FFF132 - BORAGE

Borage (Borago officinalis), also known as a starflower, is an annual herb. It is native to the Mediterranean region and has naturalised in many other locales. It grows satisfactorily in gardens in the UK climate, remaining in the garden from year to year by self-seeding. The leaves are edible and have a cucumber-like flavour. The plant is grown in kitchen-gardens for that purpose in some parts of Europe. The plant is also commercially cultivated for borage seed oil extracted from its seeds.

Borage is used in companion planting. It is said to protect or nurse legumes, spinach, brassicas, and even strawberries. It is also said to be a good companion plant to tomatoes because it confuses the search image of the mother moths of tomato hornworms or manduca looking for a place to lay their eggs.

Traditionally Borago officinalis is used in various disorders, such as gastrointestinal (colic, cramps, diarrhoea), airways (asthma, bronchitis), cardiovascular, (cardiotonic, antihypertensive and blood purifier), urinary (diuretic and kidney/bladder disorders). In Iran people make a tea for relieve colds, flu, bronchitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and kidney inflammation. It is said to be warm in nature and alleviates symptoms that are caused by using food that is cold in nature such as cucumber and fish. People with heart problems can benefit using the borage tea, since it promotes reaching more oxygen to the heart, that’s why one should use this herb in moderate amounts.

Join me for Floral Friday Fotos by linking your flower photos below, and please leave a comment once you have done so!

FFF132

1.	Nick, Melbourne	13.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA	25.	Mama Zen	37.	ann violets
2.	NixMixPix	14.	Ranu	26.	To a phenomenal woman	38.	Synnöve
3.	My Desktop	15.	Kebo, Italy	27.	Ready to Waltz	39.	Reach Beyond Limits
4.	Andrea, Philippines	16.	rosa wunderland	28.	Orange	40.	Alexa T
5.	Maboe	17.	BirgittaB	29.	Dawn	41.	Ingmarie We/Refugium
6.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	18.	Ulla Laiho	30.	Mary, MI	42.	Frauke * Germany
7.	Gunilla	19.	LeMaPi's Blog	31.	The Rosegarden in Malevik	43.	Pretty in Pink
8.	Aletta - Nowathome	20.	Mascha	32.	Ela	44.	Hibiscus
9.	Randi, Sweden	21.	Zauberpalme	33.	Scene by Minerva	45.	Ileana
10.	Jesh StG	22.	Tina	34.	WoollyMuses	46.	Feeling Festive
11.	bettyl - New Zealand	23.	Vilt og vakkert	35.	A Student Gardener
12.	ann nz	24.	Eva	36.	HoodPhoto OR-USA

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FFF131 - DOUBLE CAPE DAISY

Osteospermum is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Calenduleae, one of the smaller tribes of the sunflower/daisy family Asteraceae. The common name is African daisy or Cape daisy. Osteospermum used to belong to the genus Dimorphotheca, but only the annual species remain in that genus now; the perennials have been placed in the genus Osteospermum. Osteospermum is also closely related to the small genus Chrysanthemoides, and the resemblance is seen in species such as C. incana and C. monilifera.

Osteospermum ‘Flowerpower Double’ are quite unusual and are currently gracing our garden. There is a wide variety of colours making for a very pretty display.

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FFF131

1.	Nick, Melbourne	13.	Debbie at Travel with Intent	25.	Dawn	37.	PaintClotheslineInLaundryRoom
2.	NixPixMix	14.	Randi, Sweden	26.	a spirit of simplicity	38.	Enerhagen
3.	My Desktop Daily	15.	genie ~ va	27.	Eva	39.	ann nz
4.	Gunilla	16.	Trini Garden	28.	Sunny Side Up!	40.	ann nz
5.	Mascha, Germany	17.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA	29.	HoodPhoto OR-USA	41.	veredit
6.	NatureFootstep Photo	18.	Sara Chapman #2	30.	Kebo	42.	veredit
7.	Tom The Backroads TravellerT	19.	Sara Chapman #3	31.	Frauke * Germany	43.	Aletta - Nowathome
8.	Ileana, Romania	20.	Sara Chapman #4	32.	Scene by Minerva	44.	A Student Gardener - tulip festival
9.	Simone, Germany	21.	Sara Chapman #5	33.	The Rosegarden in Malevik	45.	Synnöve
10.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	22.	Ranu	34.	Angie in SoCal	46.	ch-photoArt
11.	Jesh StG	23.	Vilt og vakkert	35.	Sara Chapman #6	47.	Mermaid House
12.	Anneli Finland	24.	Ulla Laiho	36.	Alexa T	48.	Gurgaon Gardener: Gazania, Treasure Flower

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FFF130 - CAMELLIA

Camellia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalayas east to Japan and Indonesia. There are 100–250 described species, with some controversy over the exact number. The genus was named by Linnaeus after the Jesuit botanist Georg Joseph Kamel, who worked in the Philippines, though he never described a camellia.

This genus is famous throughout East Asia; camellias are known as cháhuā (茶花) in Chinese, "tea flower", an apt designation, as tsubaki (椿) in Japanese, as dongbaek-kkot (동백꽃) in Korean and as hoa trà or hoa chè in Vietnamese. Of economic importance in the Indian subcontinent and Asia, leaves of C. sinensis are processed to create the popular beverage, tea. The ornamental Camellia japonica, Camellia oleifera and Camellia sasanqua and their hybrids are represented in cultivation by a large number of cultivars.

The flower below is a Camellia japonica 'Covina' variety. This is a sun tolerant camellia with an upright, spreading habit. Its medium semi-double blooms are reddish pink and appear in the winter to spring season.

Join me for Floral Friday Fotos by linking your flower photos below, and please leave a comment once you have done so!

FFF130

1.	Nick, Melbourne	13.	Randi, Sweden	25.	Vilt og vakkert	37.	LeMaPi's Blog
2.	NixPixMix	14.	Rajesh	26.	Synnöve	38.	Jim, Sydney, Australia
3.	My Desktop Daily	15.	Trini Garden	27.	Simone, Germany	39.	Al, Holland
4.	Maboe	16.	Jesh StG	28.	a spirit of simplicity	40.	The Rosegarden in Malevik
5.	rosa wunderland	17.	WoollyMuses	29.	Rhododendron & Rosemary	41.	Ingmarie We/Refugium
6.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	18.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA	30.	Simfonia florilor	42.	Zauberpalme
7.	Gunilla	19.	Sara Chapman #2	31.	Eva	43.	Arun,Jaipur,India
8.	Marit`s	20.	Sara Chapman #3	32.	Mitchell Park Domes	44.	Pinks and Lilies - promises of God
9.	NatureFootstep Photo	21.	June @ Inspired By	33.	Dawn	45.	Summer Sizzler - 4. Cosmos Sulphureus
10.	Aletta - Nowathome	22.	Ranu	34.	HoodPhoto OR-USA
11.	Ileana	23.	Frauke * Germany	35.	Scene by Minerva
12.	BirgittaB	24.	Tina	36.	_emily_rose

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FFF129 - CHRYSANTHEMUMS

Chrysanthemums have been traditionally associated with Mother's Day in Australia. Nowadays, other flowers have challenged the Chrysanthemum as the most popular flower for Mother's Day. Nevertheless, as Mother's Day in the Southern Hemisphere is an Autumn anniversary, the Chrysanthemum is in its glory. Numerous Chrysanthemum hybrids are now available in single, double, pom-pom, daisy, starburst forms and an amazing range of colours. Potted blooms are a perfect way of presenting a wonderful flower that will last a long time, to that very special and much adored person in ourlives.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

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FFF129

1.	Nick, Melbourne	11.	Ileana	21.	Ulla Laiho	31.	Visual Noteboard
2.	NixPixMix	12.	Aletta - Nowathome	22.	Frauke * Germany	32.	Zauberpalme
3.	My Desktop Daily	13.	NatureFootstep-.Magnolia	23.	WoollyMuses	33.	ann nz
4.	Gunilla	14.	NatureFootstep - Lawn daisy	24.	Tina	34.	ann nz
5.	Rajesh	15.	Jesh StG	25.	Meghana, India	35.	ann nz
6.	PaintArtworkOldBicycleBasket	16.	orchid (Japan)	26.	ch-photoArt	36.	Arun,Jaipur,India
7.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	17.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA	27.	Indigo	37.	Synnöve
8.	rosa wunderland	18.	Red dogwood tree blossoms	28.	beagleAnnie	38.	Ingmarie We/Refugium
9.	Scene by Minerva	19.	Vilt og vakkert	29.	Eva	39.	Gurgaon Gardender: Red Flower Plants for Your Gard
10.	Randi, Sweden	20.	Andrea Philippines	30.	Debbie at Travel with Intent

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FFF128 - SOUTHERN MAYDAY BOUQUET

Here in the Southern Hemisphere, May is the last month of our Autumn and the time when chrysanthemums are at their best. Our May Day bouquets therefore look like this, with lots of chryssies, statice and daisies.

Wishing you all a very Happy May Day!

Join me for Floral Friday Fotos by linking your flower photos below, and please leave a comment once you have done so!

FFF128

1.	Nick, Melbourne	11.	Jesh StG	21.	Sara Chapman #2	31.	Mama Zen
2.	NixPixMix	12.	rosa wunderland	22.	Ulla Laiho	32.	Katie Breen Allen
3.	My Desktop Daily	13.	NatureFootstep Photo	23.	Zauberpalme	33.	Bunches of Blossoms
4.	Ileana	14.	Aletta - Nowathome	24.	Frauke * Germany	34.	Tom The Backroads Traveller
5.	Andrea, Struggling Foreigner	15.	Simone, Germany	25.	Ranu	35.	Meghana
6.	genie~va	16.	orchid(Japan)	26.	bettyl - New Zealand	36.	Sara Chapman #3
7.	Alexa T	17.	Scene by Minerva	27.	WoollyMuses	37.	Vilt og vakkert
8.	Simfonia florilor	18.	Randi, Sweden	28.	a spirit of simplicity	38.	veredit
9.	Maboe	19.	Debbie at Travel with Intent	29.	My Desktop 2
10.	Gunilla	20.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA	30.	June @ Inspired By - art in nature

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