In praise of rosehips

The first overcast and misty day for what seems like yonks. Consequently, the temperature is back to being much more February than April.

Dried rosehips in an old wooden scale-pan.

One of my favourite herbal teas is rosehip. Last year in the autumn I was pretty hard pushed and failed to take off the rosehips, but they were still there this week when I went out to prune the roses, waiting patiently on the plants, ready dried. 


For a decent rosehip tea, crush the dried rosehips and add about two tablespoons to half a litre of boiling water, add honey to counteract the acidity. Some people vary the recipe with either crushed mint or hibiscus flowers.

I understand that rosehips are an excellent source of vitamin C, which I'm renaming 'the February vitamin', and a daily intake of rosehip powder from Rosa rugosa has been shown to reduce inflammation and pain in osteoarthritis. After all this week's garden labouring and dragging of books up the hill, I think I could do with some.