Flowers

We eat the fruits, the leaves, the roots, and even the bark of many plants and trees. But why leave the flowers? Here’s a list of flowers you can eat and use in recipes big or small.

A soothing cup of lemon balm tea at the end of a long day can be a lovely respite. Many commercial herb teas have instructions to steep for something like 3-6 minutes.  This is fine for a simple “beverage” tea, but is inadequate for a truly medicinal brew. By medicinal I mean strong enough to have a desired effect on mind, body and/or emotions beyond simply enjoying a good cup of tea.

Autumn is magical: The leaves start to change, the air cools, and crops shift in season. While you may miss the warmth of summer, fall welcomes many exciting new activities. From hay rides, to playing in the leaves, to many other ways to celebrate, fall can be quite fun. Don't let it pass you by: Make the absolute most of it! Here are four fun ways to welcome fall. The best part is they're all eco-friendly and involve nature.

Are you as sensitive to regular, conventional perfume as I am? I literally start to sneeze whenever I catch a whiff of it. Even if it smells nice, it's as if my body knows it's all artificial and reacts to it. My nose has always been this way, even before I knew what the term “green beauty” meant. I guess it was just destiny (and a sensitive nose) that led me to more natural, greener beauty options.

Wildflowers are at their peak during mid-to-late summer in the northern United States and throughout Canada, but they’re more than just pretty. The bright purple of coneflowers and the blue of chicory are delicious for the eyes, but even better for the body.

Summer is in full swing and so are the squash plants in the garden. By now, most of us have an abundance of summer squash and all of our neighbors and friends have loads of squash as well.

What to do with all of the lovely summer squash fruit?

One way to utilize squash is to harvest and eat the flowers! Squash blossoms, generally used from the zucchini plant, are a delicacy that has been cooked for centuries by many different cultures. 

Geraniums belong to the genus Geranium L. – Geranium P. which contains forty-four species. The plant is native to South Africa and can be found throughout the world in temperate regions and tropical mountains. They grow prolifically in the eastern Mediterranean.

Floral waters are distilled water infused with the essence of flowers. There are so many different kinds of floral waters, but two all time favorites are rose and lavender. They're extremely versatile and can be used for more things than you may think. Wonder how they're formed?

Adding color and beauty to gardens is something flowers do best, but let’s not forget that some flowers give us some fantastic fragrances, too. Flowers are nature’s perfume, and each variety has its own special scent. Check out these 15 fragrant flowers to grow for your outdoor garden.

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) is intensely fragrant and very pleasing to look at, but don’t let the perennial’s cute, daisy-like appearance fool you. Centuries ago, the flower was used in certain areas of Greece, Egypt, and ancient Rome for its many healing purposes. The medicine is said to be contained in the flower area of the herb, which contains strong oils. There are many kinds of chamomile, and they can be used in things like teas, oils, tinctures, soaks, homemade salves, vapors, washes, and more.