Gerbera - Gerbera Daisies

This post 'Gerbera - Gerbera Daisies' was originally uploaded by Tyra Hallsénius- Lindhe in the blog Tyras Trädgård/ Tyra's Garden

Gerbera - A plant for the health.

 Well, I don't mean for you to eat it. Nevertheless Gerbera Daisies cleans the air and makes me happy.

Gerbera is this extremely pretty ornamental plants from the sunflower family (Asteraceae). It is almost too perfect, but still I do love it. Whenever I need a dose of colour to brighten up my day I go for the Gerbera it always make me smile. The Gerbera plants have high evaporation rates and very good ability to reduce levels of chemical gases in the air making it a good plant for the health. The Gerbera likes the soil to be kept slightly moist; it should be neither dry nor wet. Do add plant nutrient to potted Gerberas about every two weeks from spring to autumn.

- It was named in honour of the German botanist and naturalist Traugott Gerber († 1743) who travelled extensively in Russia and was a friend of Carolus Linnaeus. Wikipedia

I read something more about this very popular Gerbera, the meaning of Gerbera flowers in a guide of flowers and gardening. The Flower Expert

"The meanings of gerbera flowers stem from those attributed to the general daisy family. These meanings include innocence and purity, and daisies are also a classic symbol of beauty. However, the gerbera variety holds an added meaning of cheerfulness, which stems from the assortment of colors available."

ABC Wednesday G is for Gerbera
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Umami Power Snack

Tomato - this powerful umami* fruit full of goodness.

旨味

They contain lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants.

A perfect savory snack, swap to a bowl of tomatoes instead and get a living power snack instead of the dead bowl of ' ¤)#&FAT/¤#&SUGAR%#¤what-ever' I mean the snack that we usually have beside us :-) I often do anyway.

Medium snack-sized tomatoes of the cultivars Borghese principe, Stupice and Promyk tomatoes

NUTRITION: This is what Wikipedia says about the subject. Tomatoes are now eaten freely throughout the world, and their consumption is believed to benefit the heart among other things. They contain lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants. In some studies lycopene, especially in cooked tomatoes, has been found to help prevent prostate cancer but other research contradicts this claim. Lycopene has also been shown to improve the skin's ability to protect against harmful UV rays.Natural genetic variation in tomatoes and their wild relatives has given a genetic treasure trove of genes that produce lycopene, carotene, anthocyanin, and other antioxidants. Tomato varieties are available with double the normal vitamin C (Doublerich), 40 times normal vitamin A (97L97), high levels of anthocyanin (P20 Blue), and two to four times the normal amount of lycopene (numerous available cultivars with the high crimson gene). Tomato consumption has been associated with decreased risk of breast cancer,head and neck cancers and might be strongly protective against neurodegenerative diseases

More tomatoes?

Take a hop into The Greenhouse

PIE and SEEDS

* it is japanese and means good flavour

I Bought the Crown Jewels

Chia - Crown Jewels

What little did I know?…

and when I entered the world of Chia.

I have just received a few seed packets from Baker Creek Heirlooms Seeds for my potager. I always want to know a little about the plant I’m going to grow, consequently I looked up my Chia - Crown Jewels and entered a new world, most fascinating. I landed in American history, health, ancient food and future ‘super’ food. Amazing, do you know... I’ve bought a miracle! Perhaps that is why they are called just Crown Jewels or it could be because the flower in its simplicity yet beauty look like a small crown with precious blue-purple stones in it.

Wikipedia Salvia columbariae



Chia - Crown Jewels

(Salvia columbariae ) A different Salvia species with a long history, this heirloom Salvia was grown as a staple food crop by Native Americans years ago. It has a high nutrition value. In cultivation, it needs good drainage, sun and dry weather to grow to its fullest potential. Called Chia in Mexico and other Central American countries, it is also a special ornamental plant with decorative grey-green leaves and pretty colourful light purplish blue flowers.

Chia as Health Food

Chia seeds are now a popular natural health product. William Anderson writes about it

- The Ancient Food of the Future Chia Seed. Do read this most fascinating article.

“Another unique quality if the Chia seed is its high oil content, and the richest vegetables source for the essential omega-3 fatty acid. It has approximately three to ten times the oil concentrations of most grains and one and a half to two times the protein concentrations of other grains. Read more ”

This amazing picture is from EOL Encyclopedia of Life.

The beautiful seeds of Salvia columbariae.

Interesting? Want to try it out?

Chia Seeds - The RAW Food World
Chia Seeds - My SEEDS

Here you can buy Chia seeds and a lot of other interesting food.




Anthropology – about Chia Salvia columbariae


NCBI* Writes about the Chia seeds, how it has been used as food and continues to be used as such, how you can still buy the seeds in stores. Read the interesting story about the Chumash messenger who ran 30 km or perhaps more in a day to deliver messages between the villages. Consuming Chia seeds to maintain the energy right through the run. Read more about the Chumash and Chia “ How the plant was used to ‘wake the dead’ is unknown. However, it may have been the root that was used. Probably the people who were treated with this plant had suffered from strokes or heart attacks and appeared to be nearly dead.” NCBI

Books about Chia (Salvia columbariae)

- Rediscovering a Forgotten Crop of the Aztecs

- Revival of an Ancient Wonder Food

- Chia For Health

Another book that awoke my curiosity as I browsed the net was this +300 pages book

The New Book of SALVIAS, hm...I would love to read it.

Common Sage Salvia officinalis in my potager.

That's All Folks!

It is Blooming Friday at Katarinas place

I wish you all a great weekend/ Tyra

*NCBI - National Center for Biotechnology Information

How to Make a Moisturizing Herbal Balm - Lemon Verbena

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I found this video and I thought it could be a nice gift for Christmas. It looks rather fun to make it too, I'm gonna have a go.

How to make a lovely moisurizing herbal balm with Lemon Verbena, Aloysia triphylla.

Video: How to Make a Moisturizing Herbal Balm - Vegetable Gardener

- I wish they could have better music...I think it is a bit annoying.

Lemon verbena, Citronverbena in Swedish and you say Ning meng mao biao cao - if you speak like one billion 365 thousand others do (mandarin) :-) Picture from Wikipedia.

You could use other plants from your herbal garden. I have plenty of Lavendula augustifolia and Calendula officinalis in my potager so I'm going to try to use some of those plants (dry herbs). Some time hm...long time ago I made bath salt and Rose water and Lavender splashes - Making Scents

Good luck with the cooking!

Soothing remedy for coughs and colds

This post 'Once up on a Thyme' was originally uploaded by Tyra in the blog Tyra's Garden

Once up on a Thyme...

...I walked on a path lined with of thymes and sensed the marvellous amoratic leaves and I fell in love...
I just adore the fragrance and taste of this herb. It is a favourite both in the potager as well as in the kitchen. I even make a cough medicine with Thymus vulgaris in it, see recipe for Tyra's remedy intended for coughs and colds below but first some pictures.

Wooly Thyme Thymus pseudolanuginosus

Woolly thyme —the wooliest of all thymes, forms a thick ground-covering mat of tiny, densely hairy grayish green leaves. The foliage has subtle fragrance and is not the best thyme for culinary use nor for my remedy. In June-July the pretty tiny pink tubular flowers appears. Plants grow to only about 5 cm or so in height. Woolly thyme thrives in dry, well-drained neutral to alkaline soil in full sun. Walks, rock gardens, stone walls, and pond borders (if dry) are all excellent habitats from the creeping of the lovely Thymus pseudolanuginosus. This thyme spills gracefully over stone walls and can be grown between stone pavers. To propagate, divide the plants in spring or autumn, or sow seed in early spring.

Thymus vulgaris Garden Thyme,

Thymus x citriodorus Lemon Thyme

and Orange fragrant Thyme Thymus fragantissiumus

are in my belief the best for culinary use. For medical use take the Thymus vulgaris.

Now for the recipe...

Tyra's soothing remedy for coughs and colds

Make a strong infusion of thyme, elderberry flowers and sage (let it cool) add lemon and a generous amount of honey and for adults 1/3 part of gin or congac. Drink small amount of this mixture several times per day, it is really soothing.

For a cold it is beneficent to add fresh ginger, chili and/or garlic as well.


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Susie on Gotland says "Here on Gotland the wild thyme growns in the meadows by the sea and it's so nice to go there late in the summer evenings as the sun set - and so on top of that sense the smell of crushed thyme. Wonderful! Oh, how I long for next year!"

En fin kommentar från Susie på min svenska blogg, jag tyckte det lät så skönt.

"Här växer ju timjanen vild på strandängarna och det är så skönt att gå där sent på sensommarkvällarna i solnedgången - och så ovanpå det få känna doften av krossad timjan. Underbart! Oj, vad jag längtar till nästa år!! "

Take care - LOLove/ Tyra

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