Double Flowering Chamomile
Chamaemelum nobile 'Flore Pleno'
The Latin name for Chamomile translates to ‘apple of the ground’
which truly describes its aromatic scent.
The fragrance is freely released when the plant is crushed to trodden underfoot.
The variety ‘Flore Pleno’ has the added bonus of sweetly scented flowers on wiry stems throughout the summer.
The flowers are creamy white and resemble small double daisy flowers.
This herb looks lovely trailing out of sink gardens and can also be planted in cracks in the paving
where there is not too much ‘traffic’ to crush the lovely flowers.
It can also be planted in the corners of chamomile lawns away from areas of main use
where it will give attractive splashes of colour each summer.
Chamomile Tea
The sweetly scented chamomile flower heads
are the part of the herb used to make a delicately flavoured herb tea.
This is the most important of all herb teas, made famous in Beatrix Potter's 'Tale of Peter Rabbit'.
The flower heads can be harvested and dried, and will retain their flavour for up to a year.
Traditional recipes call for 1 oz (25 g) of flower heads to be steeped in boiling water for 3 or 4 minutes
in a covered jug – to prevent the escape of the aromatic steam.
The resulting tea can be sweetened to taste with honey or sugar if desired.