Author(s): Gabrielle Hatfield

Environment

From ivy wreathed buildings to the dandelions growing through the cracks between paving stones, we are surrounded by a wealth of native plants. In the past they were a hugely valued resource: magical, mystical and medical. Puppies were once fed daisy flowers in milk to keep them small, while children wore daisy chains to protect against fairy kidnapping. Poachers scattered mullein seed on the surface of the water to drug fish. Chewing bramble leaves alleviates toothache. Until the nineteenth century the bodies of paupers and suicides were left on trestles in churchyards between death and burial, scattered with feverfew to delay their decay.In the flu epidemic of 1918 many Irish people carried wild garlic in their pockets to avoid infection. Packed with stories and memorable information, this book is the highly personal, very readable result of a lifetime spent researching folk cures and the science behind them. Outlining the history and uses of over 150 British plants, "Hatfield's Herbal" offers a fascinating history of what life was once like, a beautifully illustrated, evocative guide to our native plants and a passionate argument why we should better appreciate the riches we already have.