5 Useful and Pretty Plants

I enjoy our gardens, enjoy the act of gardening very much. Gardening is hard work but worthwhile in my opinion. Gardening provides food and medicine for our home but more than that it connects us to the rhythm of the earth and gives us beauty to appreciate. I tend to stick mostly to plants that have some kind of edible or medicinal quality but that doesn’t mean I miss out on pretty flowers. If you’re looking to grow things that are more than just a pretty face, try growing one of these 5 useful and pretty plants.

1. Calendula

This is one of my most favorite plants. Calendula comes in a range of colors and petal varieties to suit most any flower gardener’s tastes while also being immensely useful. Calendula is edible, makes for soothing body products, can treat leaky gut and much more.

2. Lavender

More than just being lovely to look at, lavender smells amazing. Lavender, too, is edible making for delightfully floral drinks, cookies, and cakes. It has anti-fungal properties which makes it an excellent ingredient in healing salves. The dried flowers are often used to treat anxiety in teas, baths and more.

3. Chamomile

Delicate and bursting with blooms, chamomile has a place in most any flower and medicinal herb garden. Most folks probably think of chamomile as a relaxing tea but its benefits go far beyond that. Chamomile can help heal wounds, help prevent gum disease and much more. Combine it with lavender for a soothing oil and moisturizing lotion.

4. Roses

Like lavender, roses smell amazing. They’re gorgeous, of course, but can also be a powerhouse of nutrition and healing. The petals can be used to make rose water and create lip balms. The hips have tons of vitamin C and fill our pantries with everything from tea to jelly and tons more.

Rose photo courtesy of Montana Homesteader.

5. Echinacea / Purple Coneflower

I would probably grow this for its beauty alone, but that purple cornflower also has such incredible immune building properties means it automatically gets a place in my gardens. Echinacea has long been used to shorten colds and help the body fight infection.

As you plan the summer garden, don’t forget useful can be pretty too. What’s your favorite useful and pretty plant?