hydrangea on my mind~

~this i want~

the name

 hydrangea

 comes from the Greek

 “hydor”

meaning water,

and

 “angos”

 meaning jar or vessel

This roughly translates to

“water barrel”

 referring to the hydrangea’s need for plenty of water

 and

 its cup-shaped flower

symbolic meaning

some connect it to

 vanity and boastfulness

 {reflecting its abundance of petals and lavish, rounded shape}

others suggesting

that a

 bouquet of hydrangea

expresses the giver’s gratefulness

for the recipient’s understanding

Still

others suggest

 it represents

anything that’s sincerely heartfelt

Despite this variation in flower meaning,

there appears to be an overwhelming consensus

that this

 4th wedding anniversary flower

possesses

 enduring grace and beauty

HYDRANGEA

Thank You for Understanding

According to a

 Japanese legend,

a proud emperor used a bouquet of hydrangeas

as an apology

 to the family of a girl

with whom he was in love.

 Ever after,

the flowers have served as a representation

 of heartfelt feelings, whether of joy or sadness

says the website Flower-Choice.com.

Read more: What Is the Meaning of Hydrangeas?

eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_5931094_meaning-hydrangeas_.html#ixzz0vSHHs8ra

Hydrangea Tea Benefits

 have been well-known, especially to native Americans,

 as being especially potent on kidney and bladder problems.

 Hydrangea has known antiseptic,

tonic and diuretic properties

Among the active constituents of the hydrangea root are:

calcium, chromium, cobalt, kaempferol, magnesium,

manganese, phosphorous, potassium, quercetin, rutin,

selenium, silicon, sodium, tin and zinc.

 Long-term use of hydrangea tea

is not recommended.

Hydrangeas are moderately toxic if eaten,

with all parts of the plant containing cyanogenic glycosides.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrangea

Teas, syrups and extracts are often used

 to derive the health benefits of the hydrangea root.

Hydrangea tea is typically made by

 pouring 1 teaspoon of dried hydrangea root

 into 1 cup of boiling water.

 Cover the mix and steep for 3 to 5 minutes

In Japan, ama-cha, meaning sweet tea, is another herbal tea made from Hydrangea serrata, whose leaves contain a substance that develops a sweet taste (phyllodulcin).

For the fullest taste, fresh leaves are crumpled, steamed, and dried, yielding dark brown tea leaves.

Ama-cha is mainly used for kan-butsu-e (the Buddha bathing ceremony) on April 8 every year—the day thought to be Buddha's birthday in Japan. Ama-cha is poured over a statue of Buddha in the ceremony and served to people in attendance. A legend has it that on the day Buddha was born, nine dragons poured Amrita over him; ama-cha is substituted for Amrita in Japan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrangea

Among the health benefits attributed to hydrangea tea are the following:

Hydrangea Tea facilitates the dissolution and expulsion of small stones, called gravel, from the kidneys. Furthermore, hydrangea tea also relieves the pain associated with such expulsion.

Hydrangea Tea may help reduce the formation of urinary stones.

Hydrangea Tea may help fight against inflammation of the urethra and the prostate.

Hydrangea Tea may help fight gout.

Hydrangea Tea may help fight rheumatoid arthritis.

Hydrangea Tea may help fight cystitis.

Hydrangea Tea may be of help in countering malaria.

http://www.teabenefits.com/herbal-tea-benefits/hydrangea-tea-benefits.html

Air Drying Hydrangeas

Timing is the key to successful air drying of hydrangeas.

 It is best to leave the flowerheads on the shrub

 until late summer or early fall,

when the petals begin to dry out on their own.

After cutting, you can finish the drying process by arranging the stems in a tall vase (without water)

or hanging them upside down to air dry
http://www.allfreecrafts.com/nature/dry-hydrangeas.shtml

Figs stuffed with goat cheese

As it happened, there weren’t any fresh grape leaves to be found in my backyard,

 so I improvised with

 hydrangea leaves

http://familystylefood.com/2007/09/figs-stuffed-with-goat-cheese/

i have mixed feeling about this post

the more i read

the more confused i got

in all honesty

i can not tell you if these recipes are

TOXIC OR NOT

some say you can make tea and eat the leaves

and

other sights say

 POISONOUS

if you know or have tried

i would love to hear more information about this

please consult with someone prior to trying these