A Garden of Health

Planning on planting a garden this spring, why not plant a garden that can aid in your family staying healthy! There are many different plants that you can plant in your flower gardens as well as your vegetable garden that will aid in your family staying health all year long.

Many of them can be dried at the end of the session and stored in an air tight container and or frozen, I will go over how store each one as I talk about it.

The first plant that I will be talking about can be grown outside if you live in a warm climate or it can be grown inside as a very nice house plant. My earliest memories of this wonderful plant was when I was 15 and just had to have that killer tan, however I fall asleep in the sun and got a very nasty sun burn. When I got into the house my mother looked at me and said that is going to hurt. She went over to her large Aloe Vera plant she cut it open and rubbed it all over my legs and back, it really did help stop the burning.

Aloe Vera needs lots of sun and well drained soil. Although the plant tastes like well I will let you use your own words here, it's still edible. The sap from the Aloe Vera is extremely useful to aid in the healing and reduce the risk of infection for the following; wounds, cuts, minor burns eczema and reducing inflammation.

Aloe Vera can also be taken internally in the in the treatment of chronic constipation, poor appetite and other digestive problems.

If you have cut a piece and do not use all of the sap place it in a small zip lock bag and then into your refrigerator, where it can be store up to a week.

Marshmallow plant is grows best in marshes. Originally from Europe it grows in the United State in marshy areas, needing lots of water. When using the marshmallow plant the root is ground up to help with the following; inflammations and irritations of the urinary and respiratory mucus membranes, counter excess stomach acid, peptic ulceration, gastritis, coughs and sore throats.

Marshmallow is also used to soothe chapped skin, chilblains (sores caused by exposure to cold), and minor wounds.

Pot Marigolds, herbs, fall flowers these bright yellow and orange flowers are a familiar sight in country gardens. The plant is a native of southern Europe but flourishes in cool, temperate climates. The petals have a pungent, spicy flavor and the leaves have a bitter aftertaste. It is used more for medicinal than culinary purposes. This hardy annual grows to a height of about 9-20 inches and has a long flowering period.

Pot Marigolds are used to help relive the following, bits, stings, sprains, wounds, sore eyes and varicose veins.

Internally it is used to treat fevers and chronic infections. Tea made from petals tones up circulation and taken regularly will help eases varicose veins.

Applying the crushed stems for plant will aid in corns and warts when removing them.

To dry the flowers cut and hung upside down and a warm place then store in an air tight container. Keep the stems of the plant in your refrigerator in an air tight bag for up to one week.

Chamomile with a sweet crisp fruity fragrance has long been used medicinally as a remedy for problems for hundreds of years. The chamomile is a member of the daisy family which will add a bright spot to any garden. .

Both the fresh and dried flowers of chamomile have been used to create teas for centuries to cure a number of health problems. The active ingredient in chamomile essential oil is known as bisabolol, which has a number of anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties.

Chamomile reduces cramping and pain in the bowels and also helps to relieve excessive gas and bloating in the intestines. Therefore, a simple remedy is to drink a cup of chamomile tea to help relieve irritable bowel syndrome, nausea, and gastroenteritis or stomach flu.

To dry the flowers cut and hung upside down until dried then store in an air tight container.

Echinacea with its purple daisy like flowers will be a welcome to any garden! The Echinacea grows on any well drained soil, as long as it gets sunlight. This plant can also be grown in a pot in your home.

Echinacea root can be ground up to help with sores, wounds and burns. Keep your roots in an air tight container in a dark cool place.

Where the flower and leaves can be made into tea to help fight cold, coughs, flu and other upper respiratory conditions, enlarged lymph glands, sore throat, urinary tract infections and other minor infections.

Dry and store the Echinacea flower the same as you would the Chamomile. Fresh root can be kept in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Lemon Balm can be grown in your herb garden both indoor as well as outdoors. This has a wonderful lemon minty scent. The flowers which appear during the summer are full of nectar. The crushed leaves, when rubbed on the skin are used as; mosquito repellent, sores, gout and insect bites. Infusion of leaves in hot water to make teas will help with colds, fevers, depression mild insomnia and headaches.

Fresh leaves can be kept in an air tight bag for up to a week in the refrigerator. To dry hung upside down then store in an air tight container for up to six months.

Peppermint is sometimes regarded as 'the world's oldest medicine', with archaeological evidence placing its use at least as far back as ten thousand years ago. Peppermint is naturally high in manganese, vitamin A and vitamin C. Peppermint can be grown inside or outside as long as the soil is moist.

The leaves crushed and added to almond oil can be used to rub on sour muscles. It can also be made into tea to help reduce irritable bowel syndrome, help calm upset stomachs, inhibit bacterial growth, treat fevers, and flatulence.

Leaves are dried by hanging upside down then stored up to six months in an air tight container.

Evening primrose grows very well in a shady area of your garden with moist soil. The young roots can be eaten like a vegetable, or the shoots can be eaten as a salad. Poulticed roots of the evening primrose are applied to bruises. Tea made from the roots has also been used in the treatment of obesity and bowel pains. However, the more valuable parts are the leaves and bark which are made into evening primrose oil, known to treat; eczema, brittle nails, acne, hyperactivity, and arthritis.

To dry the root of the Primrose lie out in the sun for a couple of days or place in your oven at 200 degrees for around 5 hours. Then store in an air tight container.

These are just a few plants and herbs that you can add to your indoor and outdoor garden that will aid in keeping you and your family healthy.

Information for this article was gathered by talking with Christen Green an RN and herbalist