Published: 15 February 2025

Medicinal gardens used to be a common feature throughout the UK. Providing herbs and other plants essential for a range of medicinal treatments, they acted as a private pharmacy—only an awful lot prettier. And many of the solutions have since been proven to be genuinely efficacious and can be used—with care—today. So, what do you need to do to start your own little medicinal garden?

Steps for Cultivating a Modern Medicinal Garden

Choose your planting space

The first rule of gardening is ‘right plant, right place.’ And most medicinal plants thrive in full to partial sunlight. So, select a sunny spot that is easily accessible. Most herbs and medicinal plants also prefer well-drained soil; many like very low-nutrient soil too. So, if your soil is heavy, it’s important to add in lots of additional drainage. You may find it easier to use a raised bed or other containers to give you more control over your soil conditions.

Prepare your planting area

Depending on the plants that you’re wanting to grow, it can be wise to test the pH and nutrient levels in your soil before you start. Simple testing kits are available from most garden centres or online. Most medicinal plants are fine in neutral soil, but some prefer more acidic conditions. And, of course, you will probably need to add gravel to improve the drainage.

Choose plants that work for you

There are so many different medicinal plants you can grow at home. Some, like lavender (which has excellent anti-inflammatory properties), you might even already have growing in your garden. The trick is to find plants that not only suit your garden conditions but will be of use to you. So, sorrel can be used as a diuretic. While alchemilla mollis is useful for relieving painful or heavy periods.

However, the most favoured medicinal plants used today are the common herbs:

  • Chamomile: Known for its calming and anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Rosemary: Promotes good mental health and aids digestion.
  • Sage: Has antiseptic properties and can help with digestion.
  • Lemon balm: Can help with anxiety and stress.
  • Peppermint: Beneficial for digestion and motion sickness.
  • Thyme: Has antibacterial properties and can be used for coughs and colds.
  • But it’s worth remembering that there are other useful plants out there too:
  • Bulbine (AKA the burn jelly plant): Is a harder alternative to aloe vera and great for treating burns and skin irritations.
  • Calendula: Known for its anti-inflammatory and healing properties for the skin.
  • Ginger: Great for nausea and improving circulation.
  • Echinacea: Supports the immune system.

Always research plants thoroughly before using them medicinally, as many can have side effects and contraindications when used with other medications. If you are taking any medication, check with your doctor before use. And never use any natural remedies when pregnant—certain mints and other herbs can cause miscarriage.

Get planting

Just like people, different conditions make different plants happy. So, before you start planting, always check how much space each plant will require when they reach maturity. Check the planting depth and find out how much food and water they require to thrive. Once planted, top the surrounding area with a layer of mulch or gravel. This will help to suppress weeds and can support moisture retention. And don’t forget to label your plants so you know how to use them later. 

Deal with ongoing maintenance

Most medicinal plants are fairly low maintenance, but there are some ongoing tasks you’ll need to take care of. Watering generally isn’t a big issue for medicinal plants, once established. But you will need to check their moisture levels during the first season. And all plants in raised beds and pots will need to be watered regularly. Feed once a month with a seaweed liquid fertilizer. And don’t forget to prune according to the needs of the particular plant. While lavender only needs to be pruned annually, deadheading calendula will help it to produce more flowers.

Prepare your plants for use

Once your medicinal garden is growing happily, you’ll have to learn when best to harvest and store your plants. Many medicinal plants need to be dried before use. But some, such as bulbine and mint, are best used fresh. And others, such as calendula, need to be heated with beeswax prior to use. So, research each of the plants you are growing before harvest to ensure that you get the best from them.

Medicinal gardens can be useful, beautiful, and beneficial to the environment. And learning about the unique properties of each plant can be fascinating. But before you start growing, and most importantly, using your medicinal plants, don’t forget to research. Because you don’t want to do more harm than good.

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