The main effect of the rose hip is based on its vitamin C content. The bright red accessory fruit carries the active ingredients. These are the vitamins A, B1, B2 as well as mineral nutrients, flavonoids and tanning agents (secondary plant compounds). Vitamin C helps significantly to strengthen the natural defences. Rose hip contains five times more of this vitamin than the much praised lemons.

Elderberries are rich in vitamin C and A. Already in the New Stone Age the fruit of the elderberry served as food. In the Ancient World and during the Middle Ages this plant was considered to be very important. The main ingredients are flavonoids and tanning agents.

Rosemary contains essential oils, tanning agents, flavonoids and much vitamin C. Rosemary was often used for ritual purposes in the Ancient World due to its strong scent. It was said that the aromatic taste and the scent of rosemary can help to arouse joie de vivre.

In the past southernwood used to be more appreciated than it is now. Already in early times the plant was granted many powers. Southernwood smells strongly of lemon and was already very popular in the Ancient World as an air freshener. The leaves’ aroma brings to mind lemons and a hint of coke. The leaves can easily be used to season quark dishes and salads as well as fatty meat and the sauces that go with it, and southernwood can also strengthen the body’s defences.

Liver leave was and still is an important plant in nature study. All parts of the fresh plant are poisonous, but dried they are non-poisonous. The dried herb slightly smells of apricot. Liver leave is an astringent and was used in the past to strengthen the liver because of the leaves’ apparent resemblance to it.

Fennel contains essential oils, mineral salt, vitamin A, B and C. The vitamin content of the fresh plant (leaves) is very high. Fennel is nowadays a popular vegetable and spice plant all over the world. Already in the 9th century Benedictine monks planted fennel in the north of the Alps in their monastery gardens. Also the old cultures of Arabia and China knew fennel. Fennel always had a prominent position in herbalism.

In writing its use was mentioned in the Late Middle Ages for the first time. From the 16th century onward, however, the plant is listed in many books of herbs. Aqua cardui benedicti, Benedictine water, was made from it. It was also used as a substitute for genuine, expensive saffron. Originally the herb came from the Mediterranean. The bitter substances it contains form the basis for its positive properties. The flowering season of blessed thistle is from June to July. Durin this period the leaves and the tips of the shoots including the flowers are picked.

Centaurium has a very bitter taste. This is caused by bitter substances which can stimulate the production of gastric juices already through the mucous membranes of the mouth. In this way food is better digested. The digestive and strengthening effects of centaurium are so distinctive that it belongs to the herbs which are specially valued.

Chervil is a pot-herb which is often cultivated in gardens. It belongs to the apiaceae family. Its finely pinnate leaves taste like a mixture of parsley and aniseed. Chervil has a smooth taste and is also beneficial for the health.

It detoxifies the body and stimulates the metabolism. Furthermore chervil is popular for supplying vitamins and minerals.

Chicory is shrouded in many legends, which have adjusted over the centuries to new realities. In these legends the chicory always stands for the female lover who is waiting unsatisfied for her knight or hero and who is on the lookout with her big blue flowers. Nowadays chicory is mainly known for strengthening the digestive organs, but it also plays an important role as a substitute for coffee. Chicory is also used in everyday life as a herb or root e.g. for brewing a stimulating and strengthening tea. The herb is picked and dried in July during the flowering season, the spindle-shaped root is picked in autumn. The plant’s main ingredients are bitter substances and tanning agents. Chicory is used externally against skin blemishes.

Hyssop is a close relative of thyme, sage and other labiates, and here in this area it is mainly known as a pot-herb. But it is also a valuable herb which can be widely used. The fresh or dried leaves are used as a spice with heavy meals to stimulate the digestion. The fresh leaves smell aromatic (similar to rosemary and sage) and have a powerful, slightly bitter taste. They can be used sparingly in sauces, salads and meat dishes. Besides essential oils it also contains tanning agents, bitter substances and vitamin C in large quantities.

Avens is a rather inconspicuous wild plant with small yellow flowers. In earlier times however it used to be a valued herb and spice plant which was cultivated in most gardens. The roots of avens smell and taste slightly of cloves. In herbalism avens are often used. The essential oils the plant contains and the included bitter substances make avens a good tonic. The high content of tanning agents in the root has a constricting (astringent) effect. Externally applied avens is used as a gargle and helps banishing bad breath.

Spearmint contains an essential oil that has properties similar to caraway. This spearmint oil is used to improve the taste of chewing gums, mouthwashes and toothpaste. If the leaves are rubbed an intense scent arises. Spearmint looks similar to peppermint but does not contain menthol. In herbalism spearmint leaves are used to strengthen and stimulate the digestion.

If the leaves are rubbed between the fingers a lemon-like scent arises from the essential oil, which gives off a strong odour. Lemon balm contains among other substances tanning agents, bitter substances and flavonoids. Nowadays the sweetly tasting herb is mainly valued for its calming effect. It is also assumed to help and support the stomach and digestion. Already in early times it was noticed that bees are strongly attracted to it. The original name melissa officinialis comes from the Greek name Melissa which means honey bee.

Woodland germander is mainly native in the Northern parts of Europe. The woodland germander is part of the labiate family.

Thyme is not only an interesting spice plant, but also an important plant in herbalism; there it is a real jack of all trades. There is hardly an area where thyme is not used. Thyme is a very tasty spice in the Mediterranean cooking. Thus it contributes discreetly to the health, but it can also be used on purpose. In a steam bath thyme disinfects the air and makes breathing easier. Such a steam bath also helps against skin blemishes. Hildegard of Bingen and Albertus Magnus (scholar and bishop) recommended thyme as a valuable plant.

Bogbean is a perennial which blooms in May and June. Due to its high content of bitter substances and tanning agents bogbean is nowadays taken to support the stomach and the bowels. Bogbean stimulates the gastric juices, and bogbean is widely used in herbalism.

As oregano has a high phenol content it is used in aroma therapy. Oregano is a native plant, primarily in the warmer regions of Germany. Oregano is derived from the Greek oros gano, which means mountain delight. Oregano is said to have been created by Aphrodite as a symbol of joy. Oregano has a savoury and slightly bitter taste and is depending on the kind a little astringent. As it contains rich essential oils as well as bitter substances and tanning agents it can be used as a spice. Due to its strong spicy character it should only be used sparingly. It is also regarded as a digestive aid for fat and flatulent meals. As a mouth wash it gives fresh breath.

Parsley stimulates and strengthens the activity of the digestive system. Its chlorophyll content contributes to a healthy digestion. The herb is supposed to stimulate the appetite as well as the metabolism. Parsley contains vitamin A, C, B1, B2 as well as iron, calcium and essential oils. The herb and also the roots are used in herbalism. Chewing the leaves is an old household remedy against bad breath. In herbalism freshly crushed parsley is considered to be a remedy against mosquito and wasp stings.

This spice, which originally came from the Mediterranean, was already used in the Ancient World and has spread from there all over the globe. Cumin has a very positive effect on the digestion and the whole stomach area. In Ancient Egypt and in the Roman Empire it was very popular as a spice and because it has so many possible uses. Cumin is the dominant gustatory component of numerous traditional and characteristic dishes.

Lavender is mainly used as an ornamental plant or for the extraction of aromatic substances. Essential lavender oil can be used for oil burners. The scent of lavender calms, cleans and has in many ways a positive effect on humans. Besides it can be added to baths, lotions and skin oils. The aromatic lavender calls to mind southern France and Dalmatia, where it flourishes on large fields. The whole area there smells of lavender. It can be sewn into small cushions and then these lavender bags calm down infants, so that they can sleep better.

Coriander is a very old spice, it was already mentioned in Sanskrit writings, on papyrus and in the Old Testament (Book of Exodus 16.13). Originally coriander came from the Near East, but it spread quickly all over the Mediterranean. In the graves of the pharaohs’ coriander seeds were found, the Greek and Romans seasoned wine with coriander. The Romans brought coriander to Central Europe. During the Middle Ages it was also regarded as an aphrodisiac. The Chinese associated coriander with immortality. Coriander has a high content of essential oils, helps to strengthen the stomach und bowels, stimulates the activity of the bowel muscles and has a calming effect.

Bitter orange, also called Seville orange or sour orange, is a citrus fruit. Its fruit is similar to oranges, but more bitter and smaller. Bitter orange resulted from grapefruit and mandarin. Unripe bitter oranges, which are no bigger than peas or cherries, are pickled in alcoholic beverages such as spirits and aquavit. Roasted and pickled in red wine they made in earlier times a well-known drink called Smoking Bishop. Such drinks stimulated the appetite and were known as bitters. The juice of the citrus fruits mixed with sugar and water produced orangeade and lemonade, a refreshing drink. The fruits and different oils obtained from various plant parts are still used today. The English orange marmalade consists mainly of bitter oranges.

The aril of the nutmeg tree is known as mace. Dried or also ground it is used to season biscuits and pastries, meat dishes and some sausages. Mace has just like the nutmeg it wraps an aromatic - resinous and slightly bitter taste, but it is milder. The nutmeg tree belongs to the oldest cultivated plants. Mace has a very stimulating effect on the willpowers of humans. It mobilizes the power to act target-oriented.

Most people are familiar with the powerful taste of cloves. If you ever bit onto one of these small, hard tacks you know all about the intense seasoning power of cloves. They contain an essential oil which tastes strongly. What would mulled wine or Christmas biscuits be without the taste of cloves, the dried, 1,5cm long flower buds of the clove tree! The clove tree originates in the Southeast Asian Pacific, the so called “spice islands” of the colonial era. The exotic crop and spice plant came to Europe for the first time in the early Middle Ages.

Bay leaves are well known as a kitchen spice. In ancient Rome emperors and winners in sports were honoured with laurel wreaths. Laurel leaves serve as spice and may also be used to strengthen the digestion. The buttery oil, which is extracted from the fruits, can be used as a liniment. The old Greek name of laurel, daphne, reminds of the nymph Daphne, who turned into a laurel bush when she fled from the unwelcome advances of god Apollo; out of lovesickness the god started to wear laurel twigs in memory of the unanswered love.

Anise originally comes from Asia and the southeast Mediterranean countries. In our parts of the world it is only found in gardens. Its sweetly tasting fruits are known in Christmas baking and in spirits (e.g. ouzo). The dried fruits are used in the food and liqueur industry to aromatise. Aniseed is a typical spice for sweets such as cakes and biscuits, fruit salads and stewed apples. Very tasty are also aniseed macaroons. Anise was used by the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Arabs as a spice and daily crop. Anise blooms from July to August, the fruits are picked in August and September.

The fruit of the common caraway (carum carvi) are called caraway seeds. Originally caraway comes from Asia, but now it is also widespread in Europe and the north of Africa. Typical for caraway seeds are their aromatic smell and taste. It should not be confused with cumin, black caraway or other, partly poisonous umbellifiers. The young leaves and the root of caraway may be used as soup seasonings. Besides it is used to produce spirits and liqueur. The caraway fruits (caraway grains) and essential oils extracted from them are used in herbalism.

This type of camomile is found all over Europe. Unlike the bigger German camomile, the Roman camomile only grows to a height of 10 to 30 centimetres. Nearly everyone knows the smell of camomile flowers. The typical white-yellow flowers grow during the months of May to August. The oil of the Roman Camomile is extracted by distilling the flowers and the whole plant. The Nordic people worshipped camomile because its flowers resembled the sun. It can be found in large parts of Europe, Asia, North America and Australia and it was already know and mentioned in numerous writings in pre-Christian times.

Galangal resembles ginger in appearance. During the Middle Ages it reached Europe and Hildegard of Bingen reported about its use for the stomach and bowels. But it is also an excellent spice to improve vegetable stews, potato soups, goulash and other hearty dishes. For this fresh, grated galangal or galangal powder is used. Galangal extracts are added to liqueurs and bitters and in Scandinavia and Russia it is an ingredient of the beer brewed there. Today galangal root is still a part of stomach teas and so called Swedish bitter mixes.

An infusion of fermented raspberry leaves is often drunk as a substitute for black tea. The raspberry has been known in herbalism already since the Antiquity. During the Middle Ages it was cultivated especially in monasteries. The raspberry bush grows up to two metres. Raspberry leaves tea is rich in vitamin C, calcium and iron.

Ginger grows in the tropics and subtropics. Products of the ginger rootstock are acknowledged to have an antioxidant as well as stimulating effect on the development of gastric juices, saliva and bile and on the bowel functions. The smell of ginger is pleasantly aromatic, the taste is burningly hot and tasty. Ginger is often used in the drinks (ginger ale, ginger beer) and food industry. Ginger is far more than just a popular culinary addition in the kitchen. For in the inconspicuous spice a real firework of essential oils and spicy substances is hidden. Ginger has already played a major role in the Chinese and Indian tradition since the Ancient World. But also in the Western countries ginger enjoys an increasing popularity.

Peppermint is definitely known to everybody as herbal tea. Peppermint is easy to grow in home gardens and is perennial once it has become indigenous. The leaves contain essential peppermint oil and tend to be used as a tea-like drink or spice. Important ingredient is menthol, which can be found in greater amounts in older leaves. The first harvest of the year produces the higher quality; the second harvest in autumn is lower. The leaves come on the market partly fresh, but mainly dried. Furthermore big amounts are needed to extract essential peppermint oil. Peppermint oil is largely used as a scent and flavour. It is often used to flavour candies or for chocolate fillings. In the Arabic and north African countries peppermint tea is a national drink.

Tarragon (artemisia dracunculus) is native to southern Europe and Asia. It can be found in sunny places and never on the shore of water or on damp soil. In Italy and France it is often and with pleasure used in cooking as it has a strong taste. Tarragon tastes sweetly astringent and slightly peppery, and it also has a whiff of aniseed. However it does not only make sense to use it as a spice because of its taste but also because it strengthens the digestive organs and thus helps to digest heavy food. As tarragon has a very strong aroma you should only use it sparingly, otherwise it would be too dominant and cover up everything else.

We know dill mainly as a pot herb for cucumbers and salads. It has, however, like his brother fennel, numerous other possible uses. Dill was already in Ancient Egypt cultivated as an important plant and used as a spice. In Ancient Greece and Rome it was also used as a spice plant. Dill probably reached Central and Northern Europe through monks who grew it in their monastery gardens. It is said to strengthen the immune system and stimulate the digestion.

Marjoram is an annual plant. Marjoram is mainly used as a spice for hearty food. The main effect of marjoram is that it strengthens the digestion, which is why it is so popular as a spice. As marjoram is native in the Mediterranean and in the North of Africa it was already known in the Ancient World. The Arabs used marjoram against drunkenness. The Ancient Greeks consecrated marjoram to the goddess Aphrodite. That indicates that it was regarded as an aphrodisiac. Since the 16th century marjoram is also well-known and popular in Central Europe. Monks introduced it to the monastery gardens, from where it spread to the home gardens.

Lovage probably comes from Ancient Persia. Originally lovage is native to Southwest Europe. In Central Europe however it also flourishes wonderfully and was therefore already cultivated in Central European gardens centuries ago. Since then you can also come across wild lovage here and there. In the kitchen lovage is well-known and its leaves season herbed quark and all kinds of soups. As with stronger smelling herbs lovage was granted magical powers in the past; it is said that girls in Germany allegedly aromatized their bath water to seduce young men.

Savory is native in the Eastern Mediterranean. It has a strong, full and even peppery taste and was already known to the Romans. It came to Central Europe at the beginning of the Middle Ages with the monks and was mentioned by Hildegard of Bingen as well as by Albertus Magnus (he was a German scholar and bishop). Contrary to other herbs savory reaches its best aroma during the flowering season in July and August and it should be picked during this time for the winter stocks. Savory has quite a lot on offer for external use: the essential oils cleanse the skin and cause a brilliant complexion. If you suffer from bad skin you can do something good with a savory compress.

Basil is known hereabouts especially as a spice plant. Especially together with tomatoes it develops its unique aroma. But basil has also found wider uses. It does not only strengthen the digestive organs, but also calms the nerves. Already more than 4000 years ago the Indians used basil. They were convinced that basil was divine. The plant came to Central Europe in the 12th century. Basil has a very pleasant and aromatic smell and has a positive effect on free radicals. Used externally basil helps as a compress. It is highly recommended to take fresh naturally grown basil to profit from the positive characteristics of this herb.