Calendula officinalis (Pot Marigold or Poet's Marigold)

If you don't have this wonderful herb growing in your garden, I highly advise you plant some seeds in your garden next year. It tolerates poor soil and will come back every year because it reseeds like crazy. The petals and stems are edible; they make a pretty garnish to a salad but taste a tad bitter. We grow calendula not because it's edible but because of its medicinal value. Herbalists use it for many ailments, too many to list here, but my favorite use of calendula is for the skin. You can use it as a local topical application to boost the healing rate and prevent infection on a wound or other skin conditions. Calendula is also fantastic for chapped and dry skin.

How to make a calendula infusion:

Fauna, my little apprentice, made this calendula infusion. She "popped the tops" from the calendula plants in the garden, put them in a glass jar, and poured grapeseed oil in the jar until all of the tops were submerged. Should you not have grapeseed oil on hand, almond, sesame and olive oil are all good carriers for infusions.

She locked up the lid and admired her calendula infusion. Now to let it steep for 1-2 weeks. Give it a shake periodically; when it starts getting really cloudy it is time to strain out the flowers.

After straining Fauna will have a wonderful healing oil ready to do its healing magic . She can mix the oil with lotion for dry skin or make an ointment or salve using beeswax.

From Shakespeare's Winter's Tale:
'The Marigold that goes to bed wi' th' sun,
And with him rises weeping.'