If you grow anything at all, you have space to grow a herb garden.

Best of all, even if you are not an expert gardener, herbs are easy to maintain and very hard to kill.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera is well known as a skin-friendly plant. It is one medicinal plant people really make use of, since it is generally safe and requires no processing before use.

Aloe vera plants grow well in a sunny location in warmer areas where there is not much danger of killer frosts. Being a succulent, this drought resistant plant requires very little care and thrives in poor soil. It suckers freely, so you can start with just one or two plants sourced from a reliable supplier.

The jelly-like, colorless pulp of mature leaves can be applied to minor cuts and burns and to dry, inflamed, or damaged skin due to eczema or other skin conditions. The leaf pulp can be eaten too. Regular use can prevent constipation and relieve other digestive problems, including ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome.

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

This perennial herb with tiny, aromatic leaves is a great addition to any medicinal herb collection. Thyme is easy to grow in a sunny location and thrives between rocks and boulders, braving summer heat and winter freezes. The characteristic scent of thyme comes from the volatile oil containing thymol, which gets released at the slightest touch. Many herbs contain this powerful antiseptic phenolic compound, but thyme oil has more than 50% thymol content.

Use an infusion of thyme as a gargle to get rid of bad breath and mouth sores. It can help with tonsillitis and laryngitis.

Crushed fresh thyme applied on the neck is said to reduce throat infections. Inhaling the vapors reduces nervous exhaustion.

The most important use of thyme is to treat respiratory tract infections. Thyme extract is taken orally to relieve bronchitis, chest congestion, asthma, and whooping cough.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Rosemary is more of a woody shrub, but it deserves a place in every herb garden for its medicinal and culinary uses. Although it doesn’t look anything like other mint plants, it belongs to the same plant family. From the suffix officinalis, it is clear that rosemary has been counted as a medicinal plant from long ago, but in our medicinal garden, it is to be used for general health and wellbeing, rather than for specific problems.

Long known as the herb of remembrance, the claim that rosemary enhances memory has had a boost from recent research findings. The carnosic acid in the herb has been shown to prevent brain damage and neurodegeneration of the hippocampus induced by beta-amyloid peptides. These peptides are implicated in Alzheimer’s disease. In separate studies

Rosemary oil has been found to improve cognitive function and reduce brain aging. Its potential in cancer treatment also has been promising.

Grow Rosemary in a pot or plant several in a line to form an aromatic hedge in the garden. Use the leaves regularly in cooking and herbal teas to derive maximum benefit.

Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)

No medicine chest is complete without chamomile flower heads. They can be made into a soothing tea that can calm a troubled mind as well as a colicky baby. Its widespread use across many cultures and for many ailments is proof enough for its safety and effectiveness.

There’s more than one type of chamomile, but the one we want is the Roman chamomile Chamaemelum nobile. This hairy plant has finely divided leaves and white daisy-like flowers with bright yellow centers, but that description doesn’t help much in telling it apart from German chamomile. That’s why scientific names are important for identifying medicinal plants.

When you grow chamomile, you can make a tea from fresh flower heads or dry them for later use. Take a handful of flowers in a bowl and pour boiling hot water over them. Allow to steep for 15-20 minutes and drain. Have a cup of this soothing brew when you feel anxious or unsettled, or before bedtime in case you have difficulty falling asleep.

A tablespoonful or two should calm babies and young children having colicky pain or stomach upsets. Use it as gargle to relieve mouth ulcers. Bathe the skin affected with eczema several times a day with cooled chamomile tea.

Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Plants of the aalvia family have a long history of being used medicinally, as is evident from their family name. Salvia officinalis is the common sage that has slightly thick and elongated grey green leaves used in cooking, and for good reason.

It can improve appetite and prevent flatulence.

This plant has a hormone regulatory effect on women. A tea of the leaves can relieve dysmenorrhea and symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome and menopause. Inhaling an infusion of sage gives relief to respiratory problems, including asthma. It reduces excessive sweating and salivation too. Sage is neuroprotective, and is used to treat Alzheimer’s, dementia, and depression.

Echinacea (E. purpurea / E. angustifolia)

The purple coneflower Echinacea is a stalwart in the native North American herbal medicine. It has an immunostimulatory action that enables the body to fight bacterial and viral infections. Commercial Echinacea products are in great demand during the flu season. Regular users swear by their efficacy as vehemently as conventional medical practitioners try to discredit them.

Native Americans used the roots to treat wounds, insect bites, burns, and even snake bites. Now flower buds are more commonly used as a cold and flu remedy. Of the many different purple coneflowers native to North America, E. purpurea and E. angustifolia are the two most favored species. You can grow either of them in a sunny location in your garden. These biennial plants flower only in the second season.

Just about anyone can grow herbs, no matter where you live.

They are a great source for medicinal benefits as well as to spice up your food; in a survival situation both would be invaluable.

To learn more about these herbs and more, how to grow them and what grows best where, please visit Natural Living Ideas.