Dandelion Botanical Necklace

cultivator. DANDELION (taraxacum) origin: Europe and America edible notes: Whole plant edible, roots powdered, leaf bitter, flower sweet with bitter bracts nutrition: Vitamins C, beta carotene, calcium and iron in season: All year medicinal use: Health tonic for liver and digestion, diuretic “Mama, Mama! Make a wish!” And I do. I am never bored by this enchanting act, and in its simplicity, I have faith in the fruition of each wish… The golden dandelion has endured for centuries. It was originally brought to the American colonies by the English – intentionally – for its medicinal and culinary use. There was a time when grass was cleared for this honoured migrant, but now the opposite is true. Dandelions have been used all over the world in a plethora of remedies and recipes, and have only recently been dismissed as a weed. We love sautéing the bitter greens with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper – it makes a lovely and healthy snack. Tossing the petals of the dandelion into a salad always renders a treasure hunt. Dandelion recipes and uses are as numerous as the rolly-polly bugs in our garden. The more I research, and the more I eat, the more I become suspicious of this word ‘weed.’