So who’s my favorite?
Growing herbs and creating my herb garden has brought me so much satisfaction. It’s my favorite part of gardening. So which herb is my favorite? Oh dear…I can hardly say. That’s like asking who your favorite child is. I’d hate to have to answer that. But, if you want to know which herbs I get the most use out of, which one is easy to grow and gives me the biggest bang for my buck, I’d have to say Calendula
is right up near the top. Probably tied with Comfrey.
I’ve already talked about how many uses Comfrey has. I don’t think any self-respecting herb garden should be with out it. But Calendula…this one is near and dear to my heart as well. And no self-respecting herb garden should be without it.
Queen of the Garden
Calendula has so many uses, it really does reign as queen of the garden. It’s pretty as a flower, all by itself. I like to use it in cut flower arrangements. The flower blooms all summer long and the more I cut it, the more it produces.
Even though Calendula is an annual flower, it seems like a perennial. That’s because it easily self-seeds. Just find a nice corner of your garden and let it go. As long as you don’t disturb the ground too much, new flowers will sprout up in that corner year after
year. The seeds are nice and big, which means they are easy to collect and pass them along to friends who want to add this gem to their garden.
Medicinal uses
As a medicinal herb, it is known to soothe irritated skin and promotes healing from minor cuts, rashes and burns. That’s why it’s a staple in my 3-C Oil: olive oil infused with Calendula, Comfrey and Chamomile. I use this 3-C oil when I make lip balm, hand balm and lotion.
Since it has soothing, healing properties, it makes a nice hair rinse. Just steep a handful of flowers
in a quart of water. After shampooing, slowly pour this tea over your scalp, massaging your scalp with your fingertips as you pour. No need to rinse afterwards.
But it’s more than that
The calendula flowers make a pretty, bright yellow dye. It’s easy to dye yarn or fabric and there are no nasty chemicals to worry about.
And then there’s the culinary uses. The petals of the calendula flower have a mild peppery taste. Many cooks use it as a substitute for safron. Sprinkle it on salads for pretty color and added flavor.
I hope you’ll invite this lovely lady into your garden where she can spread her yellow warmth. You’ll be glad you did.
