Wednesday, September 21, 2011

The Lure of Lavender

“The air was fragrant with a thousand trodden aromatic herbs, with fields of lavender” -William Cullen Bryant

If I had to choose just one indispensable plant for both garden and home (which, thankfully, I don’t) it would have to be lavender.  Outdoors, it adds beauty and fragrance to the garden over a long season and its semi-evergreen foliage provides winter interest in our cold climate.  Like many aromatic flowering plants, it attracts bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects. Of the several varieties I’ve grown, I especially like Lavendula angustifolia ‘Hidcote Pink’.  I found it very easy to start from a small potted plant and it has grown to a respectable size over the past two years.  It is cold hardy to US Zone 6.

Inside the home, I’ve used lavender, either dried or the essential oil, for more projects than any other plant.  Here are some the things I’ve made from lavender:
  • Sachets – for drawers and pillows
  • Laundry items – fabric softener and dryer sachets
  • Carpet freshener
  • Drain cleaner
  • Soap
  • Bath salts and bath teas
In future posts, I will share details and instructions for some of these items.

You can use lavender for culinary purposes, too, but so far I haven’t tried that. It would be interesting to hear from those who have.

1 comment:

  1. One of my favorites too. I have Mumstead and I like that it's also evergreen here.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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