I love the vivid blue of the flowers on this Comfrey plant. The colour is strangely exotic for a native wildflower, yet the tiny bell-like blooms give the plant the appearance of a typically English cottage garden plant. Comfrey likes to grow on riverbanks and other damp, grassy spots, and is abundant at this time of year. You're likely to see a range of different hues, ranging from the deepest pink to a soft mauve, right through to this stiking cobalt shade.
As well as being very attractive, Comfrey is also an extremely useful plant. For centuries, it has been used for medicinal purposes and, when applied topically in ointment form, is said to speed up the healing of broken bones, sprains, fractures and bruises. This explains why it is sometimes referred to as 'Knitbone'.
It's also an excellent fertiliser for the organic gardener. 'Comfrey tea' is made by rotting the leaves down in rainwater for a month or more. I dilute the resulting liquid (at a ratio of 15 parts water to one part Comfrey tea) and use it to fertilise my tomatoes, although it's great for all fruit and vegetable plants, and even your hanging baskets, pots and tubs. Comfrey can also be added to your compost bin to add extra nitrogen and speed up the composting process.
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