FRANCES'S HERBAL REMEDIES WILL EASE ACHES AND PAINS

ROGATION Sunday takes the act of worship out into the countryside and services are often held in hayfields, barns and other working areas of a farm.

This year the village of Broadhempston chose a venue in keeping with the 'green' revolution — a herbal healing garden.

The Rev Nicholas Pearkes took his congregation down a narrow lane to a smallholding full of wild flowers and plants from the hedgerows, all carefully chosen for their healing properties.

Hymns were sung and prayers offered up for an alternative medical service which goes back into the mists of time.

Clients often travel long distances in the hope that garden owner Frances Wright's herbal remedies can relieve their pains or even effect a cure. The messages of thanks she receives are testimony to the fact tinctures, ointments and herbal teas do have healing and soothing properties.

Plants like the creamy flowered meadow sweet which can be made into a form of aspirin to relieve stomach pains and rheumatism. Lavender, dandelions, daisies and a host of other familiar plants all with different healing powers.

Even goose grass, the tiny sticky balls which children throw at one another, can help lymphatic disorders.

Frances started the Althaea Herbal Healing garden several years ago and has gradually turned a bare patch of grassland into a growing area, surrounded by chickens, sheep and other animals.

She is following in the footsteps of herbal 'doctors' who were once a part of every village, dispensing wise words and potions.

Her home is also her laboratory with shelves of containers and large glass jars in which roots and leaves bubble away for a fortnight or more before the health-restoring tinctures are extracted.

Working with two other professional herbalists she has built up a reputation for medicines which do seem to work. She sees 'clients' on an appointment basis, but also believes strongly the garden has an educational value and is happy to welcome visitors, some of whom become volunteer helpers.

She offers what she calls 'horticultural therapy' to those with mental health problems and children with special needs always leave with a smile on their faces.

As well as identifying the flowers they enjoy writing stories using pebbles with words painted on them.

Frances gives talks to schools and interested groups, either at the garden or on their own premises and she also runs herbal medicine courses.

Her garden is open to the public every Thursday between 11am and 4pm.

The Althaea Herbal healing garden can be contacted on 07720 440 866 or by email: greenlaneherbs.frances@virgin net