Llawenlys

Llawenlys ~ Herb of gladness - Borage

"Ego Borago, Gaudia semper ago (I, Borage, bring always joys)"

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Mae ffotograffiaeth yn arwain fi yn arwain i bob cyfeiriad.  Pan rydw i'n ffotograff planhigyn, rydw i eisiau gwybod ei enw yn Saesneg, Ladin ac wrth gwrs Cymraeg.  Mae ei enw yn arwain at ystyr, hanes a rhinweddau.  Yn Saesneg mae hon yn 'Borage' neu 'starflower', yn Lladin mae'n Borago officinalis. Yn Gymraeg mae llawer o enwau gyda fe 'tafod yr ych',
'tafod y fuwch', 'y ddidrist', 'glesyn', 'bronwerth' a 'llawenlys'.

Yr ystyr Llawenlys yw 'perlysiau llawenydd' oherwydd yn bwyta'r blodau yn gwneud y meddwl yn llawen.

'Those of our time do use the flowers in salads to exhilerate
and make the mind glad. There be also many things made
of these used everywhere for the comfort of the heart, for
the driving away of sorrow and increasing the joy of the mind.
The leaves and flowers of Borage put into wine make men
and women glad and merry and drive away all sadness,
dullness and melancholy, as Dioscorides and Pliny affirm.
Syrup made of the flowers of Borage comfort the heart,
purge melancholy and quiet the frantic and lunatic person.
The leaves eaten raw engender good blood, especially in
those that have been lately sick'
-- John Gerard, 'Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes', 1597.

Mae Llawenlys hon wedi plannu ei hun mewn bwlch yn y rhwng slabiau patio.  Rydyn ni'n gobeithio y gallwn ni ei dyfu mewn man arall hefyd.

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Photography leads me in all directions. When I photograph a plant, I want to know its name in English, Latin and of course Welsh. Its name gives rise to meaning, history and qualities. In English this is 'Borage' or 'starflower', in Latin it is Borago officinalis. In Welsh it has many names 'Ox tongue', 'cow's tongue', 'cheerful', 'blue', 'breast-worth' and 'herb of gladness'.

Llawenllys means 'herb of joy' because eating the flowers makes the mind joyful.

'Those of our time do use the flowers in salads to exhilerate
and make the mind glad. There be also many things made
of these used everywhere for the comfort of the heart, for
the driving away of sorrow and increasing the joy of the mind.
The leaves and flowers of Borage put into wine make men
and women glad and merry and drive away all sadness,
dullness and melancholy, as Dioscorides and Pliny affirm.
Syrup made of the flowers of Borage comfort the heart,
purge melancholy and quiet the frantic and lunatic person.
The leaves eaten raw engender good blood, especially in
those that have been lately sick'

-- John Gerard, 'Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes', 1597.

This Borage has planted itself in a gap in the between patio slabs. We hope that we can grow it elsewhere too.