Zone: Inner Walkway (The Kitchen Pharmacy)

Season of Interest: Late Spring to Mid-Summer

 (June – July)

The Doctor’s Notes (Medicinal Use)

Dr. Woodward would have been well-versed in the groundbreaking work of William Withering, who in the late 1700s began the first scientific studies of Foxglove.

• The Heart’s Regulator: Foxglove contains digitalis, which was discovered to strengthen the heart's contraction and regulate an irregular pulse.

• Treating "Dropsy": Historically used to treat dropsy (edema or fluid retention), which Dr. Woodward would have understood was often a symptom of heart failure.

• A Potent Poison: 19th-century physicians were extremely cautious with Foxglove, as the line between a healing dose and a lethal one is incredibly thin.

The Household Assistant (Kitchen Use)

Unlike the other herbs in this zone, Foxglove was never used in cooking due to its high toxicity. However, it had other roles on the 19th-century homestead:

• The "Sentinel" of the Garden: Its tall, majestic spikes made it a popular ornamental "sentinel" plant, used to add height and drama to the back of flower borders.

• Folklore Protection: In local Connecticut folklore, Foxgloves were sometimes planted near the home to ward off evil spirits or to provide "gloves" for the fairies (hence the name).

• Dye Source: While less common than other plants, the flowers could produce a muted chartreuse dye for linen.

Botanist’s Corner

• Form: A biennial plant, meaning it produces a rosette of leaves in its first year and sends up its famous towering flower spike in the second year.

• Foliage: Large, soft, and "felted" gray-green leaves that form a low cluster at the base of the plant.

• Flowers: Dramatic, bell-shaped blooms that range from purple to white. Look for the mottled spots inside the bells—these act as "runways" for bumblebees to find nectar.