In 1954, Britains best known organic gardener, Lawrence D. Hills, established a research association in the town of Bocking, north-east of London. Lawrence conducted trials on the various comfrey strains in the UK by measuring yields, disease resistance and composition of the strains, and this variety is the result of his hard work. Easy to grow and popular in permaculture gardens, comfrey has many uses, both as a medicinal herb (ingested and used topically) and as the ultimate companion plant. It is also useful as a food for livestock, from pigs to horses.