Harvest

Well, I had only got as far as this when lumps of ice started falling out of the sky with some force upon my herbs and my head! I managed to collect enough ladies mantle to try a tincture this year. Its the first time I've had this herb in flower, and there's plenty of it, so I'm excited - I've wanted to use this for a good while now.

I strained my valerian flower tincture at 3 weeks, having watched and tasted it a little.. it has a pleasant appley kind of taste, for some reason I can't quite fathom! I have it bottled on standby and will be interested to see what effect it has. Meanwhile, the valerian has a wealth of fresh new heads, so I had thought to maybe make a second small bottle.

I'm also going to try making yarrow tincture .. in previous years I have made ointment for stopping bleeding. But I've never had much call to use it, and in case of emergency I think you can just use the fresh leaves straight from the plant as needed. And I read that the tincture is a good preventative for colds and flu in the winter and can be used in a spray bottle to repel insects in the summer. If you'd seen the mozzy/gnat bites I've had of late you would understand my eagerness on that score! There's enough in the garden now that I should still have plenty to dry for cold/flu tea (with peppermint and elderflowers).

There's so much happening out there right now, and with the sunshine and showers its a question of just darting out at opportune moments and snatching a few photos or snipping anything that's dry. Still, I'm not having to water, lol!

Lady's Mantle

Lady's Mantle (alchemilla vulgaris) was associated with the Virgin Mary in the Middle Ages and the lobed leaves resemble the scalloped edges of a cloak or mantle, as worn by the Virgin in medieval paintings. However, the 'lady' element may refer to the herb's value in treating female disorders.

The generic name 'alchemilla', from the Arabic word for 'alchemy', is due to the wonderful way in which dew drops are held in the leaves of the plant. These magical droplets, believed to be imbued with the powers of the herb, are prized for use in potions. Other common names are Lion's Foot, Bear's Foot and Nine Hooks (all stemming from the distinctive shape of the leaf).

Lady's Mantle is astringent and styptic (or 'drying' and 'binding' in character) and has a history of use as a vulnerary (or wound herb). It was popular on the battlefields of the 15th and 16th centuries and Culpepper recommended it for inflamed wounds, to dry up 'humidity' and abate inflammation, suggesting that a decoction be drunk and the wound washed or dressed with it. The infusion is still recommended as a wash for weeping eczema or sores to this day.

The herb's ability to control bleeding and other discharges is used in modern herbalism to treat excessive menstruation and diarrhoea - an infusion is taken, up to five times a day in an acute case of diarrhoea - as well as vaginal discharge and itching, where the infusion is used as a wash. The root is used to stop bleeding, either taken fresh in a decoction or dried and powdered, and the particular affinity of Lady's Mantle with women's healing continues in the prescription of the tincture for period pain and menstrual irregularities.

Flowers June - August
Gather the whole herb in June - July while in flower and leaves at their best.

CAUTION: Do not use in Pregnancy



PLEASE NOTE: These notes on the history and use of herbs have been compiled for general interest and are not intended as medical advice, for which you should consult a professional herbalist.

BIBLIOGRAPY:
'A Modern Herbal' Mrs M. Grieve FRHS ed. Mrs C. F. Leyel (1973)
'The Herb Society's Complete Medicinal Herbal' Penelope Ody MNIMH (1993)
'RHS Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses' Deni Brown (2002)