What are Botanicals?

Take a walk through a garden, woodland or meadow and you'll be surrounded by botanicals. The word simply refers to plants, or parts of plants, valued for their natural properties. They can come from flowers, roots, leaves, seeds, fruits or bark, and people have used them for thousands of years as part of everyday life.

Some of the earliest written records of botanicals date back more than 5,000 years. Ancient civilisations in Egypt, China, India and Greece documented how plants could be used in cooking, traditional remedies and daily rituals. Many of these same botanicals are still enjoyed today.

One of the most recognisable is turmeric. This bright golden root belongs to the ginger family and has been cultivated in India for over 4,000 years. It's long been valued in traditional wellness practices and remains one of the world's most researched botanicals.

Then there's echinacea, recognised by its striking purple petals and spiky cone-shaped centre. Native to North America, it was originally used by Indigenous communities. Today, echinacea is one of the world's most recognised herbal ingredients for immune support and is also loved by gardeners for attracting bees and butterflies.

Ginseng has an equally fascinating history. Growing slowly in the cool forests of Asia and North America, its root has been prized for centuries and remains one of the world's most treasured botanicals.

Even familiar garden herbs have remarkable stories. Valerian, lavender, rosemary and mint have all been used for generations and continue to play a role in everyday wellbeing.

Scientists estimate there are around 390,000 known plant species on Earth, yet only a small percentage have been studied in detail. Nature still has many secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Whether growing wild in hedgerows, flowering in summer meadows or carefully cultivated on farms, botanicals remind us of the incredible diversity of the natural world and our long-standing connection with it.