Boots and Bog Myrtle • Orkney Crofts - The best self-catering accommodation in Orkney.

Boots PLC has plans to launch a range of products using essential oil extracted from bog myrtle as one of the main ingredients. However, to achieve this aim, there needs to be a ready supply of bog myrtle. Luckily for Boots, two institutions have provided grants to research how to cultivate the plant on a commercial basis. The companies, the Agronomy Institute on Orkney, part of the University of the Highlands, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) grants will be to the tune of £94,000 and £201,000 respectively.

The trial products made by Boots were said to have been a success with consumers. Boots new line of products will refer to bog myrtle as Sweet Gale which is expected to better appeal to consumers.