Friday's Flower..... Marigolds

Marigolds
This is a post I did a few years ago...Marigolds truly are my favorite flower of all.

Now, I know that there are a few out there that balk at orange....and I can't for the life of me understand why.

Orange is such a happy color.....so rich and sometimes complicated.  

Today's Friday Flower is my all~time favorite flower in the garden.  As fall approaches, these babies just get better and better.

How can you not love these happy colors?

Some interesting Marigold tidbits of olde,

---Medicinal Action and Uses---
Marigold is chiefly used as a local remedy. Its action is stimulant and diaphoretic. Given internally, it assists local action and prevents suppuration. The infusion of 1 ounce to a pint of boiling water is given internally, in doses of a tablespoonful, and externally as a local application. It is useful in chronic ulcer, varicose veins, etc. Was considered formerly to have much value as an aperient and detergent in visceral obstructions and jaundice.

It has been asserted that a Marigold flower, rubbed on the affected part, is an admirable remedy for the pain and swelling caused by the sting of a wasp or bee. A lotion made from the flowers is most useful for sprains and wounds, and a water distilled from them is good for inflamed and sore eyes. 

An infusion of the freshly-gathered flowers is employed in fevers, as it gently promotes perspiration and throws out any eruption - a decoction of the flowers is much in use in country districts to bring out smallpox and measles, in the same manner as Saffron. Marigold flowers are in demand for children's ailments.

The leaves when chewed at first communicate a viscid sweetness, followed by a strong penetrating taste, of a saline nature. The expressed juice, which contains the greater part of this pungent matter, has been given in cases of costiveness and proved very efficacious. Snuffed up the nose it excites sneezing and a discharge of mucous from the head. 

The leaves, eaten as a salad, have been considered useful in the scrofula of children, and the acrid qualities of the plant have caused it to be recommended as an extirpator of warts. 

A yellow dye has also been extracted from the flower, by boiling.

---Preparations and Dosage---
Fluid extract, 1/4 to 1 drachm.

From Eleanour Sinclair Rohde's Old English Herbals:
undefined marygold we learn that Summe use to make theyr here yelow with the floure of this herbe, not beyng contet with the naturall colour which God hath geven the.' 

 Dodoens-Lyte (A Niewe Herball, 1578) says:

undefined hath pleasant, bright and shining yellow flowers, the which do close at the setting downe of the sunne, and do spread and open againe at the sunne rising.'

All quotes are from: http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/marigo16.html

Thinking ahead to Autumn
With the summer marigolds in full autumn like color, my mind has turned to the fall fairs that although seem far away, are not really.  It's hard to believe that autumn is just around the corner, isn't it?

Last year I made little pumpkin hats with yarn I purchased, but this year, I have decided that I will dye my own yarn for those little hats......it will be fun to see how many different shades of pumpkin,rust, orange and green I can come up with :-)
Have a great weekend!!!

Comments

[Carol]

Love the marigold pix as the "old fashioned" flowers are my favorites!! When Everett Dirkson was Speaker of the House in Congress he wanted to make marigold the national flower. Would have gotten my vote! This year the bunnies have eaten all that I planted except 1 variety. Any ideas for bunny deterents?

[Cindy D]

The pics are lovely. I didn't know the medicinal info about them.......interesting!

[Teyani]

marigolds are pure joy

[Laurie]

I love the marigold history. I don't think I'm an orange convert yet in the perennial beds, but yes in the annual department!

[DebbieB]

Orange! I love orange!

Now I have this song in my head:

"Two and two are four
Four and four are eight
Eight and eight are sixteen
Sixteen and sixteen are thirty-two

Inchworm, inchworm,
Measuring the marigolds,
You and your arithmetic,
You'll probably go far.

Inchworm, inchworm,
Measuring the marigolds
Seems to me you'd stop and see
How beautiful they are."

[Ruinwen]

I love the hues of fire in marigolds...yours are so lovely. Your autumn yarn is so yummy. You've got me thinking of pumpkin spice and blueberry tarts... :)

[PJ]

Oh, you got me now! I LOVE marigolds as well! What a wonderful post about them! Also, in the Mexican culture Marigolds are very significant in Day of the Dead...honoring their past loved ones. I shall attempt to photograh mine now!

[Beth S.]

I share your appreciation for the humble marigold! Even when I was a little kid, I loved collecting the seeds after they had finished blooming. :-)

In India, they're considered to be very auspicious flowers. We had garlands and garlands of them at our wedding!

[margene]

As a child the Marigolds were my favorite flower. They are bright, happy and ubiquitous flowers that still today bring a smile each time I see one. Thank you for such a great post and the memories it evoked.

[Carole]

Marigolds are the unsung heroes of the flower bed.

[Cheryl]

I love a bit of orange in the garden, it just perks up all the other colors. One of my favorite-ever combos was an area next to my garage at a prior house that had huge dark orange daylilies at the back, with massive amounts of lavender in front. The orange, purple, and green were just stunning.

[Manise]

I LOVE marigolds! Have you thought of incorporating marigolds into your soap making?? That would be cool! I primarily grow the Safari types that you show- butterflies love them as does the resident baby bunny. Funny I have exactly the same colors as you.

[Beth]

I love marigolds, too, but haven't planted them for a while. I need to get on that next year!

[Wool Winder]

Marigolds are easy to grow too. Why didn't I plant some this year? Friday's Flowers has me interested in gardening again. Next year my flower beds will look like they used to.