Useful Books

Books

  • Hedgerow Medicine: Harvest and Make Your Own Herbal Remedies by Julie Bruton-Seal and Matthew Seal (2008)
  • This is a great book that introduces you to herbs that are common to the UK.

  • Holistic Herbal: A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies by David Hoffmann (1990)
  • David Hoffman is a great herbalist and this book is a very good introduction to using herbs.

  • Bartram’s Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Thomas Bartram (1998)
  • This quick reference guide is in alphabetical order which makes it easy to access.

  • A Modern Herbal by Maude Grieve, C.F. Leyel and Mrs. C. F. Leyel (1996)
  • This was compiled in 1930, it covers the medicinal use of many plants, including their interesting historical uses.

  • The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook: A Home Manual by James Green (2000)
  • I love this book – an in depth introduction into how to make your own medicines; from tinctures to creams.

  • Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification by Thomas J Elpel (2004)
  • This is a brilliant book to introduce you to botany. He groups the herbs into families, introducing some of their general patterns.

  • The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) – How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland by Francis Rose and Clare O’Reilly (Author updated edition) (2006)
  • This was first published about 30 years ago and is the best guide to plant identification using plant identification keys and coloured drawings.