l'AIGUILLEE STUDIO

 Out on my walk the other day I met my neighbour Marguerite.

Then came across Blondie and Benny

One of them was nibbling on a very pretty pink flower with a most delicious smell–

I remembered that a friend of mine once told me that these flowers and their roots had once saved the washing day during the war. Une saponaire " herbe à savon " or soapwort in English produces detergent suds when the flowers and roots are rubbed together or bruised.



One of nature’s wonders and herbacée vivaces of great beauty. Due to the early fine weather this year they are flowering before their usual time of July and August and in this part of France.  They are plentiful mostly to be seen alongside ditches, or abandoned fields and in humid areas alongside a riverbed or small stream. This plant can be used for medicinal purposes although with caution :  as for example gargling a sore throat. But is most commonly used as a diluted concoction  for acne, eczema, herpès and skin irritations. "Prepare an infusion of 15 to 20 grammes of leaves or roots in ½ litre of water and use as a compress on the affected area."
Other than medicinal purposes these same crushed roots produce a soapy sudsy mixture once crushed and soaked and can effectively be used for washing and are particularly good for immersing fabric that needs pre-shrinking.
I gathered a few and put them in a pretty blue bowl on my table and they brought such pleasure just looking at them and smelling their sweetness