As a herbalist, of course, I talk a lot about the use-value of plants. This autumn I will provide a training in the Netherlands. All the way in the extreme South-Eastern tip of the Netherlands, just like that in the village of Ubachsberg. A record of a little herbal walk.

First day of course.

Falling directly into the house with the door. Little introduction nor acquaintance. The program is waiting. Today I will discuss the herbs for digestion. These are mainly bitter substances plants, which stimulate the stomach and intestines, yellow gentian, but also wormwood, plants known for their aperitive and digestive effect. They are contained in many liqueur drinks such as Absinthe, Bénedictine and Genepi. We will also discuss a male for everything, the Real Chamomile which is especially antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory on the stomach and intestines and is therefore absolutely effective for stomach inflammation and even stomach ulcers.

And what else do we need for the intestines? Of course, a laxative and a stopper. Laxative herbs are mainly mucous plants such as Flaxseed, also the so-called plants with anthraquinones, which we can only use briefly to obtain a quick stool. And against diarrhea, just a strong tea or a decoction of blackberry leaf can help. It seems simplistic, but it helps.

Walking along celandine and celandine ballote

In the afternoon we walk for an hour in and around the village, see the herbs and gardens in Ubachsberg. We find celandine and Canadian goldenrod around the corner in a somewhat wilder garden. Celandine with the striking yellow juice can be used against warts and the goldenrod is traditionally known for its urinating effect, so to urinate. You walk almost out of the village until you reach a hollow road, where the large mallow and the smelly ballote still stand out. Well, stand out is a big word, now in October there is only a little numb leaf to look at. My admiration is mainly due to the meaning I can give to these silly leaves. Mallow, whose green, unripe seed bulbs we nibble on as a child, is still a slime plant that can relieve the hoarse throat of teachers. And then the stinking ballote, which according to the herb books, must smell like soot. But who knows what soot smells like? Yet there is some musty, gloomy smell on the leaf. Is it a coincidence that this Ballota nigra is used precisely against gloom or depression?

We continue along neat front gardens, until we suddenly see a completely different garden. Torch and evening primrose rosettes, the owner just came home. Still always be careful when we browse in private gardens, but in this case it was not a problem, the owner herself was a herbalist. So, show me your garden and I know who you are.

Hellebore

You walk further, on the right you still have neat houses with decent gardens but also Hellebore plants. These popular ornamental plants bloom mainly green, not the color you expect with flowers, but interesting because they show their flowers in autumn and winter time and then pretend to bloom for a long time, as they parade with their beautiful seed pods. And they have another secret, which betrays itself in the Dutch name hellebore. If you pinch the unripe seeds, you will get such a sharp, pungent smell in the nose, which will require you to sneeze. The plant would have been used in sneeze powder in the past. Now no longer used and certainly not recommended. The alkaloids and the cardiac glucosides that cause the stimulation can also stimulate our heart, but it is certainly not a do-it-yourself agent. Symptoms in overdose are stuffiness, irregular heartbeat, and in the most extreme cases even cardiac arrest. Exciting plants enough in such a good garden.

Look without look

Quickly continue. It's starting to rain a little. But you still look to the left of the road, meadows and farmland at the beginning of a hollow road, more and even blooming mallow. And in the somewhat more shady hollow road we see the round leaves of look without look. This strange name is due to the fact that the plant is botanically not a family of garlic, but subtly spreads the same fragrance and can also be used in cooking.

Stories about plants are everywhere and always for grabs. Now we want and have to go back to our course room. Not only because it's raining, but also because we have to continue teaching. Although inside or outside, the information remains the same.

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