Don't forget the Forget-Me-Nots

One tiny but pretty sign of spring is the arrival of the Foget-Me-Not flower (Myosotis arvensis). And here's something you may not know - the flowers are edible. 

You can just nibble on them while out for a walk. But they look fantastic in a salad or crystallised and candied on cupcakes. You can also use the flowers to make a caffeine-free tea which has a mild and grassy flavour. Or float them in your summer cocktails or inside ice cubes.

When Henry IV was in exile from England in 1398 he adopted the flower as his symbol and retained it when he returned a year later. Is that how the flower got its name? Who knows. Perhaps it is why historically Forget-Me-Nots represent faithfulness and enduring love. 

They were also known as Mouse Ears which explains the scientific name, which translates as 'Mouse Ear of the Woods'.

Forget-me-nots are a member of the Borage family of plants and are difficult to mistake for anything else being tiny, with five blue petals (although they can also appear pink or white sometimes) and a yellow 'eye' at the centre. 

And it's a great garden plant as it grows in big colourful mats, is non-toxic to pets and attracts pollinators like bees, flies, butterflies and moths. It is a caterpillar food plant too and has nectar/pollen rich flowers.