Collection: Herbs (Simples)

Handpick your own selection of traditional magical and medicinal herbs and create your own blends at home. 

Simples have always been among Burgrune's best sellers at the markets. We love seeing people mix and match the little packets, choosing herbs according to their tastes, curiosities and particular interests. 

The word 'simple' comes from the old apothecaries, who used it to describe a single medicinal substance, usually a plant, rather than a compound preparation made from several ingredients. Our range draws on the herbs of the old pharmacopeias: plants known to early physicians, gathered from fields and meadows and cultivated in physic gardens, long before modern laboratories and synthetic medicines. 

Many of these familiar plants have long histories of use in teas, tonics, ointments and other traditional preparations. Each has its own particular character, from aromatic and warming to bitter, soothing or gently astringent. 

Working with simples in small quantities is a wonderful way to study plants at home, through their tastes, fragrances, textures and other practical characteristics. Each sachet includes a little guide to the herb's traditional medicinal and magical uses, along with some of its romantic history and folklore. 

Of course, "natural" does not necessarily mean harmless. Some herbs may interact with medicines or be unsuitable during pregnancy. If you take regular medication or have a medical condition, please check an herbs safety before using it medicinally. 

Choose your herbs, explore their stories and discover the pleasures of working with simples.