Herbs are effective used externally as well as internally.
When planning your herb garden, it is always a good idea to reserve a small section as your ‘First Aid‘ plants in order to provide quick help in emergencies. Most ‘first aid’ plants and herbs can be used fresh in teas, compresses and infusions. This is a short list of the most common and popular herbal inclusions for your garden, and a suggestion of some of the herbs to have on hand in your pantry for quick and effective first aid remedies. For more uses for herbs, and recipes, please check out the ‘Category’ section of betweenclosefriends.com.
Aloe Vera—grow as a pot plant and use a broken leaf to relieve sunburn
Lavender—use as an infusion for coughs, colds and headaches
Pot marigold—make a poultice from the flowers for burns and stings
Witch hazel—use in compresses for bruises and bleeding
German chamomile—can be taken as a tea for insomnia
Lemon balm—infuse for digestive and menstrual upsets
St. John’s wort—use as a compress for cuts and small wounds