One of the abundant medicinal plants to harvest in spring is ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea). You know you have found this plant when you rub it between your fingers and it has a really strong aromatic smell.

It's in the mint family and has tiny purple flowers that look a lot like the flowers on rosemary. It's called ground ivy because it grows close to the ground, although when it finds a spot that it's happy in, it can grow up to 6 or 7 inches tall.

Ground ivy is a fantastic herb for clearing the upper respiratory tract. It's really useful for conditions like sinusitis or ear infections. Its a folk remedy for tinitus.

Its a key ingredient in Heartfelt Herb's Hayfever drops since it helps to clear mucus and reduce inflammation in the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and throat.

Here's a simple way to add ground ivy to your diet. Since it's an aromatic herb, it also promotes good digestion.  Eating wild and foraged greens can supplement your diet with extra vitamins and minerals that these days we can lack in the degraded soils of our modern food chain.

Ground Ivy Cream Cheese Recipe

Collect a handful of ground-ivy from somewhere that is away from the roadside and away from dogs that might pee on it.

Scoop some soft cream cheese into a bowl. You can use classic cream cheese, soft goat's cheese, or a vegan cream cheese alternative.

Chop your ground ivy as finely as you can.

Stir it into your cream cheese and leave in the fridge for at least 15 mins for the flavours to start to blend.

Enjoy the fresh aromatic cheese spread on the cracker of your choice.