Not everyone loves or even likes lavender. It has a strong smell that lasts a long time, and it just doesn't suit everyone's olfactory palate. Blending lavender with other botanicals can tone it down enough to make friends with those who don't like it as a stand alone fragrance.
Lavender has been around for over 2500 years and is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean area. Lavender oil is extracted from the plant through a distillation process. The oil has been and continues to be used medicinally and also for therapeutic purposes. The scent of lavender is used as a sleep and relaxation aid. Lavender is even used in cooking.
I started growing lavender many years ago. I grow munstead and hidcote, both of which are types of English lavender. Both grow well with little care. Both have a strong fragrance...great for potpourri. Hidcote has darker flowers. Lavender is ready to harvest in late June or July. You may also get a very small harvest later in the summer. Lavender needs to be pruned. It is very forgiving and can be pruned any time after flowering up until mid spring of the following year. I prune my plants in early spring. Flowers develop on new growth. Pruning helps to keep woody growth under control.
I used to dry my lavender on lines that my husband had strung up in the basement from the exposed floor joists. With this method, you use an elastic band to hold bunches of lavender together and then you hang them over the line. It takes about two to four weeks for the lavender to dry. As I gradually accumulated more lavender plants, I ran out of room and was unable to dry my full harvest on the lines. I bought a food dehydrator and have never looked back. In the dehydrator, lavender will dry in under a day.
I use my dried lavender primarily for potpourri and sachets. There are lots of things that you can do with lavender. Lavender cookies are yummy. I made a very tasty lavender jelly this past summer. I’m hesitant to make lavender body scrubs because I’m somewhat concerned about sending the lavender buds down the drain and through the plumbing system. I absolutely love my lavender eye pillow. Lavender lemonade sounds delicious and I will try that next summer.
Lavender is truly amazing. If you’ve got a garden, why not plant some lavender and get some lavender love of your own? You'll be happy that you did!
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