Flowers and plants are progressively being used more, especially as their ever ranging qualities start to become fully discovered and utilised. Most commonly flowers are something we buy for someone as a gift, whether it be to show affection, or to say thank you, we use flowers to show someone that we love them and hopefully make them smile.
Another of the main uses of flowers is for use within and the decoration of events and venues. In particular, weddings, flowers are traditional in weddings, they add romance to the day. Other events include birthdays, anniversaries, funerals and work events, for example.
We use flowers as decoration around our home, whether we have potted plants or freshly cut flowers in vases, we are always trying to bring a little bit of the outside, indoors with us. Not only do flowers and plants brighten up your home, they can also act as a beautiful natural air freshener and will increase the general happiness of the residents of the house.
The fragrances of various flowers and plants have inspired and have been used in the making of various perfumes, body sprays, massage oils, air fresheners and candles etc.
Flowers have also been used as medical treatments:
• Begonia: Aids in ridding the body of toxins whilst also helping to promote good circulation of the blood. Rubbing parts of the plant over burns and sores can help to ease pain and itching.
• Calendula: Helps to relieve menstruation cramping, and throat problems such as tonsillitis. It can also be applied to cancer wounds to help them to get better quicker.
• California Poppy: Is used to treat insomnia and anxiety, as well as offering relief from menstrual cramps and pains and nervous tension.
• Chrysanthemum: Making a drink using this flower helps to cure cold and flu viruses along with hypertension. Relieve eye inflammation by applying this drink over the eyeball using cotton wool, or drink the fluid to help get rid of a headache.
o Corn flower: Use cornflower essence to aid in getting rid of eye-strain or forms of conjunctivitis. The flowers stem can be used to help relieve skin problems including acne.
• Dandelion: Is often used to help treat anaemia and jaundice. Furthermore it purifies the blood and helps to reduce nervousness.
• Honeysuckle: Gargling honeysuckle can help relieve sore throats. It is effective in treating inflammatory conditions, the stem and leaves are useful to arthritis sufferers. Furthermore the flower is rich in antibacterial properties.
• Hyssop: Gargling Hyssop relieves sore throats while reducing inflammation, it also offers relief from cold, fever and influenza symptoms. Rubbing it on bumps, bruises and cuts speeds and aids the healing process.
• Nasturtium: This flower helps to cure common colds and the flu virus. It also helps the body to fight off and protect itself against infections, such as bacterial and respiratory infections, reproductive and urinary tract infections.
• Plum flowers: The plum flower helps to cure coughs and diarrhoea, and aids in keeping ulcers at bay. The vapour of this fruit can be used to repel parasites.
• Rose: Chewing the petals improves blood circulation, and can also act as an anti-depressant. Drinking tea made from its leaves is proven to clean the liver as well as cleaning the gall bladder and improving the overall functionality of your lungs.
• Sunflower: Helps to relieve pain from ulcers and menstruation, gargling sunflower drink aids in relieving sore throats and tonsillitis. Furthermore it can be used to help to treat sores that cancer sufferers often get.
• Valerian: Offers relief for sufferers of insomnia and/or anxiety. This flower can also help to get rid of the pain associated with headaches (especially tension headaches), migraines and people with rheumatic or muscular pains, and can help women suffering from menstrual pain.
• Viola: Applying this can help cure varicose veins, eczema and psoriasis. It can also help to cure coughs or throat and chest viruses such as bronchitis, as well as urinary tract infections.
• Yarrow: Applying this can help ease the discomfort of eczema and psoriasis. Yarrow can also be used to help treat a common cold and the influenza virus whilst also shifting phlegm, and can ease hay fever symptoms and symptoms mild asthmatics tend to suffer.
