Medicinal plants, also known as medicinal herbs or officinal herbs, are plants that contain active ingredients used for therapeutic or medicinal purposes. In traditional European medicine, they have been used for centuries in various medicinal traditions and healing systems.  

Medicinal plants can be used in various ways, including the preparation of infusions, decoctions, tinctures, capsules, ointments or as an ingredient in herbal products. The active ingredients in plants can have therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, sedative, antimicrobial and many other effects.  

However, it is important to emphasise that medicinal plants are not always safe or appropriate for everyone and that proper use should be supervised by an expert, such as a herbalist or a physician specialising in integrative medicine. Moreover, the efficacy of medicinal plants may vary from person to person, and they may interact with medications or pre-existing medical conditions; therefore, it is always advisable to consult a health professional before using them.  

Below we list and describe some of the medicinal plants in the flower beds at the entrance to the garden. 

Winter savory (Satureja montana/variegata). A common aromatic shrub of the rocky heath. Its linear leaves can be used fresh or dried - in this case, finely chopped is best - to flavour sauces, meat and vegetables where thyme or oregano are suitable. The leaves are used to prepare a strong-tasting digestive infusion.   

Spearmint (Calamintha nepeta and Calamintha grandiflora). Herbaceous perennial plants of the Labiatae family. Strongly aromatic (the former more so than the latter), they grow on well-drained soils in environments that tend to be dry, from the base of dry stone walls to dry grasslands. from full sun to half shade. With a rustic aroma similar to that of some wild mints, it is traditionally used in the preparation of omelettes. A pleasant digestive and stimulating herbal tea can be made from the leaves.  

Water mint (Mentha aquatica). Rhizomatous herbaceous plant of the Labiatae family. Also grows in wet areas as an aquatic plant. With a pleasant aroma very close to that of Peppermint - a classic industrial aromatic of which it is a precursor - it can be used for the same purposes.  

Fennel/Wild Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare/piperitum). Large herbaceous plant with finely fringed leaves that grows in the uncultivated areas of the warmer parts of the Karst. Its leaves, small yellow flowers and the resulting small fruits can be used for herbal teas or to flavour fish recipes in particular.