Did you know?

The oil that comes from the 'hip' of a ROSE is extremely beneficial for the skin.  Rosehip oil comes from the “hip” of the rose, which is the seed pod or fruit of the rose that occurs after the rose petals fall off.

Rosehip oil contains many nutrients including:
• vitamin A – also known as topical trans retinoic acid, this can help with oily skin, skin that is dehydrated from sun exposure, fine lines, wrinkles, and an uneven skin tone.
• Linoleic acid – helps to preserve the cell’s natural barrier to the environment and is vital for the structure of cell membranes.  This is an omega 6 fatty acid.
• Oleic acid – an omega 9 fatty acid, this helps to create supple and moist skin and improve overall skin condition.
• Linolenic acid – this is an omega 3 fatty acid and it may help to improve skin conditions by softening and moisturising the skin.  It is also important for the structure of cell membranes.
• Lycopene – this is an antioxidant and it protects the skin from free radical damage, reducing the risk of premature ageing.
• Beta-carotene – a source of pro vitamin A and an antioxidant to help improve the appearance of sun damaged skin.  It can also help to prevent the signs of ageing.
• Vitamin C – this is an antioxidant that protects against free radical damage.  It also plays a role in the formation of collagen.

Rosehip oil is a very rich source of essential fatty acids – in fact; it is 80 percent fatty acids.  These are vital for regenerating skin cells, and repairing skin tissue.

Rosehip oil has been shown to improve the following:
• scarring
• stretch marks
• scarring from psoriasis
• scarring from eczema
• hyper-pigmentation
• dermatitis
• fine lines and wrinkles
• burns
• acne scarring
• chickenpox scarring
• skin damage caused by sun exposure
• skin elasticity and resilience
• dry skin
• skin tone
• premature ageing

Rosehip oil is a fantastic moisturizer, and it has balancing properties so it can be used for both dry and oily skins.

www.AbsyntheSkinProducts.multiply.com

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Agave, the plant that dies after it blooms.

Did you know?

Some very rare plants only flower once in their lives.

The agave, also known as the century plant spends many years without growing any flowers, after which it grows one single bloom (often reaching several feet) and dies.

 

  

Moonshine (Achillea Millefolium)

Achillea millefolium 'Moonshine' 

Achillea is a joy to the gardener for its undemanding adaptive nature and its eagerness to perform abundantly throughout the summer.  The foliage is fern-like and aromatic, while its blossom has a pure lemon yellow color.  Keeping this plant out of heavy moist soils, dividing every 2 years and removing the spent flowers  reinvigorate plantings.

Flowers that are NOT Edible

This chart is a list of the most commonly-known poisonous plants and flowers to avoid while selecting edible flowers. It is not complete, so just because you do not see it listed here, do not assume it is safe to eat. Be sure you know exactly what you choose to consume.

Poisonous Plants and Flowers
Common Name	Botanical Name
Aconite (wolfsbane, monkhood)	Aconitum spp.
Anemone (windflower)	Anemone spp.
Anthurium	Anthurium spp.
Atamasco lily	Zephyranthes spp.
Autumn crocus	Colchicum autumnale
Azalea	Azalea spp. (Rhododendron spp.)
Baneberry	Actaea spp.
Black locust	Robinia pseudo-acacia
Bloodroot	Sanguinaria canadensis
Boxwood	Buxus spp.
Burning bush (strawberry bush, spindle tree, wahoo)	Euonymus spp
Buttercup	Ranunculus spp.
Butterfly weed	Asclepias spp.
Caladium	Caladium spp.
Calla (calla lily)	Calla palustris (Zantedeschia aethiopica)
Carolina jasmine (yellow jessamine)	Gelsemium sempervirens
Castor bean	Ricinus communis
Cherry laurel	Prunus caroliniana
Chinaberry (bead tree)	Melia azedarach
Christmas rose	Helleborus niger
Clematis	Clematis spp.
Daffodil	Narcissus spp.
Deadly nightshade (belladonna)	Atropoa belladona
Death cammas (black snakeroot)	Zigadenus spp.
Delphinium (larkspur)	Delphinium spp.
Dogbane	Apocynum androsaemifolium
Dumbcane	Dieffenbachia spp.
Elephant ears	Colocasia antiquorum
False hellebore	Veratrum viride
Four o'clock	Mirabills jalapa
Foxglove	Digitalis purpurea
Giant elephant ear	Alocasia spp.
Gloriosa lily	Glonosa superba
Golden chain tree (laburnum)	Labunum anagryroides
Goldenseal	Hydrastis canadensis
Heavenly bamboo (nandina)	Nandinaa domestica
Henbane (black henbane)	Hyoscyamus niger
Horse chestnut (Ohio buckeye)	Aesculus spp.
Horse nettle	Solanum spp.
Hyacinth	Hyacinthus orientalis
Hyacinth bean	Dolicbos lab lab
Hydrangea	Hydrangea spp.
Iris	Iris spp.
Ivy (English ivy)	Hedera helix
Jack-in-the-pulpit	Arisaemia triphyllum
Jerusalem cherry	Solanum pseudocapsicum
Jessamine (jasmine)	Cestrum spp.
Jetbead (jetberry)	Rhodotypos tetrapetala
Jimson weed	Datura spp (Brugmansia spp.)
Jonquil	Narcissus spp.
Kentucky coffee tree	Gymnocladus dioica
Lantana	Lantana camara
Leopard's bane	Arnica montana
Lily of the valley	Convallaria majalis
Lobelia (cardinal flower, Indian tobacco)	Lobelia spp.
Marsh marigold	Caltha palustris
May apple (mandrake)	Podophyllum peltatum
Mescal bean (Texas mountain laurel, frijo lillo)	Sophora secundiflora
Mistletoe	Phoradendron spp.
Morning glory	Ipomoea violacea
Mountain laurel	Kalmia latifolia
Nightshade	Solanum spp.
Oleander	Nerium oleander
Periwinkle (myrtle, vinca)	Vinca spp.
Philodendron	Philodendron spp. (Monstera spp.)
Pittosporum	Pittosporum spp.
Poison hemlock	Conium maculatum
Potato	Solanum tuberosum
Privet	Ligustrum spp.
Rhododendron	Rhododendron spp.
Rock poppy (celandyne)	Chelidonium majus
Schefflera	Schefflera spp.
Spring adonis	Adonis vernalis
Spurge	Euphorbia spp.
Star of Bethlehem	Ornithogalum umbellatum
Sweet pea	Lathyrus spp.
Tobacco	Nicotiana tabacum
Trumpet flower (chalice vine)	Solandra spp.
Water hemlock	Cicuta maculata
Wild cherry (black cherry)	Prunus serotina
Wisteria	Wisteria spp.
Yellow allamanda	Allamanda cathartica
Yellow oleander (tiger apple, be still tree, lucky nut)	Thevetia peruviana
Yesterday-today-and-tomorrow	Brunfelsia spp.

Disclaimer: This is a list of the most common poisonous plants and flowers but it is by no means complete. If the plant is not on this list, that doesn't necessarily make it edible or non-poisonous. Be sure you know what you are putting in your mouth!

Source

Flowers used to Attract or Repel Wildlife

When the bugs in our garden are growing in number, we typically resort to some chemical to evict these pests. With some advance planning of your garden, you may be able to prevent them from showing up in the first place. The answer? Flowers!

Certain flowers give off a fragrance that repels bad bugs, while other flowers emit a fragrance that lures the good bugs.

Annuals

Both marigolds and nasturtium can handle a slew of buggy challenges. They thwart bugs that can harm your tomatoes, potatoes and strawberries including tomato hornworms, squash bugs, and whiteflies.

The fragrance of marigolds (more like odor because it is not a pleasant smell) is so strong, that if you plant marigolds around the perimeter of your garden, the mature plants will help deter rabbits and squirrels.

Perennials

Lavender is a wonderfully fragrant flower that can be cost prohibitive to show its true value. Lavender has the potential of keeping mice and ticks away, but you'd need a lot of the plants to create a lavender-fence so to speak. One of the best things about growing lavender is that you can use the highly fragrant buds to create sachet packets.

To attract ladybugs and lacewings, plant yarrow. Golden Marguerite (think yellow daisy) also brings in ladybugs and lacewings.

When it comes to lacewing, wasps, and bees, they will come to any pollen-filled flower; however, Queen Anne's Lace is particularly beneficial. Keep in mind the Queen Anne's Lace is considered a weed because it grows quickly, so it could overpower your garden. You can help to control its growth through aggressive cuttings - Queen Anne's Lace makes a beautiful floral display.

If you have room for vining plants, morning glory can help to attract lady bugs.

Dig It!

Planting beneficial flowers in or around your vegetable garden adds beauty to the bounty that your hard labor will produce. If room to plant flowers in addition to your vegetables is limited, at a minimum, your garden will benefit from having marigolds planted along the sides.

NOTE:

Flowers will not prevent all pests from invading your garden, nor is there any guarantee of success in planting flowers to attract good bugs. In addition, there are plants other than flowers that can deter or attract bugs but flowers are so pretty!

Source

Flowers as Medicine

People often use herbs and flowers as alternative medical treatments for a variety of conditions. Because these products are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, their safety and effectiveness is not guaranteed.


Here are some flowers and their medicinal uses:

Calendula

• The petals of calendula, often referred to as marigold, have been used to treat ulcers and upset stomach. Dried petals are used in ointments for treating bruises, cuts, minor infections and burns.

Chamomile

• The yellow and white heads of the chamomile flower are used to make teas, extracts and ointments. These are used to reduce swelling; to inhibit bacterial, viral and fungal growth; and to treat nausea, vomiting and other digestive disorders. People with asthma should not use chamomile because it can worsen their symptoms.

  Juhi

  • Juhi is a type of jasmine flower that may be used to treat stomach ulcers, stomach acid and mouth ulcers.

Aniseed

• The flowering anise plant produces seeds that are used to treat intestinal conditions such as colic and flatulence, the persistent coughing of bronchitis and whopping cough, and scabies and lice.

Saffron

• Saffron flowers are used to treat a variety of conditions, including inflammation, bladder and kidney infections, menstrual disorders, diabetes and headaches. They are also used as a sedative.

Considerations

• Before taking any type of herbal treatment, consult your physician. Herbal treatments can interact poorly with some medications, and people with certain medical conditions may experience adverse reactions.

  Source

How to Make Dandelion Wine

"Dandelion wine is fermented sunshine." Jack Keller


What you need

• 2 qts dandelion flowers
• 2 lbs 11 ozs granulated sugar
• 4 oranges
• 1 gallon water
• yeast and nutrient

This is the traditional "Midday Dandelion Wine" of old, named because the flowers must be picked at midday when they are fully open.

1. Pick the flowers and bring into the kitchen.
2. Set one gallon of water to boil. While it heats up to a boil, remove as much of the green material from the flower heads as possible (the original recipe calls for two quarts of petals only, but this will work as long as you end up with two quarts of prepared flowers).
3. Pour the boiling water over the flowers, cover with cloth, and leave to seep for two days. Do not exceed two days.

1. Pour the mixture back into a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add the peelings from the four oranges (again, no white pith) and boil for ten minutes. Strain through a muslin cloth or bag onto a crock or plastic pail containing the sugar, stirring to dissolve.
3. When cool, add the juice of the oranges, the yeast and yeast nutrient. Pour into secondary fermentation vessel, fit fermentation trap, and allow to ferment completely.
4. Rack and bottle when wine clears.
5. Again, allow it to age six months in the bottle before tasting, but a year will improve it vastly.

This wine has less body than the first recipe produces, but every bit as much flavor (some say more!). [Adapted recipe from C.J.J. Berry's First Steps in Winemaking] Source