The Pioneer Herb Garden

Many of the plants growing at the Village could be considered herbs because whether wild plants or garden flowers, they were useful in a variety of ways in the daily lives of pioneers. Every plant that could provide a use was valued - whether it supplied a moth repelling scent or provided healing qualities to a lard salve or yielded a vivid dye. Pioneer theme gardens can preserve this knowledge of heritage plants to be shared with school children, Sunday School classes or even the local boy scout troop.

Because pioneers did not have the time to invest in fussy and demanding plants, many of these perennial herbs can be grown with the basic of care, making this an ideal herb garden for anyone to grow.

Hyssop
Hyssopus officinalis

This beautiful flowering herb provided flavouring for honey and liquors and was also used in perfume.

Sage
Salvia officinalis

This shrub-like herb was often used to flavour and help preserve meat.
Tea from the leaves was a common remedy for colds and sore throats.
A fresh leaf rubbed against teeth helps to remove plaque and freshens the breath.
No Derbyshire-inspired cheese would be without the addition of sage as a final
flavour enhancement.

Yarrow
Achillea millefolium

This modern day roadside flower was a very common ingredient in salves made from lard, and the fresh leaves were chewed to alleviate a tooth ache.

Beebalm
Monarda didyma

The fragrant leaves were used in tea and substituted for black tea when supplies ran short.

Costmary
Chrysanthemum balsamita

This scented herb, also known as "Bible Leaf" is said to have been often used as a fresh-smelling bookmark for musty family Bibles that had been packed in traveling trunks and handed down from previous generations. Costmary was also used for ale- making in much the same way as hops.

Peppermint
Mentha piperita

This traveling herb was rubbed into pantry shelves to deter hungry mice and was also most popular for a tummy-soothing hot drink.

Catnip
Nepeta cataria

Not just for felines in those days, this herb was a popular nightcap tea utilized for its
sedating qualities. Babies were often given weak catnip tea to calm the gripe of evening colic.

Bedstraw
Galium verum

The pioneers were very resourceful and the wild growing bedstraw provided a fragrant stuffing for mattresses and pillows.

Lovage
Levisticum officinale

This herb indeed was the ultimate pot herb as it provided the heartiest of flavour to simmering stews and soups cooked over an open fire.

Lavender
Lavandula officinalis

Lavender had a multitude of uses in pioneer times much as it does today.
Fragrant lavender kept moths at bay when it was placed amongst the precious linens and dropsy and fainting spells were often treated with this multipurpose herb.

Many of the culinary herbs grown by the pioneers would have been included in the kitchen garden which was usually close at hand for easy gathering of the vegetables and cooking herbs.