Everyone loves traditions, especially royal ones. This royal tradition involves love, lore, and a special herb. It’s the fragrant, delicate, Myrtle. Although not rare, this herb’s existence has been elevated to English royalty by Prince Albert’s grandmother. She once, graciously gave Queen Victoria a posy of myrtle during a visit. The Queen had a slip of that myrtle planted against a wall at her home, Osborne House. It still grows there today. When the Queen’s daughter was married, a sprig of myrtle was cut and added to her wedding bouquet. And so the tradition has continued with each bouquet and each royal bride. A true Victorian symbol, Myrtle will always be found among the typically white flowers of the royal bride’s bouquet.
Since ancient times, Myrtle has been used medicinally, for pain, fever, respiratory, and skin aliments. Hippocrates, Pliny, Dioscorides, and Galen have all praised Myrtle in their writings. Culinary uses of the berries include flavoring meats, such as Italian Mortadella sausage as well as chicken and fish dishes. The berries are also used in jams and liqueurs. Leaves of the Myrtle can be used in teas, or used to flavor other dishes much the same as Bay leaves.
Reported to sometimes dismiss some tradition, Meghan Markle will welcome the tradition of the Myrtle as she marries Prince Harry in only hours. So much has been said of the bouquet. What style and which flowers? Will it be large and flowing, or wired and petite? Roses, Lilly of the valley, Ranunculus, Peony, Sweet Peas, and Astrantia are good guesses. No matter the predictions, her wedding bouquet will include Myrtle, the Royal Osborne Myrtle, the Royal herb. And another good prediction is seeing the Myrtle included in many U.S. gardens in the near future.
HERBAL SEASONINGS 