And the day came,
When the risk to remain closed in a bud
Became more painful
Then the risk it took to blossom. - Elizabeth Appell
Or not...
Yesterday I shared photos of some of the beautiful flowers growing in my various garden beds and pots. Today I'm celebrating the buds that are still struggling to open. They have a beauty all their own. Hope you like them!
Sunflower bud. Looks like more like a thistle bud, right? I can't wait to see this one open up! Image by Jennifer Capestany.
Lantana buds. You can see that the tiny blooms grow in umbels. Image by Jennifer Capestany.
This is malabar spinach, a vining plant that I grow as a food source. Image by Jennifer Capestany.
Borage buds. Look how hairy they are! Image by Jennifer Capestany.
This is a zinnia bud. I love that dark coloration on the sepals. Image by Jennifer Capestany.
I'll be honest, folks. I don't what the heck kind of flower this is! It came in a Save the Bees packet that I picked up at a local nursery. I love it though. Image by Jennifer Capestany.
Also from the In The Garden Series - Flowers After a Spring Shower
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Creator: Jennifer is a clinical herbalist and health coach, specializing in autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Her interest in plant medicine led Jennifer to spend years studying herbology, physiology, and nutrition. She works one-on-one with her clients via her herbalist and health coaching business,Prairie Hawk Botanica. Jennifer lives on a homestead in rural Texas with her husband, 2 children, and various animals. In her spare time she loves to be in her large herb and vegetable garden. Sharing herb knowledge and her love of natural healing with others is her calling. Steem and Bitcoin accepted.
Do you eat the borage flowers?
Yes, I do, and I've also made a syrup from the leaves and stalks. It tasted remarkably peach-flavored. The leaves and stalks are supposed to be edible as well, but they're way too hairy for me to want to deal with. The flowers are much easier.
Didn't know they were that sugery to make syrup. First year I have them, been trying the flowers they only sometimes taste good. maybe something with rain or time of day. beautifull pictures by the way
Thanks for the compliment! I must be lucky, because borage flowers taste consistently, lightly sweet to me. As with most plants, each person's sense of taste is going to vary a lot. I have a hard time with bitter foods, for example, because I can REALLY taste the bitter.
The leaves aren't naturally sugary. What you do is chop up leaf, stalk, and flower, and soak them in water for a few hours. I think I went closer to 10 hours actually. A friend of mine who was also trying out the recipe only soaked hers for a couple of hours. Results were similar. Then you use that water to make a syrup, adding sugar in until you reach the desired thickness. The sugar is where the sweetness comes from. The borage adds flavor and a light color. It's nice on pancakes, ice cream, or fruit tarts as a glaze.