How to Use Honeysuckle

Do you remember eating honeysuckles as a kid? The memories are always trilling. But, there are many flower offers than just the sweet taste. It is perfect for boosting health. The seeds, flowers, and leaves are a great source of wellness. In this article, we will discuss the uses of honeysuckles, as well as their potential health benefits.

Uses of Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle can be used for different purposes as follows.

• Honeysuckle helps with upper respiratory tract infections.

• Honeysuckle helps to reduce headaches and fever.

• It helps with viral as well as bacterial infections.

• Honeysuckle helps with the digestion of disorders. 

• It helps to reduce pain and inflammation of the small intestine.

• It helps with the rectifying urinary disorder.

• Honeysuckle helps with diabetes.

• It helps with arthritis.

What Is Honeysuckle?

It is common to find honeysuckles in garden plants with fragrant flowers. All over the world, hundreds of species grow, especially in climates temperature. The honeysuckle plants are of the genus Lonicera of the Caprifoliaceae. 

Honeysuckles have a charming aroma. It is always lovely when you whiff honeysuckle. You will be amazed that you can get many health benefits from honeysuckle. You can even make recipes from these flowers. Let’s find out:

Health Benefits Of Honeysuckle

1. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties:

Not all of the honeysuckle is consumable. However, there are edible berries, and studies have reviewed that they have impressive and powerful health properties. And those that it is their first time are outstanding in fighting disease antioxidants.

2. Immune boosting and antiviral properties:

Lonicera Japonica is known as the Japanese honeysuckle, popularly used as a Traditional Chinese Medicine. The colour is yellow, white flowers and berries that are black. The research took place during 2018 that shows the demonstration of honeysuckles berries that enhance immune system function. 

The berries have a natural way of stopping the activity that kills cells known as NK cells, which is a kind of white blood cell, and it has the power to destroy viruses and tumour cells. It acts as an immunomodulatory agent for immunosuppressed mice subjects. 

3. Natural scent:

There is a natural perfume scent that comes out of honeysuckles. Although it is not easy to get a honeysuckles essential oil that is pure, if you are fortunate to get one, you can turn it into a unique personal scent mixed with a carrier oil but of little quantity. It also helps for the diffuser, bath, and linen sprays.

4. Oral health support:

Honeysuckles are sometimes one of the ingredients in natural gargles. To make a mouthwash at home just combine 2 cups of boiled water and a half cup of fresh leaves of honeysuckles. After boiling the two together, lower the temperature and simmer for 5 minutes. Leave the mixture to completely cool down before putting it into your mouth.

5. Diabetes support:

Honeysuckles can help people with type 2 diabetes. Lonicera Japonica was used to test diabetic rats for four weeks with a dose of 100mg/kg. The result of the treatment came out after four weeks, and it was discovered to help reduce high blood glucose levels and resistance of insulin concerning the animal subjects. 

Therefore, the results show how honeysuckles are effective in reducing type 2 diabetic rats.

Honeysuckles are lovely flowers naturally good for medical purposes, as listed above. Therefore, it is suitable for perfume oil and vital in rectifying health issues. You can check out natural health brands to get more details about flower remedies. Start by trying Bach Flower Remedies’ Honeysuckle Flower Essence.

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Photo by Madison Inouye from Pexels

How Do You Select Flowers for Your Garden?

It’s almost National Gardening Week (June 6-12)! The presence of garden flowers helps in making your home beautiful. That's why I love planting a flower bed. You should make use of these tips. They would help you create your very own extraordinary spring landscape. 

What the Best Designs Include

The best flower bed designs include lots of flowering plants. These include annuals, perennials, seasonal bulbs, and vines too. Before you get started officially, you can adequately research the textures and colors you prefer. You should also check for climate limitations and special care they may need. These are all important for your flowers to grow very well, and for them to look beautiful too as they grow. 

After choosing your flower garden’s size, shape, and design, it is now time for you to put your plant research into action. It would be best if you also thought about adding gorgeous show stopping plants to increase your home’s curbside appeal. These plants have fantastic color combinations. They look awesome all through the year with epic flower sizes and colors as great focal points. 

All garden beds, it does not matter how small or big, require focal points, which give the garden a personality. This could mean that you could anchor your large bed using shrubs on the corners. You could put a flowering shrub in the center. You could also plant a mass of a single flower type in between a skinny border. 

Don't forget about the height of the plants when you make your selections. If you have a garden that's a border along your house, the plants would need to be toward the back. They should not be so high, though. If they are relatively high, they will end up blocking your doors and windows. If you have tall plants, they should stay in the middle part. Make sure you take flowers individually into consideration as you organize and select flowers for your beautiful garden. 

Select Flowers for Your Garden 

Have you ever heard of the queen of the night?

Growing up, we didn't have a garden in our home. But my Dad loves flowers, so he got us some queen of the night plants and planted them around our place. At night, they release this grand aroma. This made us enjoy sitting outside the porch with him. We would stay outside, and he would give us tales about these lovely flowers. 

Too bad I'll have to be ending this piece here. It's nice for you to plant great flowers in your garden. Keep that place alive and well! 

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Photo by Ruslan Keba on Unsplash 

The Best Flowers for Spring Weddings

There are many reasons that spring is the most popular season for weddings. The weather is perfect (warm, but not yet hot) and the leaves are green and flowering. Springtime brings the year’s most colorful blossoms, making for gorgeous bouquets and picturesque photo opportunities. If you’re planning one of these spring weddings, you’ll want to select blossoms that highlight the beauty of the season.

Keep reading for some of our favorite flowers for spring weddings, designed to help you select the perfect flowers for your upcoming nuptials.

8 Perfect Spring Flowers

Ranunculus

Ranunculus blossoms lend a delicate, vintage look to any bouquet or tablescape. These perennials are frost-hardy, making them an ideal springtime blossom. Ranunculus are a versatile choice for any bride and come in a variety of colors including pink, peach, yellow, red, white, and more.

Garden Roses

These delicate blooms are a classic choice for spring weddings. Garden rose blossoms, which include the vintage looking cabbage rose, are often large and layered, providing a splash of color and texture for any arrangement.

Peonies

Peony blossoms are large and brightly colored, giving you a lot of bang for your buck – a perfect choice for the budget-conscious bride. In fact, if you’re considering a DIY bouquet, check with friends and family, they may have a prolific peony bush in their backyards.

Sweet Pea

If you’re looking to add height and color to your centerpieces or bouquets, sweet peas are a fantastic choice. These blossoms come in a variety of colors including blue, scarlet, yellow, white, pink, and more.

Tulips

There is nothing that says spring quite like a bouquet of tulips, which are equally as beautiful on their own as in an arrangement. Tulips come in almost every color and range from classic to unique, offering a variety of contrast and texture.

Daffodils

You can’t leave home in the spring without being delighted by daffodils. These popular, yellow and white blossoms are easy to come by when in season and add a buttery richness to spring weddings. If you’re looking to do your own flowers, check to see when daffodils bloom in your area, you may be able to snag some at a great price from a local grower.

Hyacinth

If you’re looking to fill out a bouquet with texture and color, Hyacinth are a great choice for spring weddings. Hyacinth are actually a dense cluster of small flowers which provide amazing fragrance and dimension. These flowers are available in early spring and bloom in white, pink, yellow, purple, and blue.

Anemone

With the contrasting dark center and light petals, Anemone provide beautiful detail to any floral arrangement. There are more than 200 species of anemone to choose from, many of which offer unique color and texture for your wedding flowers.

Selecting Flowers for Spring Weddings

When it comes to planning your wedding flowers, start with your colors and wedding style. Modern weddings need flowers that fit the theme, while vintage brides may want to select heirloom blossoms. Whether you’re doing your own flowers or working with a florist, you need to always be mindful of your budget. Be sure to put your most stunning flowers front and center, in places like the bride’s bouquet and groom's boutonniere. If possible, reuse your ceremony flowers at your reception venue to enjoy each blossom to the fullest.

What flowers are you looking to use for your spring wedding? Share your plans and favorites with us in the comments section below.

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Photo by Alisa Anton on Unsplash

Best Spring Flowers to Beautify Your Garden

Spring is upon us, which means soon we will all be flocking to our local garden center to add a little color to our patios, decks and gardens. At any given store or greenhouse, there are hundreds of flower to choose from, but not every plant will be right for the spot you have in mind. Before you go out and drop some dollars you need to do your homework and have a good understanding of what your needs and growing conditions are.

Jot down the answers to the following questions:

●      What is your growing zone?

●      Are you selecting plants for shady or sunny spots?

●      Do you want to invest in plants that will come back every year with proper care or do you want a splash of color now?

●      Consider sketching out an idea or blueprint of what you’ll want your garden to look like when mature. This will help you invest wisely to reach your desired results.

Knowing what you want can save you a lot of time, sweat and money over time, but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Keep reading to learn more about the best spring flowers to meet your gardening and landscaping needs and dreams.

Spring Flowers: Annuals Vs. Perennials

There are two main types of flowers; annuals and perennials. Annuals only last for one growing season so you’ll need to refill that spot every spring. Perennials, on the other hand, return year after year with the proper care.

Easy to Grow Annuals

Snapdragons, pansies, violas, and dianthus are all easy to find and easy to care for spring annuals. They’ll add color to garden beds and container gardens and will thrive until temps truly warm up.

Easy to Grow Perennials

Daisies, clematis, and irises are all popular spring perennials that will bring color to your growing spaces year after year. Of course, each plant comes with it’s own set of rules and zone regulations, so do your research before selecting your perfect match.

Bulbs

Some of the most popular spring flowers are bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinth. These flowers pop up every spring in neighborhoods across the globe, signalling the official end of winter. You may be thinking, you’d like a bit of this spring color in your yard this year. Here’s the problem: you have to plant bulbs in the fall to reap their spring benefits. If you know you want them next spring, add them to your fall calendar now so you won’t forget.

Shade Vs. Sun

A Few Sunny Spring Flowers

The sunnier spots in your yard can be considered prime real-estate for vibrant, colorful blossoms. Peonies, ameria, and geraniums are all relatively easy to grow, full-sun flowers  which come back year after year to add color and whimsy to your garden.

A Few Shady Spring Flowers

No two yards or gardens are the same and while some spots in your yard offer hours of daily sun, others are shadier and closer to your home or treeline. Primrose, bleeding heart, and creeping phlox are all shade plants which may do well in garden beds which offer only part sun. When well cared for, these flowers will bloom all spring and potentially into the summer. 

What are your favorite spring flowers to plant or care for each year? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

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