Historic Gardens

Dr. James Ford used his garden as not only a source for his family's food, but also as a place for growing herbs to use in his medical practice. In addition to tomatoes, green beans, corn, and food items, the following medicinal herbs might have been found in his Garden.

Common Name: Beardlip Penstemon
Latin Name: Penstemon Barbatus
Uses: Allieve menstrual pain, stomach pain, draw wounds, reduce swelling and coughs.

Common Name: Culver's Root
Latin Name: Veronicastrum virginicum
Uses: Tonic for the stomach, useful in diarrhea, chronic dysentery, cholera infantum, and torpity of the liver.

Common Name: Belladonna
Latin Name: Atropa belladonna
Uses: Dialate pupils, treat intestinal disorders like diarrhea, irritable colon, and peptic ulcers.

Common Name: Horehound
Latin Name: Marrubium vulgare
Uses: Allieve lung troubles and coughs. Used in cough and cold preparations.

Common Name: Horseheal or Elecompane
Latin Name: Inula helenium
Uses: Diuretic, tonic, diaphoretic, expectorant, alternative, antiseptic, astringent and gently stimulant.

Common Name: Anise Hyssop
Latin Name: Agastache foeniculum
Uses: Relieves digestive disorders. Soothes colicky infants and is used as a cough medicine.

Common Name: Lemon Balm
Latin Name: Melissa officinalis
Uses: Alleviate stress and anxiety. Improves memory and mental function. Relieves indigestion, cramps, and combat cold sores.

Common Name: Austrian Mint
Latin Name: Mentha x gracillis
Uses: Treatment of fevers, headaches, digestive disorders, and minor ailments.

Common Name: Lamb's Ear
Latin Name: Stachys byzantina
Uses: Bandage wounds

Common Name: Houseleek
Latin Name: Sempervirum tectorum
Uses: Applied skin affections, scabs, burns, chapped skin, and insect bites. Also on warts, corns, and hemorrhoids.

Common Name: Feverfew
Latin Name: Tanacetum parthenium
Uses: Prevents migraine headaches and/or reduces nausea and vomiting associated with migraines. Lowers fevers and is used as a mild laxative and anti-inflammatory.

Common Name: Bearberry
Latin Name: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Uses: Used as a mild diuretic and eliminates wastes and toxins.

Common Name: Horseradish
Latin Name: Armoracia rusticana
Uses: Used as a diuretic and stimulant. Eases arthritic joints and irritated nerves.

Common Name: American Arnica
Latin Name: Arnica chamissonis
Uses: Used as an external application on sprains.

Common Name: Rue
Latin Name: Ruta graveolens
Uses: Used as an antispasmodic.

Common Name: Butterfly Weed
Latin Name: Asclepiatuberosa
Uses: Used internally in the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery, chronic rheumatism, and as an expectorant. Also used to help with chest complaints and lung diseases.

Common Name: Catnip
Latin Name: Nepeta cataria
Uses: Thought to purify the blood. Used to relieve the symptoms of colic in children.

Common Name: Joe Pye Weed
Latin Name: Eupatorium pupureum
Uses: Used as a diuretic and helped with kidney ailments.

Common Name: Great Lobelia
Latin Name: Lobelia siphilitica
Uses: Include syphilis, general malaise, hard-to-heal sores and induction of sweating and urination.

Common Name: Hollyhock
Latin Name: Alcea rosea 'Nigrens'
Uses: Flowers are soothing and diuretic and used as a pectoral tonic.

Common Name: Wild Geranium
Latin Name: Geranium maculatum
Uses: Use as a dysentery and diarrhea treatment, and blood coagulant.

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