MHG Volunteer Blog 22: Solomon's Seal

Want to explore Pontefract Castle's Medieval Herb Garden in more detail? Here's the latest volunteer blog! You can also browse all past MHG blogs here.

This week was the start of the tying-up and cutting-back season.

Helen weeded in front of the lavender. Carole dug up the large woad plant which was now out of place. It had accidentally been left in-situ when the other woad plants were moved to their new location last Autumn. She also cut back the white comfrey, which should produce another crop of flowers later in the year. With fingers crossed that the old folktales were correct, Carole then cut back the greater stitchwort. This is in the hope of thunderstorms and much needed rain!

Following the recent high winds, the purple comfrey was looking a bit tattered. We tied it up so it didn’t swamp the elf docks, various mallows, and other plants which surround it. This in turn will probably be cut back in a couple of weeks. With the green alkanet, it will be used to make our own liquid fertilizer.

Windswept purple comfrey in the Medieval Herb Garden

Plant of the Week - Solomon’s Seal (polygonatum multiflorum)

Polygonatum comes from the ancient Greek for "many knees". This refers to the multiple-jointed rhizome. One explanation for the derivation of the common name "Solomon's seal" is that the roots bear depressions which resemble the royal seal of King Solomon. Other names are: David’s harp, fraxinella, seal root, drop berry, ladder to heaven, and white root.

Solomon's seal is a deciduous, clump-forming, herbaceous perennial. It is a close relative of lily of the valley. It appears in Spring as an upright shoot of tightly-furled leaves.

Alternate, smooth, oval, ribbed, leaves then unfold from a long arching stem that can reach 3 feet in length.

Small clusters of two to seven flowers then appear, hanging in opposite direction to the leaves. The flowers are sweetly-smelling and creamy white to yellow-green. In Autumn red to black berries appear which are poisonous.

Solomon's seal in the Medieval Herb Garden

It has creeping, rhizomatous roots, which can be divided in Autumn. It will grow in any moist but well-drained soil, in any level of sunlight.

Culinary uses of Solomon's seal

The roots softened for some time in water produces a starchy substance. This is capable of being used as food.

In Turkey, the young shoots are boiled and eaten like asparagus.

Folklore and other facts about Solomon's seal

The origin of the plant is traced back to King Solomon’s days 3500 years ago. He said that the herb was a gift from God due to its many uses.

According to tales and legends, the Seal of Solomon was the symbol on a signet ring owned by King Solomon. This allowed him to control demons and genies.

In traditional folk magic, the plant can be used for exorcisms and to protect a home from evil spirits. It can be infused in water then sprinkled over an area, or the dried roots can be placed in the corners of a room, to keep out unwanted influences.

In China, the herb’s first recorded use goes back to the Divine Husbandman’s Classic (Shen’nong Bencaojing) of the 1st century AD. It is known as one of the top ten medicinal herbs in Asia.

The flowers and roots are used as snuff. They are celebrated for their power to cause sneezing and relieving stuffy noses. They also had a wide vogue as aphrodisiacs, for love philtres and potions!

Solomon's seal was used for hair massages to strengthen brittle and weak hair.

Medieval uses*

The root was used to heal and close new wounds, hurts, and “outward sores”. It could dry and restrain fluids from old wounds. It also stopped vomiting and bleeding.

Combined with other remedies, Solomon's Seal was given in pulmonary consumption and bleeding of the lungs.

It was used as a tonic, and was good in inflammations of the stomach and bowels, piles, and chronic dysentery.

It was used for healing bones and the removal of bruises, both internally and externally. It was also used for all types of skin complaints, and as a cure for St Anthony’s Fire.

Reporting on Solomon’s seal in 1597 John Gerard stated, “As touching the knitting of bones and that truly which might be written, there is not another herb to be found comparable to it for the purposes aforesaid”.

*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 21: Horseradish

Want to explore Pontefract Castle's Medieval Herb Garden in more detail? Here's the latest volunteer blog! You can also browse all past MHG blogs here.

Another Bank Holiday. So, of course, the weather was blustery and overcast. Following the recent windy, but well-needed, downpour, the Medieval Herb Garden was looking a little battered in places. With the rain, no doubt the weeds will be back with a vengeance!

Carole carried out the weekly flowering-plant count and re-stocked the sales barrow. She was also kept busy talking to visitors, helping with the dungeon tour and dodging rain drops!

A thriving part of the MHG

Plant of the Week - Horseradish (armoracia rusticana)

The name 'horseradish' first arose in the 1590s. The word 'horse' could be used to mean strong or coarse. 'Radish' comes from the Latin 'radix', meaning root. It has other names such as monk’s rhubarb, patience and red cole.

Horseradish comes from eastern Europe. It is a vigorous, perennial herbaceous plant of the family brassicaceae. This family also includes mustard, wasabi, broccoli, cabbage and radish.

Horseradish has hairless, bright green, unlobed leaves up to 3ft long. The leaves may easily be mistaken for dock leaves.

It doesn’t always flower. However, when it does in May to June, it produces small, white, four-petalled flowers. If grown for eating, the large white root should be dug up, leaving some behind to produce a plant the following year.

Horseradish in flower in the Medieval Herb Garden

Culinary uses of horseradish

Horseradish was first used in cooking in the 1600s (it was used for other purposes much earlier). Tthe leaves of the plant are edible, either cooked or raw when young. They have a flavour similar to, but weaker than, the roots.

Prepared horseradish is a common ingredient in Bloody Mary cocktails and in cocktail sauce. It is also used as a sauce or sandwich spread. Horseradish sauce is a common accompaniment to roast beef - and has been since the late 1600s!

Prepared horseradish is white to creamy beige. It can be stored for up to 3 months in the fridge. Eventually it will lose its pungency, darken in colour, and develop a bitter flavour.

Outside of Japan, the Japanese condiment wasabi is now usually made with horseradish. Traditionally it is made from the true wasabi plant (wasabia japonica), but horseradish is much more readily available. The Japanese botanical name for horseradish is seiyōwasabi or "western wasabi".

Folklore and other facts about horseradish

Legend has it that the Delphic oracle told Apollo: “The radish is worth its weight in lead, the beet its weight in silver, the horseradish its weight in gold.”

30,000 metric tonnes of horseradish are produced in Europe annually. Hungary is the biggest producer, producing 12,000 tonnes.

"Cabbage worms", the larvae of pieris rapae, are a common caterpillar pest of horseradish. Another common pest is the mustard leaf beetle (phaedon cochleariae).

In the Fens, horseradish was used to predict the sex of an unborn child. Both parents placed a piece of horseradish under their pillows at night. Whichever parent's piece turned black first would indicate the sex of the child.

Medieval uses*

The ancient Greeks and Egyptians used horseradish as a rub for lower back pain and as an aphrodisiac. Horseradish was used for loosening phlegm in the body, whether in the sinuses, joints, or blood. It was good for conditions such as lymphedema, arthritis, sciatica, colic, strangury, scurvy, colds and flus, and expelling worms in children.

Some used horseradish syrup as an expectorant cough medicine. Others were convinced it cured everything from rheumatism to tuberculosis.

*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 20: Sweet Rocket

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, the Medieval Herb Garden is looking really good! We have over 50 different varieties in flower.  

No weeding today! Caroline and Louis turned over the soil on the dry-stone wall (in case it rains) and then swept the wall and the drainage channel. They then tided-up around the lavender hedge. 

Carole gave the prostrate rosemary one of its regular 'haircuts'. She then topped up the sales barrow with more welsh onions, pink mop-head hydrangeas and houndstongue.

With the help of volunteer Callum, Carole then potted-on some more houndstongue seedlings.

The rosemary halfway through its regular 'haircut'

Plant of the Week - Sweet Rocket (hesperis matronalis)

Hesperis matronalis was given its modern scientific name by Carl Linnaeus in his book Species Plantarum in 1753. The name, Hesperis, means "of the evening", referring to the strong fragrance of the flowers late in the day. 

In the past, this species was known as "Damask violet" in English and "Viola Damascena" in Latin. These both refer to the city of Damascus in Syria. The French name "Violette de Damas" also refers to Damascus.

Damas was possibly mistaken for "dames", giving rise to the common name "dame's violet” and "dame’s rocket".

Sweet rocket in flower in the Medieval Herb Garden

Originally from Italy, sweet rocket is a biennial, erect, multi-stemmed, herbaceous plant. It will grow in any alkaline to neutral soil, and in any aspect, in full or partial shade. It grows to a height of 3ft and a width of 2ft.

The leaves are alternately arranged on upright stems and are oval-shaped. They have short hairs on the top and bottom surfaces which give the leaves a somewhat rough feel.

The flowers appear in late Spring of the plant's second year. They are various shades of mauve and purple and sometimes white. They are up to 2cm across and have 4 petals.

Sweet rocket later produces 2–4 inch seed pods, similar in shape to pea pods. It will readily self-seed.

Culinary uses of Sweet Rocket

The young leaves are slightly bitter. Despite this, they can be eaten in salads or cooked, if picked before the plant flowers. The leaves are available in the winter months when few other greens are available.

The flower buds are eaten for their spicy flavour and bright colour.

The seeds of the plant can also be sprouted and eaten in salads.

Folklore and other facts about Sweet Rocket

Sweet rocket was a favourite flower of the French Queen, Marie Antoinette.

In the Victorian language of flowers, it stood for deception. It gives out a lovely perfume in the evening, but in the daytime has none.

It is considered an invasive species in some areas. This is especially in the states of Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin and Connecticut, where it is banned. It is illegal to move, sell, purchase, transplant, cultivate, or distribute the plant in these places.

Oil from the seeds is used in making perfume.

In Europe, sweet rocket is host to the caterpillars of several butterfly species. These include the orange tip (anthocharis cardamines), large white (pieris brassicae) and small white (pieris rapae). They also attract moth caterpillars, such as plutella porrectella.

Medieval uses*

Sweet rocket was used to treat wounds. It was an antidote for insect stings and snakebites. Its leaves, which are rich in vitamin C, were used to prevent or cure scurvy. They could also boost urine and sweat production. It was used in enemas for obstructions of the intestines. When used for medicinal purposes, the leaves are best picked when the flowers are blooming.

*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 18: Forget-me-not

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.

After weeks of sunshine, May Bank Holiday rolls around and it’s back to thermals and fleeces! 

Carole spent the day sorting out the “nursery”. She pricked out seedlings and potted-on cuttings for sale. It was a welcome respite from weeding, which will start again next week.

Seedlings potted-on for sale at Pontefract Castle

She also spent quite a lot of time talking to the visitors who had braved the cold. Most of the conversations were about liquorice. She did enjoy talking to a couple from Swinton about plants in general. They also discussed the sinking of the RMS Titanic, about which the husband was very knowledgeable.

Plant of the Week - Forget-me-not (myosotis symphytifolia)

Myosotis is a genus of flowering plants in the borage family. The name comes from the Ancient Greek for "mouse's ear", which the foliage is thought to resemble. It has many common names such as wood forget-me-not, mouse ear, scorpion grass, bird’s eye, robin’s eye, and love-me.

The forget-me-not is a biennial plant from the Northern hemisphere. It grows to a height of 18 inches. It has alternate grey-green leaves and small bright blue five-lobed flowers with white or yellow centres.  

It will grow in practically any soil type, in any aspect, but prefers moist, but well-drained, soil in partial shade. 

It flowers in late Spring or early Summer. The flowers have a subtle floral smell which is usually only noticeable at night.

Forget-me-nots growing at Pontefract Castle

Culinary uses of Forget-me-nots

Forget-me-nots have a delicate, slightly sweet, and mild floral flavour.  They can be added to salads, or used in cakes and baked goods. They can also be incorporated into syrups or even made into tea.

Folklore and other facts about Forget-me-nots

There are many Christian and folklore explanations about how the plant got its name, and its association with remembrance.

There is a German legend where a knight was walking with his lady near the Danube River and decided to pick the blue flowers for her. While picking the flowers he fell in the river and as he was swept away, he tossed the flowers to his love crying out to her "Forget-me-not!".

It is used in Germany to commemorate the fallen soldiers of the World Wars. This is similar to remembrance poppies in the UK.

In some traditions, it is believed that carrying or wearing forget-me-not flowers can protect against evil spirits and curses. This belief led to the inclusion of forget-me-not flowers in charms, amulets, and talismans for protection, and good fortune.

In this country, many health institutions use the forget-me-not as a symbol. It is used on notes, lists and at the side of beds to highlight that someone has dementia. The forget-me-not is the symbol of the Alzheimer's Society in Britain, New Zealand and the Netherlands.

Forget-me-not is food for the larvae of some lepidoptera species, including the hover fly (sphaerophoria scripta). Its nectar and pollen is enjoyed by bumblebees and butterflies.

Medieval uses*

King Henry IV of England, who owned Pontefract Castle, used this flower symbol as his lucky charm during his exile, as Henry Bolingbroke, in 1398.

In traditional medicine, the whole forget-me-not plant was used.  It was used as a topical application for wounds and eye infections. It treated a variety of other ailments, such as lung problems and nosebleeds. 

*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 17: Sweet Cicely

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.

Finally, the first major weeding of 2025 is over! All we have to do now is keep on top of it. Weeds are already starting to come through in places that we weeded 3 weeks ago. 

Now, we need rain. Some of the plants are flowering early, and some are not reaching their usual height before they flower.

From now on, working in the MHG should be more fun. There's new plants to order, cuttings to take and seedlings to pot on.

The crab apple tree is looking well in its first full year with us.

The crab apple tree in flower in the Medieval Herb Garden

Last year visitor Mark bought a “grow your own” liquorice kit from the gift shop. He visited us today to let us know how his plant was getting on. His plant is now two to three inches high (our mature plants are currently 4 to 6 inches high) and it is ready to be potted-on into a bigger pot. Well done, Mark!

Plant of the Week - Sweet Cicely (myrrhis odorata)

The name 'myrrhis' comes from the Greek 'myrrhis', an aromatic oil from Asia. 'Odorata' means scented. The name 'cicely' is derived from the Latin 'seselis', which means parsley.

Sweet cicely has many common names such as anise chervil, anise fern, British myrrh, cow chervil, garden myrrh, Roman plant, shepherd's needle and sweet bracken.

Sweet cicely is a hardy, perennial, herbaceous, plant of the carrot family. It is native to Europe and can reach a height of 6ft. It is similar looking to cow parsley, but softer to the touch. The leaves are fernlike and grow up to 20 inches long.

It flowers in late Spring / early Summer. Its individual white flowers have five petals. These form clusters which can reach a width of over an inch. 

It prefers to grow in the shade in moist but well-drained soil. In the MHG, the plant is growing in full sun, and dry soil, and rarely gets to be more than 2 feet high.

Sweet cicely in flower in the Medieval Herb Garden

Culinary uses of Sweet Cicely

In cooking, sweet cicely is often used as a natural sweetener in desserts, syrups, and drinks. It can be used in place of sugar, honey, or other sweeteners. Its liquorice-like flavour complements a wide range of sweet and savoury dishes.

Historically, all parts of the plant were used. The roots were eaten raw in salads or boiled and eaten like parsnips. They also made a good wine. The leaves were cooked like spinach, added to soups and stews, omelettes and custards. The stalks were used as a substitute for celery after light cooking, or dried and stored for later use.

The flower buds are edible and were used as decoration. The seeds were chewed raw.

Folklore and other facts about Sweet Cicely

Sweet cicely was often included in traditional European spring tonics to cleanse the body after winter. It has been used in traditional Scandinavian liqueurs and spirits.

Medieval uses*

In medieval Europe, sweet cicely was believed to have protective properties against evil spirits. It was often used in love potions and charms.

Sweet cicely has a long history of medicinal use, dating back to ancient Greece and Rome. Its leaves and roots potentially treated a variety of issues, including indigestion and respiratory problems. Its smell was believed to have a calming effect on the mind and body.

The plant has expectorant properties, helping to relieve congestion. It can be useful for treating coughs and colds. It has been used as a mild diuretic to help with fluid retention.

John Gerard (1597) said that sweet cicely was “very good for old people that are dull and without courage: it rejoiceth and comforteth the heart, and increases their lust and strength.”

*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 16: Greater Stitchwort

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.

21 April 2025

Bank Holiday Monday, so of course, we have rain. But rain is what the garden needs, although, it will make the weeds grow!  The flower count this week shows that we have 36 species in bloom; this time last year we had only 25.

No gardening could be done today. So, I thought I might show you, following blog number 7: rhubarb, how well our rhubarb is doing:

Leaves of our thriving rhubarb in the Medieval Herb Garden

Plant of the Week - Greater Stitchwort (stellaria holostea - rabelera holostea since 2019)

The common name stitchwort is a reference to the old belief that the plant could be used to cure side stitch, which people get when they run. The name “holostea” comes from the Greek 'holosteon', meaning 'entire bone'. This is due to the brittleness of the plant’s stems.

It has many common names such as greater starwort, adder’s meat, cuckoo meat, snake flower, daddy's-shirt-buttons, poor-man's buttonhole, brassy buttons, wedding cakes and star-of-Bethlehem.

It was formerly placed in the genus Stellaria, as Stellaria holostea. However, new research moved it to the Rabelera genus in 2019.

Greater stitchwort is a clump-forming, semi-evergreen, herbaceous perennial. It is native to Europe. 

It grows to a height of 24 inches. It has brittle stems with simple, opposite, grey-green leaves which are grass-like, having rough edges. Each successive pair of leaves are borne at right angles to each other. 

The flowers are white with five deeply-notched petals. These appear in late Spring and early Summer. The plant prefers to grow in light shade, in any moist, but well-drained, acid to neutral soil.

Greater stitchwort in flower

Culinary uses of Greater Stitchwort

The green parts of the plant, including leaves and shoots, can be chopped and added to salads for a mild, lettuce-like flavour. It can be used in stuffings or mixed into soups and stews. A pleasant drink can also be made from the plant.

Folklore and other facts about Greater Stitchwort

The plant provides pollen and nectar for bees, butterflies, hoverflies and other insects. Several moths, including the marsh pug, plain clary, and yellow underwing, feed on greater stitchwort. This makes it an important part of their lifecycle. 

The roots of the plant can be used to create a yellow-green dye. 

In some pagan and neopagan traditions, the plant is associated with Spring and rebirth. It is a symbol used in rituals and celebrations. 

In some regions, like Cornwall, the plant was believed to belong to the pixies. It was thought that picking it would anger them. Similarly, in some areas, children believed that picking stitchwort would lead to being "pixy-led". They thought they would become hopelessly lost, even in familiar places. 

Various names for the plant, like "cuckoo's meat," suggested it bloomed around the same time the cuckoo could be heard. Other names, like "adder's meat" and "snake-flower," possibly related to the plant's flowering period coinciding with snakes emerging from hibernation.

Medieval uses*

The plant was used to sooth coughs, sore throats, arthritis and urinary tract infections.

The plant's leaves are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. Ointments were traditionally made from them to treat eczema, insect bites and skin rashes.

*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 15: Alexanders

Can you believe we're actually asking for rain in Yorkshire?! Find out what our Medieval Herb Gardeners have been up to this week in their latest blog.

14 April 2025

Monday, still no rain, and the ground is like dusty concrete. The plants are beginning to show the effects of the lack of water. Some are not getting to their usual height before they start to flower.

Being the Easter holidays, we had plenty of families visiting. We were regularly replying to the usual youngsters’ query of “Whatcha doin’?” !

Dave finished off weeding in front of the lavender 'hedge', and did some spot weeding on the thistles. Helen used her artistic skills to make a start on the new plant boards for the MHG.

Helen's stunning plant board for Woad in the Medieval Herb Garden

Carole continued weeding from where she, and occasional volunteer, Sharon, had left off on Thursday – yes, we don’t just garden on a Monday!

The weekly plant count found 30 species in flower. Carole then spent some time deciding which plants to include in the first MHG talk of the season. The talk is on Easter Saturday 19 April at 1pm. You can book a free ticket for the talk here.

Carole and Helen also enjoyed interesting conversations with two of our visitors today. One was from the Crown Prosecution Service of Winnipeg and Manitoba, Canada. The second was with a member of the marketing team for Warwick Castle. We really do get visitors from far and wide!

Plant of the Week - Alexanders (smyrnium olusatrum) 

The name smyrnium comes from the Greek word for 'myrrh', because of the smell of its flowers and seeds. It also contains 'olusatrum' meaning 'black herb', from the Latin, olus = herb, and ater = black. This is because of its jet-black seeds, which form in late summer.

The name, 'alexanders', is a corruption of the Latin (olus ater ⇒ alisander). It doesn’t have anything to do with Alexander the Great, although the plant originated in Macedonia and the Mediterranean.

It has many common names such as: black lovage, hellroot, skit, horse parsley, parsley of Alexandria, black pot-herb, stanmarch, megweed and Thanet celery.

Alexanders growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

Alexanders is a vigorous, deciduous, hairless, clump-forming biennial. It has a solid stem up to 22 mm in diameter, which becomes hollow and grooved with age. The leaves are bright green and have toothed edges. They are arranged in groups of three at the end of the leaf stalk. The plant can reach a height of 1.5m.

In late spring and early summer, it produces branched umbels of small, greenish-yellow flowers. These emit a strong, myrrh-like scent and produce large amounts of nectar.

The fruit is round and black when fully ripe, and exudes an oil which smells of capsicum or diesel.  

Alexanders will grow in any soil, but prefers full sun.

Culinary uses of Alexanders

All parts of the plant can be eaten. Its tender young shoots, which taste like a cross between celery and parsley, can be foraged as early as late January.  

The leaves and stalks were used for soups, broths, and stews. The fleshy stems were eaten like celery and the leaves like parsley.

The thickened tap-roots were roasted or added to casseroles and stews, like parsnips. The buds could be pickled or fried.

The flowers could be used as a decoration in salads. The black seeds and flowers could be used as a pepper-like spice.

Alexanders fell out of favour in the 1700s. This was when celery ('apium graveolens') started being mass produced to replace wild herbs and vegetables.

By the time Mrs Beeton had compiled her “Book of Household Management” in 1861 alexanders was “used in this country in the same way in which celery is”. However, it could only be found growing wild on the sea coast, as “its cultivation is now almost entirely abandoned”.

Folklore and other facts about Alexanders

Alexanders was well-recognised in the classical world. It was recorded by the Greek natural historian Theophrastus (371BC - 287BC). The Roman writer Pliny the Elder (c23AD- 79AD) wrote extensively about its properties. It was in common use at the time of the Roman colonisation of Britain. It was one of many culinary species the Roman armies brought with them following their invasion in 43AD.

In Britain, over 150 insect species have been recorded visiting the flowers. These include many flies and bees, several beetles, butterflies, moths, and other types of insects.

On the Isle of Man, it was known as lus-ny-ollee. It was used by vets to treat animals with sore mouths.

Medieval uses*

Although mainly used as a food crop, Ancient Greek and Roman literature described medicinal uses for all parts of the plant. It was a traditional plant for cleansing the blood. It was also a digestive herb for strengthening the stomach. 

Sailors used it to treat scurvy. Herbalists used it to relieve stomach and urinary problems. 

Alexanders was also a remedy for headaches, toothaches, swellings of the body, cuts and bruises, asthma, consumption, and tuberculosis.

*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.

Browse the previous Medieval Herb Garden blogs here

MHG Volunteer Blog: Week 14 - Cleavers

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.

7 April 2025

Another beautiful day at the castle. A day when you just want to sit in the sun, with an ice cream... but the weeding had to be done.

Dave weeded in front of the lavender 'hedge'. Carole carried out the weekly plant count. We have something in flower in the MHG every week of the year. Today, we had 27 different varieties in flower. The marigolds, which managed to survive the winter, have come into flower three months early.

Marigolds in bloom in the Medieval Herb Garden

After the count, Carole started to weed. Today she removed cleavers, buttercups, cinquefoil, couch grass, speedwell, dandelions, more buttercups, docks, lamb’s lettuce, nettles, petty spurge, hairy bittercress, rag weed, vetch and even more buttercups.

Although the most of these are actually medieval herbs, we only need so many of each in the MHG. The rest have to come out before they take over the garden!  We have often said that maybe we should have a 'weed of the week'...

In light of the above, today’s medieval plant of the week is a weed, for which I have gained a grudging respect. It’s so easy to pull up, once you notice it climbing up your other plants.

Plant of the Week – Cleavers (gallium aparine)

Cleavers has many common names such as clivers, catchweed, robin-run-the-hedge, goosegrass, bedstraw, sweetheart, stickyweed and barweed.

The name 'cleavers' comes from the fact that the plant sticks (or cleaves) to animals, clothing and skin. It sticks due to the tiny hairs along the stem and seed pods.

Cleavers is an annual, herbaceous plant. It is native to a wide region of Europe, North Africa and Asia. It is now also naturalised throughout the American and Australian continents, including some oceanic islands. It can grow in any soil type and conditions.

Cleavers growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

Cleavers has straggling stems. These branch and grow along the ground and over other plants. They attach themselves with the small hooked hairs which grow out of the stems and leaves. Cleavers prefers the sun and will climb up, over, or through, anything it can, to reach the light.

The stems can reach up to 4 ft tall, and are angular or square shaped.

The leaves are oval, and come in whorls of six to eight. The tiny flowers are star-shaped, of a white to greenish colour, and are clustered in groups of two or three.

The seed heads are covered with hooked hairs which cling to animal fur and human skin and clothing. This helps with their seed dispersal.

Culinary uses of Cleavers

The whole plant is rich in vitamin C and can be used to make a type of 'tea'.

Once dried, roasted and ground, cleaver seeds form one of the best substitutes for coffee. They contain less caffeine than traditional coffee sources.

Cleavers was once used as a potherb. The plant’s hook-like bristles soften when boiled. Its chopped leaves and stem can be made into soups and stews. The tender shoots can be boiled and buttered as a vegetable.

Folklore and other facts about Cleavers

The sticky seeds were once used by lacemakers to enlarge pinheads.

The roots of cleavers can be used to produce a permanent red dye.

The ancient Greek shepherds were said to use the plant as a sieve, when they were out in the fields tending and milking their sheep. In Sweden, a thick mat of the stems is still used as a filter for milk.

Cleavers provides food for the larvae of many butterfly species. Horses, cows, poultry, geese, and sheep also love to eat cleavers.

Folklore claims that whoever drinks cleavers water for nine weeks shall be so beautiful that everyone will fall in love with them..!

Medieval uses*

Cleavers was used both internally and externally. As a poultice (a moist mass), the herb was useful for treating wounds and various stubborn skin disorders. This included eczema, acne, and psoriasis.

Internally it was commonly used as a tonic for the kidney, liver, and lymphatic system. It was useful for treating oedema, arthritis, ear and throat infections. Cleavers were also used to cleanse the blood, treat scurvy, snake bites and induce sleep.

Cleavers was often mixed with goldenrod and nettles to help 'tonify' and strengthen weak kidneys.

In 1597 John Gerard wrote that “clivers” was “a marvellous remedy for the bites of snakes, spiders and all venomous creatures”. Quoting Pliny, he said: “A pottage made of Cleavers, a little mutton and oatmeal is good to cause lankness and keepe from fatnesse.”

*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: Week 13 - English Daffodil

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.

31 March 2025

One of the benefits of the Medieval Herb Garden is that it is south-facing. Unfortunately, this means that there is no sheltering shade. As we have had the driest March since 1961, the soil has already turned to concrete! This makes weeding hard work.

Carole was busy weeding, and talking to a lovely couple of visitors from Sydney, Australia. Dave finished digging the trench, designed to separate the MHG from the spoil heap of the gatehouse excavations. James and Kaidan watered the plants in the various planters around the site, as well as the rosemary growing on the drystone wall below the keep. It is looking quite well this year.

Rosemary growing on the drystone wall below the castle keep

The 'keep bank', under the variegated beech tree, looks its best at this time of year. Dandelions, primroses, daisies, lungwort, dog violets and even wild strawberries, which have self-seeded from the MHG, are all in flower together.

Dog violets in bloom at Pontefract Castle

The last of the rhubarb was put on sale. It's there along with a tray of true valerian and some golden rod. For you budding 'natural dyers' out there, there's also some woad plants!

(Interested in finding out more? We've still got some spaces on our upcoming family Colour Chemistry from Nature's Rainbow workshops)

Plant of the week: English Daffodil, Lent Lily (narcissus pseudonarcissus)

More pale and delicate than modern cultivars, the English daffodil has many local names. These include wild daffodil, lent lily, chalice flower, averill, daffodilly, and even daffodowndilly.

The botanical name of 'narcissus' is often thought to come from Greek myth. Narcissus was a beautiful, but vain, young man who died whilst trying to embrace his image reflected in a clear pool. However, it actually comes from the Greek word 'narkao' (to benumb). This is because of the narcotic properties which the plant possesses.

The wild daffodil is often found in exposed or sheltered, damp woodland and meadows, especially ancient woodland. It is a bulbous perennial from Western Europe. It can grow in most soil types but it should be moist, and well-drained. The leaves are long, narrow and flat with a grey-green colour which rise from the stem. The flowers have a trumpet-shaped tube at the centre in a warm, egg-yolk yellow, surrounded by pale yellow tepals. They are 4 to 6cm wide.

Unless 'dead headed' daffodils will produce seeds. When germinated, these can take five to seven years to produce a flowering plant.

English daffodils growing at Pontefract Castle

Culinary uses of daffodils

Daffodils contain the alkaloid poison lycorine. This means that there are no culinary uses of this plant.

Folklore and other facts about daffodils

The daffodil is the county flower of Gloucestershire.

In some cultures, daffodils represent new beginnings and rebirth. This makes them a popular flower for spring celebrations and festivals. Daffodils are closely associated with the celebration of Easter, symbolising hope and new life.

Daffodils are a symbol of Wales. This is because they flower around the 1st of March each year, just in time for St David’s Day (the patron saint of Wales). In Welsh, the daffodil is actually called 'Cenhinen Bedr' (Peter's Leek).

In the 1910s, Prime Minister David Lloyd George led to daffodils becoming a popular symbol. He advocated that daffodils were used in Prince Edward's (later Edward VIII) investitutre ceremony as Prince of Wales. Lloyd George was of Welsh descent.

The sub-species known as the Tenby Daffodil ('narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp. obvallaris') is the 'true' St David’s Day daffodil. It grows in the wild across South Wales. It is notable because the flower is completely yellow.

Before this, the leek was a much more common emblem worn by Welsh people. The origin of this likely dates back to the Battle of Crécy in 1346. Welsh archers defeated French soldiers in a field of leeks. Back home, leeks were worn to honour their bravery. This became a yearly tradition on St David’s Day. 

Medieval uses*

All parts of a daffodil are slightly poisonous. Despite this, they were commonly used in historic herbal remedies to treat colds, coughs, and congestion. They were believed to help loosen mucus and alleviate symptoms of respiratory tract infections. Daffodils have also been used in the elimination of excess fluids from the body. They have been used as a natural remedy for skin conditions like dermatitis and eczema, due to their anti-inflammatory properties.

In 1597, John Gerard wrote that, “Galen saith, that the roots of Narcissus have such wonderful qualities in drying, that they confound and glue together very great wounds, yea and such gashes or cuts as happen about the veins, sinews, and tendons.”

*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: Week 12 - Cowslip

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.

24 March 2025

The weather started to warm up today! Dave continued to dig the trench to separate the MHG from the spoil heap of the excavated gatehouse. This is an attempt to create a “fire-break” from the ever-encroaching weeds.

There was a backdrop of an incredibly loud buzz of bees from the rosemary. Carole pruned the southernwood and blackcurrant sage bushes. She offered pieces of them to children from a local school who were visiting. The children were able to smell plants that they would not normally be able to reach. 

The rosemary bushes in the Medieval Herb Garden, full of busy, buzzy bees

Carole chopped back the fennel. She then potted on some verbena bonariensis, which will probably go on sale in a few weeks’ time. She rewrote the labels for the valerian (true valerian, not the red type which grows like a weed all over the place). This will go on sale next week. She also put out some more rhubarb on the plant barrow.

Plant of the week: Cowslip, Palsy Wort, Key Flower (primula veris)

Cowslip's specific name comes from 'primula', from the latin 'primus' (first), and 'veris', meaning spring.  By the 16th century they were known as 'cowslips'. This comes from the original old English 'cowslop', because the plant was usually found in cow pastures by cow pats.

The cowslip is a perennial evergreen plant. It has coarsely toothed leaves which form 6 to 15cm rosettes. It has a flowering height of up to 25cm. 

It has 10 to 30 yellow blooms, dotted with orange spots, on single, hairy stems. These flower in spring. Cowslip has a short, strong tap root and thick fibrous rhizomes. Through these it can hibernate over winter. It prefers sandy or chalky soil, which is low in nitrogen, in sun or partial shade.

Cowslip growing in the Medieval Herb Garden

Culinary uses of cowslips

Cowslips smell a bit like apricots. The flowers have a citrus flavour.

Young cowslip leaves used to be eaten in country salads and mixed with other herbs to stuff meat. The flowers were made into a delicate conserve. Cowslips are still used in salads in Spain. 

In England, the flowers are used to flavour wine and vinegar. However, be aware that cowslip wine can be slightly narcotic!

Folklore and other facts about cowslips

In Norse mythology, cowslips were thought to be the key to entering the goddess Freyja’s palace. In Christianity the flower was linked to the Virgin Mary. It became known as 'Mary’s Keys'.

In the Middle Ages cowslip was also known as 'St Peter’s Herb' or 'Petronella'. It was said to have sprung up from the ground where St Peter dropped the keys to Heaven, shocked that people were sneaking into Heaven.

In Wales, long cowslip stalks are said to predict a wet summer, and short stalks predict a dry summer.

In Ireland, on Beltane (May Day) farmers would smear cowslip juice on the udders of cattle. This was intended to protect the milk from being stolen by supernatural means.

Cowslips are picked on Midsummer’s Eve to protect from evil spirits.

In the Victorian language of flowers they represent beauty and grace.

Medieval uses of cowslips*

Celtic Druids used to add cowslips in potions to help with the absorption of other herbs. When mixed with thyme it was used against bronchitis.

In the Middle Ages cowslips were “commended against the pain of the joints called the gout, and slackness of the sinews, which is the palsy. The decoction of the roots is thought to be profitably given against the stone in the kidneys and bladder; and the juice of the leaves for members that are loose and out of joint, or inward parts that are hurt, rent, or broken” (from Gerard's 'Herbal').

They believed that “the flowers are held to be more effectual than the leaves, and the roots of little use. An ointment being made with them, taketh away spots and wrinkles of the skin, sun-burning, and freckles, and adds beauty exceedingly; they remedy all infirmities of the head coming of heat and wind, as vertigo, ephialtes, false apparitions, phrenzies, falling sickness, palsies, convulsions, cramps, and pains in the nerves”.

However, cowslips can cause nausea, diarrhoea or skin irritation if you are susceptible to saponins, IBS or sensitive 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.