The Hillfoots Herbalist

07/03/2026

✨ MONTHLY HERBAL SERIES ✨
March: A cooling, cleansing climber
aka Cleavers, goosegrass, sticky willie, sticky w**d (Galium aparine)

This long-legged ‘sticky’ plant is not sticky; rather, it is covered in tiny hooked hairs that help it clamber over hedges to reach the light. Although a source of frustration for gardeners, it has long been treasured by dairy farmers and herbalists alike.

Have you heard the folk saying that states ‘if you drink cleavers for nine weeks, you will be so beautiful everyone will fall in love with you’? This is because cleavers has a lymphatic action, which supports the body’s immune defense system with an action on cleaning and clearing the body’s tissues from waste products and infection. It is also high in nutrients such as silica, which is useful for maintaining skin health.

Herbalists use these actions for improving skin conditions such as acne and eczema, which is what the folk saying refers to: who wouldn’t love a glowing skin? ✨

🐮What about those dairy farmers? A thick, tangled ball of cleavers was once used as a milk strainer, the hooks effectively sieved out any impurities leaving the milk cow hair and straw-free.

To consult a herbalist about the conditions discussed, please use 'Find a Herbalist' https://nimh.org.uk/find-a-herbalist/ to locate one near you.

08/01/2026

31/10/2025

Last night we made Fire Cider, learning about the medicinal properties of the various ingredients and how they can help shorten the effects of winter chills and ills. Thank you to the lovelies who came along willing to roll their sleeves up and grate with gusto! Hope you enjoy your efforts 😊

19/10/2025

Just a wee reminder about this fun workshop: 30th October, 7pm in Alva. All materials included in price 🫚

Come along to learn about Fire Cider and make some for your own winter medicine chest

27/09/2025

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fire-cider-non-alcoholic-workshop-tickets-1735592065589?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

Thursday 30th October 7pm FK12 5EH

Come along to learn about Fire Cider and make some for your own winter medicine chest

24/09/2025

Calendula officinalis

This cheerful, bright, sun loving flower is a member of the daisy family. Blooming extensively throughout year from early summer to autumn frosts, it was cultivated in the kitchen garden and used to colour cheese and to replace saffron. Its use in soups and stews led to its common name – pot marigold. Marigolds symbolise constancy in love and were used in dream rituals to identify a maidens one true love before being added to bridal bouquets. It was once believed that gazing at the flowers would strengthen eyesight and draw evil humours out of the head.

Containing a myriad of phytochemicals, Calendula’s bright orange colour is derived from carotenoids; this antioxidant protects cell membranes, contributes to cell growth and regulation, and supports the immune system. Additionally, carotenoids are involved in the development and protection of visual pigments in the eye, so perhaps those old herbals were onto something!

Calendula has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antioxidant and antiseptic properties. Used both internally and externally as a wound healer, she has particular affinity for women's health and is a regular ally used by medical herbalists for a variety of conditions.

01/09/2025

One of my favourite parts of my job is tincture blending - bringing together herbs that will support the body to heal naturally.

Each person I see is unique with different health challenges and herbal medicine allows me to tailor treatment to their individual needs.

That's why a consultation with a Medical Herbalist can take around an hour. We look at the whole person, focussing on how they feel and exploring possible root causes of symptoms. We consider past medical history, lifestyle etc, and take particular note of any current medications to check for possible drug/herb interactions.

Blending a bespoke tincture means I can give clients a herbal medicine made just for them. As treatment progresses we can add and subtract herbs to achieve the best possible result - health and self management.

If you are interested in exploring an individualised approach to healthcare let me know, I'd be happy to help

01/08/2025

https://youtube.com/watch?v=S8SHvgM1bMc&si=pVjed3EhaxkMHeOb

A short, fun, educational, animation about the use of medicine plants through the ages. Produced and written by medical herbalist Julia Behrens, direction...

16/07/2025

Lavendula angustifolia

I think lavender is one of our most recognisable and loved herbs. Used for centuries, lavender possesses valuable and useful medicinal properties.

Prized for it's antibacterial qualities and ability to repel insects, lavender has been used in bathhouses or placed between sheets to deter lice and fleas since Roman times, its' name is derived from the Latin 'to wash'.

In the first century AD, Dioscorides prescribed it for plague protection and to heal wounds. Elizabeth the first was said to carry a posy of lavender wherever she went to repel plagues, migraines and bad smells!

Sachets of lavender, known as smellies, were used to soothe wounded and dying soldiers during the First World War, particularly those affected by gas gangrene. The calming scent of lavender reminded the men of home and masked the odour of illness (1).

Containing volatile oils, flavonoids and sterols, lavender is antibacterial, analgesic, anxiolytic and sedative. Lavender soothes the nervous system and is used for anxiety, depression, insomnia and exhaustion. Under the direction of a Medical Herbalist it can be used internally for indigestion and bronchial complaints or externally for rheumatism, scar healing, neuralgia, postoperative and menstrual pain, bites and head lice.

What are your favourite uses for lavender?

1. Clark, J.L., 2024, “Lavender for Lads”: Smell and Nationalism in the Great War, available from: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-british-studies/article/lavender-for-lads-smell-and-nationalism-in-the-great-war/DB37B88A0A4033656919B6E2827F3E74

Photo by Mario Mendez on Unsplash

31/08/2024

A w**d is just a plant growing in the wrong place.

Herbalists love dandelion. This cheerful wee anti-inflammatory plant stimulates digestion and excretion of waste products. Dandelion leaf has a diuretic action hence the nickname ‘pee the bed’, but unlike pharmaceutical diuretics which can deplete potassium, dandelion leaf replaces the potassium lost when urination is increased. Their bitter taste stimulates appetite, increases bile production and supports the liver. Eating the young leaves in a salad provides nutrients including vitamins A, C, K, potassium, iron and calcium. The roots contain inulin, a useful prebiotic which feeds good bacteria in the gut. Roots taste sweetest in autumn when inulin levels increase from just 2% in spring to 40%. Sesquiterpene lactones in the plant stimulate bowel movement and are an effective, gentle laxative. The flowers make lovely syrup if you remember to remove the bitter green calyx at their base.

Dandelion is used in herbal medicine for constipation, digestive complaints, fluid retention, rheumatism or prevention of renal gravel. During menopause it aids excretion of hormones, reduces bloating and balances gut flora.

Although gentle, its stimulatory effects mean it should not be used during acute gallbladder inflammation or blockage of the bile ducts or intestinal tract. And professional supervision is required during pregnancy or with young children.

The dandelion celebrates life. Its bright flowery resilience reminds us of the sun and offers a reliable source of food to pollinators at lean times of the year. The moon like seed-heads feed small birds before the individual seeds are swept off like stars to spread their love. The roots themselves aerate compacted soil and offer nutrition back to the earth when they decompose.

So if you can tolerate a wee patch of wildness somewhere in your garden, dandelion will offer you and your garden much back in return.

11/06/2024

Coming soon!

Junior Herbalist Club (JHC) is a 2-year extracurricular course for children (aged 7-12) which runs for 90 minutes, once a month, for 10 months of the year. The aim of JHC is to help children learn about the healing plants around them in a safe and supervised environment. The children are taken on a journey of discovery, engaging all their senses with playful practical skills.

The course includes:
• Identification of common herbs growing all around
• Safety – which herbs are safe to use and which are poisonous
• Folklore – taught through stories and songs
• How to grow and harvest herbs
• Medicinal uses of common herbs
• How to use a variety of common herbs for first aid
• How to make a variety of herbal preparations to keep and take home
• Respect for all plants and their environment

All classes run by Medical Herbalist and NIMH registered JHC leader. Places are strictly limited, early booking is advised to avoid disappointment.

For more information and to book your child’s place, please contact: lesley@thehillfootsherbalist.co.uk

21/05/2024

Junior Herbalist Club leaders training. Herbal love 💜

Junior Herbalist Club coming soon! More information @ juniorherbalistclub.com