Historical Horticulture...

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29767, 9 March 1962, Page 6

Historical Horticulture...

In early days it was the custom to prepare a red dye, used for cosmetic purposes, from the roots of one of the anchusas, A. tinctoria. It was used until quite late in the last century, and a book of 1829 says that the rouge made from the roots of this plant lasts some days without rubbing off. Thomas Lupton’s “A thousand notable things.” published in 1579, is not very gentlemanly about the subject, however, for he says. “If one that hath eaten garlic breathe on the face of a woman that is painted, the colour will vanish away straight. If not painted, then her colour remains as it did before.” The cad! Most gardeners who have a display of bedding plants have specimens of the goldenleaved “Golden feather” among their edging plants. The remedial properties of this plant may be worth remembering! Parkinson, in 1629. says it is a "special remedy for those that have taken opium too freely . . . In Italy some eat the single kind amongst green herbes . . but especially fried with eggs”! Gerard (1597) says it is “very good for them that are giddie in the head, or which have the turning called vertigo . . . also it be good for such as be melancholike. sad, pessive. or without speech”! So take a few leaves in your pocket the next time you climb a- ladder to make a speech!