I'm embarrassed. I drew this plant, which grows prolifically in my garden, a couple of years ago. I was sure it was Purple Loosestrife. However, I visited Dungeness Rsbp reserve yesterday. I came upon a tall purple plant that it appears is Loosestrife, and mine isn't.
I have since i.d'd it. It is Marsh Woundwort Stachys palustris. I looked at it more carefully and realised it looked more like a member of the nettle family.
Still it has a long and illustrious history as a healer of dressing cuts and wounds. It is also supposed to help aching joints, when made into an ointment. Goodness knows, I have enough of it in my garden and of course, I have aching joints. How do I make and ointment, I wonder? Culpepper, the famous herbalist, said that Stachys will protect the liver and preserve us from witchcraft. An all rounder then!
I feel I should find some purple loosestrife to draw now.
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