tobacco, ice-cream and medicines. It is marketed as a dietary supplement. In some parts of the Arabic world, the root of the liquorice plant is used to make a cold drink with a sweet and mildly bitter taste. This is called Erk al-sous.

And, of course - liquorice is still today made into the world-famous Pontefract Cakes!

Pontefract Cakes for sale at Pontefract Castle

Liquorice in Pontefract

Camden's 'Britannia' of 1607 noted that liquorice was growing in Worksop and Pontefract. By 1614, Pontefract was producing small, round lozenges that could ease coughs and stomach complaints. These were hand-stamped with a design to show their quality and authenticity.

In Pontefract liquorice was often grown in people’s 'gardens'. On a map of the 1648 Siege of Pontefract, liquorice is marked as being grown in 'garths' either side of Micklegate.

Soon, liquorice was being grown all over the town to supply the liquorice industry. The Castle was planted with liquorice after the English Civil Wars. The dungeon was used to store the root. Beds of liquorice lined Southgate and Micklegate, and there were plantations in the Friarwood Valley. By 1750, there were 47 growers in Pontefract. These met the increasing demand for liquorice.

In 1760, George Dunhill (an apothecary) created the first liquorice confectionery by adding sugar to the liquorice root extract. Dunhill called them Pomfret Cakes. These cakes were stamped with an image of Pontefract Castle. They were also widely known as Yorkshire Pennies.

A Dunhill's Pontefract Cakes box in the Wakefield Museums and Castles collection

At the liquorice industry's height there were 13 factories in the town, each with their own 'authenticity stamp'. On the 1933 Town Map there are 7 liquorice factories shown within a radius of a few hundred yards of the Buttercross.

Over time, Pontefract's confectioners began to close, merge with one another, or be acquired by their larger rivals. Today, there are only two manufacturers remaining in the town.

Folklore and other facts about liquorice

Roman soldiers chewed liquorice root as a medicinal stick for its thirst-quenching qualities and benefits for sore throats. Liquorice root has been found in excavations along Hadrian’s Wall.

The first secret ballot in a parliamentary election was held in Pontefract on 15 August 1872. The ballot boxes were sealed using a Pontefract Cakes stamp from Frank Dunhill's factory.

The waste root is now being made into a chemical wood pulp. This is pressed into a board and used to make boxes.

Objects made from Pontefract liquorice have appeared many times in films. In the 1979 Bond film 'Moonraker', Jaws is seen biting through a thick electric cable. This was a prop made out of liquorice from Pontefract!

In 1899, Bassett’s salesman Charlie Thompson visited a wholesaler in Leicester with his samples case of liquorice and cream paste specialities. The wholesaler initially refused each item offered. However, the items were accidentally spilled and got jumbled together. The wholesaler liked what he saw and placed an order for a ‘mixed’ delivery. Bassett agreed to this order. He asked Charlie Thompson to give the new assortment a name. Thompson called them 'Liquorice Allsorts'.

Medieval uses*

The earliest documented medicinal use of liquorice can be traced back to ancient Assyrian, Egyptian, Chinese and Indian cultures. Ancient Greek sources provide the first use of liquorice as a drug in Europe.

Liquorice is anti-inflammatory. It was used for asthma, diseases affecting the voice, mouth ulcerations, dry cough and hoarseness, wheezing and shortness of breath and for pains in the chest and lungs.

It was also used for the burning sensation of the stomach, diseases of the liver, bladder and kidney pain, kidney stones, artery diseases, heart palpitations, angina, skin lesions, ulcers, thirst, fever, neuralgia, hair loss, and menopausal symptoms. Liquorice was also used to make a tea which could mask the taste of other bitter medicines.

Liquorice is considered safe as a food ingredient - in moderation. Excessive consumption of liquorice can lead to lowered potassium levels in the blood, increased blood pressure, and to kidney and heart failure.

So, maybe don't devour all your Liquorice Festival goodies at once!

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.

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MHG Volunteer Blog 26: Goat's rue

We're halfway through a year of brilliant weekly Medieval Herb Garden blogs! It was a hot one this week...

Find out more about the blog series here.

South-facing garden, clear blue skies and a temperature of 28°C before 9:30am – what a day! Today, we started (and finished) early due the heat.

We carefully worked around the fairy lights from Saturday's Proms at the Castle event, and helped to remove them. Dave, Caroline and Carole carried out some spot weeding - thistles, spent nigella, green alkanet, and of course the ever-present cinqfoil. Louis forgot to bring his long trousers - a must for the MHG! So instead, he helped to tidy up after ABBA at the Castle on Sunday and then watered all the potted plants.

Fairy lights for Proms at the Castle

After carrying out the Monday flower count, Carole talked with a group of students from New College Pontefract. They asked questions about volunteering in general and the MHG in particular. So, after 2 – 3 hours we all called it quits and went home for a lie down in a darkened room. 

Rain later in the week (hopefully).

Plant of the Week: Goat's rue (galega oficinalis) 

The English name 'goat's-rue' is a translation of the Latin 'Ruta capraria'. It was used for the plant in 1554 when it was considered to be related to 'Ruta graveolens', or common rue, and 'capraria', referring to goats. Its more modern Latin name, 'Galega', means 'to bring on milk'. It used to be fed to goats to increase milk production.

Goat's rue is originally from Europe and countries surrounding the Mediterranean. It is a robust, bushy, clump-forming, deciduous, leguminous, perennial plant. It grows to a height of 4.5ft and a width of 3ft.

It has smooth and branched stems. These bear pinnate leaves with from six to eight pairs of green, lance-shaped leaflets, ¾ to 2 inches long. The plentiful pea-like, white, lilac or purple flowers are borne on axillary erect racemes during mid-Summer to early Autumn.

Goat's rue will grow in sun or partial shade in moist, but well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil. It has a slightly sweet scent when bruised, and a bitter, acidic taste.

Goat's rue growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

Folklore and other facts about goat's rue

In ancient Greece, goat's rue was believed to be a gift from the gods to help humans with their ailments.

In some cultures, goat's rue is believed to bring good luck. It is said to protect against evil spirits and witches if hung above doorways.

Goat's rue is sometimes used as a natural dye, producing a yellow or green colour. It has also been used as a replacement for rennet during cheese-making.

Medieval uses*

Medieval herbalists often included goat's rue in their potions and remedies. They believed it had magical properties.

Goat's rue was used for plague, worms, digestive issues, snake bites, all kinds of fevers, small-pox and measles and St Vitus' dance. It has a long history of use as a galactagogue, a substance that promotes lactation in nursing mothers.

The plant was believed to have diuretic properties, helping to flush out toxins from the body. Some traditional practices suggest its scent may have calming or relaxing effects.

Raw goat’s rue is considered poisonous to livestock. While human poisoning is rare, the plant can cause headaches, weakness and potentially interfere with blood clotting medications.

Modern uses*

Culpepper’s 'Complete Herbal' (1653) said to use goat’s rue for symptoms we now know are symptomatic of type-2 diabetes. 200 years later, scientists discovered that goat’s rue is rich in a chemical called guanidine, which lowers blood sugar levels. Unfortunately, this can be toxic.

However, a chemist, George Tanret, identified a slightly less toxic compound from the plant called galegine. A synthesised form of this chemical is the basis for metformin. This is the most commonly prescribed drug for type-2 diabetes today.

*Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.

In time for Pontefract Liquorice Festival, next week’s Plant of the Week will be liquorice!