Nasturtium - Many Reasons To Grow It

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Nasturtium has always been in every garden I have the pleasure to have in the UK. I have know for a long time that the this herb can be used in salads are great as a caretaker for other crops. Added to this, they are very pretty. So this herb gives many benefits to the garden and the cooking world.

Nasturtium literally means 'nose-twister'. There eighty different species of both annual and perennial herbaceous flowering plants. They always have a show of bright flowers with rounded almost shield-shaped leaves. The flowers have five or more petals with a funnel-shaped tube in the back where the nectar is stored.

Nasturtiums like direct or indirect sunlight for most varieties although there are a few that preferer partial shade. Once established they don't need much maintainance and make good ground coverage so not much weeding.

The Nasturtium produce an oil that is very similar to watercress. All parts of the plant are edible, with flower great for ornamental salads. The taste is slightly peppery, again quite like watercress. It can also be used in stir fry dishes. Even the unripened seed pods can be picked and pickled in vinegar producing a good condiment element and garnish with again a strongly peppery taste.

Nasturtiums are also used to repel a great many pests, such as the squash bug, cucumber beetles and several variaties of caterpillars. If planted next to broccoli or cauliflower they will attract black fly aphids away from them saving the crops. As well the will also attract beneficial insects that pollenate.

I have yet to grow nasturtuim in Bulgaria, but I've seen them around and is on the list of wants for my farm here.

Finally, there are a great recipes for using nasturtium, here is one for Nasturtium Vinegar taken from:
oldfashionedliving.com

Nasturtium Vinegar

This vinegar is always one of my most popular gifts.everyone loves how attractive the vinegar is with a wide range of different colored nasturtium blossoms included. The finished vinegar has a nice peppery bite and makes an excellent ingredient to use in salad dressings, sauces, and other dishes.

1 cup nasturtium leaves, flowers, and buds

1 pint champagne, white wine, or apple cider vinegar

Place the ingredients in a clean clear glass jar or bottle. Tightly seal. Let sit for at least 3 weeks before using. The nasturtium can remain in for decoration, but you should make sure the vinegar always covers the flowers or they will mold. Makes 1 pint vinegar.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

If you want more great nasturium recipes just go into this site: http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/nasturtiums2.html

The Hibiscus - Beautiful and More Than Useful

There are well over 200 species of the herb hibiscus plant, which is native to warm, temperate, subtropical and tropical climates throughout the world. The herb comes is both annual and perennial herbaceous plants as well has some varieties forming woody shrubs and small trees.

The leaves range from a simple ovate to lance like quite often with a toothed margin. The flowers are impressive, big and confident with five or more trumpet-shaped petals. The colours range from pure white to pink, red, purple, yellow measuring 4 cm to 15 cm wide. The fruits are dry five capsule pods containing several seeds in each set. These are released as the capsule splits open at maturity.

The uses of hibiscus are quite amazing. As well as garden show attractions the flowers are also a main ingredient in many herbal teas.

Having so many varieties each different strain has different uses from paper making to an eating vegetable and from making herbal teas to jam making. The versatility of this herb is quite astounding.

In Mexico, there is a drink called Jamaican water it has a tanginess and mild flavour and when sugar is added it tastes like cranberry juice. People on diets of that have kidney problems often take this without the sugar as a natural diuretic. Simply place dehydrated hibiscus flowers into some boiling water let it cool and then serve with ice. In Egypt a similar tea is made from the petals called karkade.

The bark of the hibiscus has fibres renown for its toughness. The stripped bark is put in the sea to rot to break the fibres down. In Polynesia these fibres are then used for making grass skirts and wigs.

The white hibiscus has medicinal properties used in Indian traditional medicine. The roots make various remedies believed to cure various illnesses.

In southern India the Red hibiscus is used for hair care purposes, the flower and leaves extracts are put into the hair to combat hair-fall and dandruff on the scalp. The oils from the herb are also used to protect hair. This involves soaking the leaves and flowers in water then grinding it into a thick paste and applied as a natural shampoo.

Travelling onto the Philippines where the hibiscus is processed and used as bubble gum by children. The flowers and leaves are crushed until the sticky. Then hollow papaya stalks are dipped into the sticky hibiscus and blown up using the straws as bubble blowers.

Moving back to Mexico, dried hibiscus is eaten in fact quite delicacy there as the herb is quite edible.

Now to Hawaii and probably the most famous uses of the hibiscus flower, which is traditionally worn by Hawaiian women. Tucked behind the ear of a Hawaiian maiden shows that she looking for marriage, now you know.

Growing hibiscus flowers need to be done in warm temperatures, namely from 15 C to 30 C degrees. The roots mustn't be over watered and plenty of drainage is needed, only water the plant if it looks dry. Plant feed is needed to ensure a good flowering alongside an insect and pest free environment. A little tricky to grow, but well worth it with the beauty you get as a result.

Lavender - Sight and Scent to Remember

It was my time in south France that created a love of the lavender scent. It was overpowering throughout many towns and villages that had processed the harvest in the late summer. The beautiful blue fields also stand out as one of the most memorable moments in time.

As well as being attributed to being one of the holy herbs, in biblical times ,during Roman times, lavender flowers were used as a bartered as currency and used in Roman baths to scent the water. Lavender was yet another herb that was introducted to Britain by the Romans. During Black Death, lavender oil was claimed to ward off the Plague.

The lavender flowers can be sugared and used as cake decoration. The most renown use for lavender is the ingredient of herbes de Provence and lavender sugar. Still with the French cooking in and around Provence, they have been incorporating this herb into their cuisine for countless years and long may it live.

There are around 30 different species now cultivated and grown worldwide. The most common cultivated lavender is aptly called the Common Lavender. Many will know that lavenders are widely grown in gardens. Its flower spikes are used extensively for dried flower arrangements. The pale purple flowers and flower buds are used in potpourris and when dried and put in pouches scattered amongst clothing gives a wonderful fresh fragrance. not many know that lavender also acts as a deterrent to moths. Commercial extraction of lavender oil from the flowers is used as an antiseptic and for aromatherapy.

The flowers produce nectar, which yields a high quality honey and is highly prized and marketed worldwide as a premium product.

Essential oil of lavender has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. The oil is also popular used as fragrances for baths. An infusion of lavender acts as a soothing and healing remedy for insect bites. Lavender gathered in bunches are also used to ward off insects.

If laid on your forehead the lavender oil is said to soothe headaches and aid sleep and relaxation. Lavender diluted 1 to10 ratio with water is another remedy claimed for curing acne. This potion can also can be used in the treatment of skin burns.

Many lavender products can be found from food based products right through to cosmetics and oils based health supplements. The diversity is enormous. With all this the herb can still remain a fantastic addition to your garden and is basically very easy to grow and look after.

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Borage - Borrowed for Now

Borage is a herb that is highly decorative and although I have never actually grown any, I know quite a few people who do and quite often visit for a little pickings to take back home.

The borage herb originates in Syria, but now has found a home throughout Europe and the Mediterranean region. It has even spread as far wide as Asia Minor, North Africa and South America.

It grows to a height of up to one metre and has brush-like hairy stems and leaves. Traditionally borage was cultivated for culinary and medicinal uses, but typically today commercial cultivation is mainly as a valuable oilseed.

The flower, has a sweet honey-like taste and is one of the few truly blue-coloured edible foods. It is often used to decorate dessert such as cakes and ice-cream dishes. Both the flowers and leaves of the borage are used to give a cucumber-style effect in flavour when added to cool summer drinks. Bees are attracted to the borage plant. In Iran traditional Borage Flower Tea is made from the dried flowers, which brings about calmness to the sippers. The flower, which is a rich purple colour, turns bright pink when lemon juice is added so don't be too surprised is this is what happens is used with lemon in recipes.

Folklore says that borage is rumoured to give strength of heart, bring about fearless courage and provide happiness to all who eat the leaves or indeed drinks wine with the flowers or leaves floating on top.

Used as a fresh vegetable, borage, again with a cucumber tasting characteristic, is often used with salads or as a decorative but edible garnish. It is often used in soups the most famous being a German borage recipe called the 'Green Sauce' traditionally a Frankfurt based meal. The leave can also be used in pickling or eaten like spinach such is the versatility of the herb. The borage flowers and leaves are also used to give a cool, cucumber-like flavour to summer drinks. Bees are attracted to the borage plant.

This easily managed herb can be grown from seed and will sow itself year after year. The plant prefers dry, sunny places and thrives on slightly poor soil. You can you can extend the length of harvest by sowing three times at four-week intervals. Pick the blossoms as they open. The fresh leaves can be picked anytime but rarely used in a dried version.

I like borage and maybe next season I may well reserve a patch on my farm for growing this herb, it will save on neighbours' plants that I keep scrounging!




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Passion Flower

The passion flower has a great fascination, it is a flower that many recognise but fail to realise it is a herb. It is a creeping vine native to the southern tropical and subtropical United States, Mexico, central and South America but now thrives in many other parts of the world due to cultivation.

The word 'Passion' doesn't refer to love, but to the passion of Christ on the cross associated in the 15th and 16th century Christian theology.

The native Americans used it as a medicine to sedate and treat insomnia. Its used extensively in America in the late 1800's and early 1900's, and from there spread world-wide. Nowadays the the passion flower is still used as a sedative, sleep aid and treatment for anxiety and nervousness.

It is the first herb that herbalists will prescribe for insomnia, it encourages restful sleep without any of the problems associated with other chemical bound, man-made sedatives. No hangover with the passion flower herb remedy. The fresh or dried leaves are used to make an infusion, a tea for this remedy. A simple recipe for this is given below.

The painkilling properties of the passion flower are now well know and good for neuralgia and shingles conditions. The leaves and the roots of some species contain more and have been used to enhance the effects of mind-altering drugs. If the leaves are dried, they also can also be smoked.

Anxiety related symptoms are often treated with the passion flower as well as as irritable bowel, breathlessness or palpitations. It is well known as an anti-depressant where it gently elevates levels of nerve activity in the brain giving a more balancing mood.

So, the passion flower is not just a pretty face.

You can buy dried passion flower from many online dealers, this site recetnly added it to their stocks.

http://www.spiceworld.uk.com/


And Finally a tea Recipe to help you sleep at night.

Passion Flower Tea Recipe

Ingredients

1 tbsp. dried passion flower
1 cup boiling water

Method

Stir the herb into the cup of boiling water and leave 10 minutes
drink just before at bedtime.

You will find this aromatic and full of flavour.

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