You’ve just got to love wild roses, I mean just the scent of them just drives me into a sweet frenzy. Not to mention the pink, they are just such a girlie pink, how can you not approach them when they are in bloom? Wild Roses are so abundant in Nova Scotia at this time of year. So sad that Hurricane Arthur and his associated winds have done their best to massacre those beautiful petals.
If you haven’t been out there harvesting them, then get to it!
Here’s a few of my favourite rose concoctions:
- Rose petal jelly – kind of fiddly and you use a lot of petals for not that much jelly in return but definitely worth a try at least once. It’s basically made using 3 times as much sugar as rose petals and you add the same amount of water and the juice of a lemon and heat until it becomes a delightfully fragrant syrupy goop.
- Cheat’s Rose Water (not for cooking for using as a facial toner and nicely astringent) – roughly tear up petals and fill a mason jar. Pour over distilled witch hazel OR you can use a mix of vodka and distilled water. (I use witch hazel because it’s something that I have for other things too). Shake it up and put the lid on. Leave for about 3 weeks, shaking every now and then and saying prayers that it will bring you beauty and love. (why not? it doesn’t hurt does it?)
- Rose Elixir – now this is delicious, delightful and simply amazing and I can’t take credit for it. The recipe I use came from Herbalist Kiva Rose and is around on the internet somewhere. You basically use a jar of rose petals and you fill it with 1/4 honey and 3/4 brandy. The result after a month is a sweet, smooth and very delicious deeply healing nectar. It can be used directly applied to the skin for burns, rashes, stings etc. However I use it to soothe my soul and heal my heart. For when life is a little too challenging and I need some TLC. Try it, it’s simply heaven. Would also be delicious over ice cream…
- Rose Petals for home spa – I always like to dry as many rose petals as I can at this time of year because they are so useful to throw into baths and facial steams to give my skin a treat. I use a dehydrator to dry my petals because this climate is very humid and it’s best to dry them quickly or they will not keep their colour or aroma. The extra bonus is while they are drying your room is filled with a deliciously rosey aroma.
- Rose petals in your tea – My favourite is a blend of rose petal, red clover, chamomile and oatstraw.
Well that should be enough to keep you going for now!