The story of foxglove is a tale straight from the heart. In 1768, a young English doctor fell in love with a lady water-colorist. He brought foxgloves for her to paint and became interested in the plant himself. After their marriage, an old Shropshire woman gave him the secret recipe (containing foxglove and other herbs) that she used to treat dropsy, a disease now known as congestive heart failure. From the doctor's careful experiments with this toxic herb came the powerful heart medicine digitalis.

Folks who use digitalis to treat heart disease can thank Dr. Withering-and thank Mrs. Withering for inspiring her husband's heart-felt interest in this heart-friendly plant. But while you're enjoying the foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) in your garden, remember that it can be fatal. Grow it for its beauty, admire it for its life-saving potency, and give it all the respect it deserves.

You can purchase foxglove seeds from Park Seed Co., 1 Parkton Ave., Greenwood SC 29647, 800-845-3369, or www.parkseed.com. Barbara Griggs tells the story of the foxglove romance in Green Pharmacy: The History and Evolution of Western Herbal Medicine (Healing Arts Press, 1997).