Sunshiny Forsythia

Don't you just adore these little sunny blooms?! They look like fairy skirts to me! Dancing a riotous dance with all of their shrub partners. Just can't help but smile & warm the heart.

I love the bright, cheery yellow Forsythia in early Spring. Many times it is the only color popping out at it's peak time, at least in our yard. They come during the in-between of the earliest bulbs like hyacinth, crocus, daffodil and the slightly later "wilds" of dandelion, violet, chickweed, henbit & purple dead nettle. Our forsythia is just outside our kitchen window in our pollinator/bird garden, so we get to watch all sorts of activity around it & enjoy the pop of cheery sunshine right out our window during meals. The color of forsythia on dreary Spring days never fails to lift my spirits, a great reminder that better days are to come!

Edible uses: Forsythia infused honey or an infused simple syrup is a delicious add to tea or drizzled over ice cream, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, scones. Infused vinegar is a tasty way to add a pop to your salad or sub-sandwich. Snacking on the fresh blooms will put some sparkle in your saunter around your yard or hike. And of course, the jelly! Forsythia has a light, delicate honey-like flavor so it pairs best with light, mild flavored breads/treats.

Don't let the delicate flowers fool you, they're also surprisingly sturdy! Other than wonderfully tasty treats, forsythia is an amazing anti-viral to add to your home apothecary, great for skin issues in products like facial washes, toners & to help with oily, acne prone skin, just to name a few. I've also made a lovely flower essence with it that is marvelous for boosting your mood when you're feeling just a bit down & need some sunshine.