Roses: Beautiful, Fragrant and Great for Your Health

Currently the wild roses are in full bloom here on Vancouver Island; they are so beautiful and so fragrant! All roses are beneficial but I feel more drawn to these wild beauties that show us their color for such a short time. It really depends on the weather here, sometimes it seems they only bloom for a week before the rains come and their petals fall to the ground, sometimes it is so hot and and the winds carry them away, and on occassion they seem to last a little longer. I will be out all week carefully harvesting the petals of those roses that seem ready to give up their flowers and the petals that are laying around the bush that are still in great condition. I also really hate to take away any food the bumble bees are enjoying :)

These petals are womderful in a tea, traditional tincture, or you can add them to a bottle of white wine for a beautiful medicinal beverage. Rose is a mild nerve tonic and sedative working gently to calm the body and mind. Rose is a mild anti-depressant. It is an anti-inflamatory helping most specifically with achey muscles, headaches and uterine cramps. It is also a blood purifyer and helps to promote bile flow for liver and gall bladder and also helps to releive fluid retention and waste removal via the kidneys. It has been known to have a laxative effect on some people. It also helps to re-etablish good healthy flora in the intestines and has a cooling effect on the body.

Energetically Rose is great for clearing and balancing the Heart Chakra.

In the fall you can harvest the Rose Hips which are high in Vitamin C and Bioflavinoids. They are great for the immune system, help to fight infections and are a great prevention for stress and cancer. They are also great for the skin but we will learn more about the hips in the fall when its time to harvest.