Three Flowers in a Summer Garden
I have come to love flowers so much more as I get older. I imagine it has something to do with their appearance during the warmth of summer. I associate them with flexibility, movement, warmth, and light. I have three flowers of which I’m especially fond and would like to share with you here. Chamomile, calendula, and lavender are the cheerleaders of our summer garden. Bursting forth in brilliant color, they each offer special gifts. I enjoy them because they ask so little of me and return so much to me in the garden, the kitchen, and the medicine chest. Chamomile is the first of the three to show up in the gardens at RavenCroft. An annual, chamomile, or Matricaria camomilla, is quick to reseed and act as an early cover in the bare spots of the perennial garden. Her light, airy form gives the feeling of a spirited fairy dancing among the more solid stature of the perennials. She fills in nicely between roses and lavenders, finishing her explosive show just as they begin to color up. Harvesting the small flowers — raking your fingers through the feathery stems, holding them close enough to grasp, yet ever so gently popping the flowers off the tips of the stems — is a meditative practice. It is slow work, an excellent time to practice mindfulness. The reward for this labor is a fine-tasting brew: a refreshing beverage fresh, or a tea to savor in the dark and cold of winter. Chamomile is a "being of light and air filled with harmony and mildness," says Peter Holmes in The Energetics of Western Herbs. I couldn’t agree more. Mr. Holmes goes on to say, "Its highly complex biochemical make-up enables it to deal with every conceivable accident and urgency situation arising in the home: it is the women’s and children’s remedy par excellence. Further proof of its harmonizing nature is offered by its effective qualities, which seem to encompass all opposites. Sweet to the taste, it yet has some bitterness; warming in effect, it is yet able to cool inflammation; moistening dryness, it yet dries damp; causing movement, it yet calms hyperactivity." Sounds like a fine friend for any garden or tea cupboard!
Summer Tea for Fairies 1 oz. dried oatstraw herb 15 fresh chamomile flowers 1 4" sprig borage blooms 1 4" sprig anise hyssop leaves and flowers Place herbs in teapot or pan with cover, cover with 1 quart boiling water, and steep 30 minutes. Enjoy hot or iced! Garnish with fresh herbs.
As solstice rolls around, the calendula, Calendula officinalis, bursts forth in all her vivid splendor. This flower is so brilliant that my friend, Sandy, says, "Calendula doesn’t reflect light, it emanates it!" And indeed the calendulas shine in the garden like little suns fallen from the sky. Calendula is generally orange and yellow, and the Pacific Beauty strain, which we grow, seems to enjoy creating every imaginable combination of the two colors; petals emerge with infinite variation. It’s another flower so eager to grow that I never have to replant; I just lift volunteers and place them wherever I would like color. Technically, calendula is an annual, but in the temperate Northwest climate, this beauty can be seen blooming somewhere in any calendar month; hence, the name "calendula." Its common name is pot marigold. This comes from the medieval era, when calendulas were raised as a green or "potherb" to be cooked and eaten like spinach would be today. This may be the control for the extra volunteers! The vigor in this plant’s desire to grow is evident in its ability to heal as well. It is a good herbal choice for moving stagnation or healing wounds. Bruising and congestion due to trauma to the surface can be resolved effectively with a poultice (pulverized flowers with a little water), fomentation (strong tea-soaked cloth applied to the skin) or oil of calendula. For wounds with little or no infection, a wash of strong calendula tea is excellent to clean and stimulate granulation and surface healing. We dry enormous quantities of the flowers to use in infused oils, salve, teas, and muffins! Yes, the flowers are edible and actually have a pleasing taste. Added to salads (green, potato, etc.) during the summer, they bring the dynamic life force of the sun into our bodies to grow us strong and resilient; dried, they make a festive addition to all kinds of baked goods. What could be better?
Calendula Infused Oil Place 1 oz. dried calendula flowers in a saucepan with 1 quart olive oil and heat gently. Let the oil and flowers simmer on low heat for about 1 hour, then strain and bottle the infused oil. Be sure to use very low heat and watch it! This oil is great to relieve bruises, soften and heal stubborn wounds or on the skin anywhere as a rejuvenating, softening tonic.
Lavender blooms last of the three, and is worth the wait! We grow several varieties of lavender, and enjoy each for special reasons. I never seem to tire of this sweet herb, and literally hundreds of pounds go through my hands each year. Lavender bought at herb shops is the dried bud of the flowers stripped off the stem. They look like little seeds, but are actually the flower buds before they open. If you grow lavender and want to use the buds, they are easily stripped off the stem while it is still attached to the plant. This is how we harvest buds for drying and for use in lavender-infused oil, tincture, and honey. After the buds are removed, the stems can then be cut to reshape the plant for a later bloom or ready it for winter. If you wish to use the lavender in bundles for craft projects, harvest by cutting the stems, bunching, and hanging upside down to dry in an airy place out of direct light. Lavenders fall into three main species, with many varieties in each. The English lavenders (Lavandula angustifolia or L. officinalis) have more compact flower heads on stems 6-12", can be many different colors, i.e. dark blue, purple, pink, or whitish, and are generally a more conservative plant than the French lavenders. The French lavandin lavenders are derived from natural hybrids of L. angustifolia and L.latifolia that occur where the territories of the two species merge. The French lavenders (L.x intermedia or lavandin) have conical flower heads on long 12-24" stems, can be different colors, and are born on large plants, up to four feet across when mature. These plants produce tremendous amounts of flowers. Finally, there are the Spanish lavenders (L. stoechas). These plants have quite large bracts on the flower heads which look like little flags waving when they’re blooming. It is a beautiful lavender for the garden, but does not offer much to the cook, medicine maker, or crafter. My favorite lavenders to grow for crafting and aromatic use are the French intermedias. Lavender Grosso is a good choice for the person wishing to cut the flowers, stem and all, for use in bunches. The heads of Grosso are dark purple, with a strong aromatic presence, and the buds stay on the stems better than other varieties. Lavender de Provence is the chef’s favorite. With sweeter flavor and aromatic properties, this lavender is great in the kitchen. Its heads tend to shatter more easily than Grosso’s, so anywhere a sweeter fragrance is desirable without concern for structure, Provence can be used. Spike Lavender (L. spica) is our choice for massage oils due to its camphoraceous aromatic properties. The English is wonderful in smaller gardens, and can be used in all of the applications mentioned. The pure pleasure derived from growing and using lavender is beyond words. Its tall wand-like flowering stems wafting in the garden and its full, sweet fragrance endear this plant to all who pass. In teas, baked goods or desserts, herb baths, massage oils, and potpourris, lavender has earned a place in our hearts, gardens, and homes. As long as the plants have well drained, sweet soil they should produce bountiful blossoms. Remember: Sequim, Washington is the "Provence of the Northwest" and has many lavender farms open to the public. Best to you in this the floriferous season. May the flowers of Earth continue to bloom in our gardens and all the wild places! EagleSong, C.C.H., director of RavenCroft Garden in Monroe, WA, is a nationally recognized herbal educator. She is dedicated to keeping herbal wisdom within reach of all people and connected to the healing wisdom of nature. P.O. Box 229, Startup, WA 98293; (360) 794-2938; <ravencroft@earthlink.net>. |
Flowers. Flowers. Flowers.