Stinging nettle is a nutritious wild green and traditional remedy for hay fever, joint pain and prostate symptoms. Learn why nettles sting, the research, how to make nettle tea and soup, and how to forage them safely.
St John's wort has good evidence for mild-to-moderate depression, but it interacts with the contraceptive pill, antidepressants, warfarin and many other drugs. Learn the benefits, risks and safe use.
Stop throwing away slimy herbs. Learn the jar method for soft herbs, the damp-towel method for woody herbs, why basil hates the fridge, and how to freeze herbs in oil for months.
Not sure which herb to use? This herb pairing chart matches basil, rosemary, thyme, sage, dill, tarragon, coriander, mint and more with meat, fish, vegetables, eggs and desserts – plus classic herb blends from around the world.
How much dried herb equals fresh? Use the 3-to-1 rule plus our herb-by-herb conversion chart (US and metric), and learn which herbs are better dried, which must be fresh, and when to add each to your cooking.
From Methuselah, a 4,800-year-old bristlecone pine in California, to Britain's ancient churchyard yews and Utah's clonal aspen grove Pando, meet the oldest trees on Earth and learn how they live so long.
Venus flytraps count, pitcher plants drown and sundews glue their prey. Discover the five types of carnivorous plant traps, why these plants evolved to eat insects, and how to grow them at home.
Foxglove, lily of the valley, monkshood, yew and oleander are common in UK and US gardens – and seriously toxic. Learn how to identify 12 poisonous garden plants, their symptoms and how to keep children and pets safe.
Why does lavender smell calming, basil peppery and mint cool? Plant scents are chemical tools for defence, attracting pollinators and surviving heat. Discover terpenes, essential oils and the science of plant aroma.
Plants cannot talk, but they constantly exchange information through airborne chemicals, root exudates, electrical signals and fungal networks. Here is what science really knows about plant communication.
