Calendula, or marigold, is an invaluable flower to any herbalist. It has soothing, healing properties, making it a great additive in salves and balms. It is also useful as a tea for various internal needs, like digestion. And, according to 17th century herbalists, nothing is better than calendula when you feel a touch of "plague and pestilence" coming on. All in all, it's pretty handy. Besides all this, it's a beautiful flower and easy to grow. So, here is an example to show you why growing and drying your own calendula is the way to go. The bowl on the right is a sample of some calendula that I received from a mail order company. On the left is calendula I dried myself last summer. And, I must confess, I have not stored it correctly (in a dark place) but instead, it has been sitting on my kitchen counter for the last nine months. The color is still beautiful and vibrant, which makes me wonder how fresh my "mail order" calendula is and how much of its bene...
life in and out of the soap studio