What Is Happening in the Herb Garden and Kitchen?

By Barbara F. Smith

The Herb Associates have been busy in the Herb Display Garden (next to the Center House), trimming and pruning and cleaning and planting. One of the early spring-blooming herbs for discussion today is comfrey (Symphytum officinale) of the Borage family (shown above).

This easy, fast-growing perennial — a native to Europe and Asia — is hardy to Zone 3. It prefers moist, shady conditions and blooms from May through September. Bees love it! Comfrey will spread rampantly by its roots or by self-sowing.

Also known as boneset, slippery root and church bells (among other names), comfrey has an upright growth habit, with hairy and hollow stems, long leaves, and drooping, bell-shaped flowers in purple, red, or occasionally, white. Ancient herbalists divided comfreys into male and female plants, each used for different healing purposes.

Comfrey is among the best plants for composting as it decomposes quickly and is a good source of potassium, nitrogen, phosphorous and calcium. To make a compost tea, harvest and chop several handfuls of comfrey leaves and stems, place them in a large bucket and cover them with water and a lid. Let the mixture sit for four to six weeks. Once the leaves have mostly disintegrated, strain the liquid and dilute it to the desired concentration (it should look like the color of brewed tea). Water your tomatoes, potatoes or fruit bushes once a week with the tea and watch them thrive. As one writer put it, this is a “fetid, stinky process is well worth the payoff” (The New American Herbal, by S. Orr).

Comfrey roots may be eaten in times of scarcity, but they are not considered a delicacy. The leaves and roots have healing, soothing and astringent cosmetic qualities, which can ease sunburn or chapped skin. Historically, comfrey has been used externally in a poultice to speed healing of wounds or broken bones. In recent times, the internal use of comfrey has declined, as it has been cited as potentially carcinogenic.

Nevertheless, comfrey remains a popular plant cultivated in many gardens for its beauty.

It’s Spring, and the Herb Associates Kitchen Crew was busy taking advantage of early bounty. A batch of Rhubarb Jam was made with that mouth-puckering sweet/tart flavor.

On the savory side, the Kitchen Crew prepared a batch of J. Wilson’s Tarragon Dressing named for Jean ‘the bean’ Wilson, an avid gardener and early Herb Associate who helped prepare herbs for sale. She was also the generous benefactor of the masonry and stone steps at the Herb Display Garden.

Another product in the spotlight this week is Dandelion Jelly, in the discussion of which we will discover some lesser-known facts about dandelions – long the bane of those driven to maintain a pristine lawn. To begin with, Dandelion Jelly is a perfect example of Herb Associates’ products, which often feature ingredients you won’t find in mass production. The flowers are harvested (no stems or leaves! See the photo) and the petals infuse their sweet flavor into the jelly base, reminiscent of honey. Try some!

It’s true that dandelions are not often deliberately planted in home gardens, but dandelions are generous in their self-sowing abilities, so some may find their way there. Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) take their name from the Old French “dent-de-lion” meaning “lion’s tooth” a reference to the plant’s jagged leaves or perhaps the flower heads. Their folk names include golden sun or clock flower, for example. There is not just a single type of dandelion, rather, “(t)here are many botanical variations and malformations to confuse amateur botanists and herbalists [about dandelions]” (Essential Herbal Wisdom, by Nancy Arrowsmith). Dandelions certainly are common plants that flourish in meadows and fields – they flower in April and May, then sporadically through the summer season. Their familiar, bright yellow flowers follow the sun, and their petals close when it’s raining or darkness falls. The stems are hollow, hairless and milky, with a bitter taste. When the yellow flowers fade, the remaining globe of seeds blows away readily, to the special delight of children. Folklore has it, if all the seeds fly away, something good will happen as a result – maybe a good dinner or a new toy.

Some gardeners may view these spring blossoms as a predictor of the coming growing season. If there are few dandelions, a bad year ensues; if there are many blooms, it will be a good year

According to some, dandelions are one of the “most versatile and common wild food plants available.” Dandelion leaves are much appreciated as a market delicacy during their brief season of availability. With foraging burgeoning in popularity, consider harvesting some flowers or leaves yourself and trying a few recipes (taking care not to harvest where pesticides or other chemicals have been used). Dandelion roots can be cooked or eaten raw; their leaves can make a salad alone or can be added to mixed salads or cooked with eggs. Beer or wine brewed from dandelions can round out the meal (dandelion wine is often considered the best herbal wine of all). The musical group ‘The Hollies’ had a song in 1970 called “Dandelion Wine.” Who can resist?

Dandelion flowers can be cooked to make a syrup that may be used as a honey substitute. Pick 5-6 handfuls of flowers (remove the stems); rinse and strain the flowers to remove insects and dust. Place them in a saucepan, barely cover with water, simmer for 10-15 minutes, then strain. Return the strained liquid to the pan, stir in three pounds of sugar and the juice of two lemons. Bring the ingredients to a boil, stirring all the while until the desired consistency is reached; strain and pour the syrup into clean jars.

Beyond culinary uses, dandelions have medicinal merits. Historically, the milky sap was thought to increase milk flow in humans and animals; the flowers were used to treat gall bladder and liver problems, and as a diuretic. In more modern times, dandelion roots and leaves have been used to treat early stages of jaundice and hepatitis, mild rheumatism, and gout. A poultice using dandelions may be effective with certain skin rashes. Finally, dandelions have served as fodder for wild and domesticated animals, such as pheasants, grouse, deer and hares.

Even if you don’t deliberately plant dandelions, perhaps all this information will help you think of dandelions as more than just another weed!

Return to this column next week to follow the stories of the herbs and the activities of the Herb Associates! On your next visit to the Berkshire Botanical Garden, be sure to check out the Herb Gardens then drop by the Gift Shop in the Visitor Center to purchase some Herb Associates’ products. Proceeds support the work of the Garden.

Particular resources this week:

• “Essential Herbal Wisdom: A Complete Exploration of 50 Remarkable Herbs,” by Nancy Arrowsmith (Llewellyn Publications, 2009)
• “The New American Herbal,” by Stephen Orr (Clarkson/Potter Publishers, 2014)