DANDELION: 

• CULINARY: Leaves in salad, root as coffee substitute, flowers in wine.
• MEDICINAL: High in iron, potassium, vitamin A, phosphorus, manganese. Digestive tonic for constipation and sluggish liver (root), diuretic.
• OTHER: Compost – mineral rich. 

PLANTAIN: 

• MEDICINAL: "Nature's Bandaid" – use leaves for cuts, stings, insect bites. Psyllium seeds (fall) used as bulk laxative (as in Metamucil) 

CHICKWEED: 

• CULINARY: Use in salad and lightly boiled as vegetable.
• MEDICINAL: Poultices for skin irritation, inflammation, boils, abscesses, itching. 

BURDOCK: 

• CULINARY: Root as vegetable, early spring stalks edible.
• MEDICINAL: Skin disorders, boils, acne, eczema, psoriasis (root). Tonic to digestive system. Wound healer.
• OTHER: Dandruff preventative. Compost restores minerals to soil. 

STINGING NETTLE: 

• CULINARY: Soups, stews, tea (leaves). Excellent source of minerals, vitamins.
• MEDICINAL: Rich in iron, phosphorous, potassium, B complex, vitamin A. Gout, arthritis (eliminates uric acid) – roots. Stops bleeding, nose bleeds, haemorrhoids. Eczema.
• OTHER: Dandruff control. Compost – incredible soil enricher. Can make rope from the fibres of the stalk. One of the first fibres for making cloth. 

RED CLOVER: 

• MEDICINAL: Respiratory, skin disorders (flowers), coughs, bronchitis, aids expectoration. Skin conditions, eczema, general tonic to the body. 

VIOLETS: 

• CULINARY: Candied flowers, violet syrup. Leaves rich in vitamin C and A.
• MEDICINAL: Wound healer. Flower syrup soothes throat. 

CREEPING CHARLIE: 

• MEDICINAL: Cough syrup (flowers) 
  

Karen Runnels