Lavender fields have become an Instagram staple, but they’re also an invaluable source of essential oil. Lavender makes for an eye-catching addition to wedding bouquets and other arrangements.
Ideal for gardens and containers, sow seeds indoors six weeks before the last frost, then transplant out in cool weather after six weeks. Succession plants them to stagger harvests; pinching is not necessary.
Fragrance
Lavender is well known for its sweet, gentle fragrance that helps ease tension and anxiety. Lavender boasts an intoxicating scent reminiscent of pine or sage and can also be enjoyed through candles, room sprays, or potpourirs.
Lavender stock flowers make an exquisite addition to bouquets and wedding work, boasting delicate, ruffled blossoms that rise tall, leafy stems with each bloom. Their long petals create unique textures and movement in floral arrangements; pair it with hydrangeas and garden roses for romantic Victorian designs, or use it in bouquets with delicate peonies and lilies for floral designs with movement. Color variations for these filler flowers range from soft whites and lavender hues up to bold hot pinks and purple shades!
This aromatic flower can be found flourishing along the Pacific coast fields, where its performance thrives in cooler temperatures. Grown locally and certified American Grown, its graceful beauty and tantalizing fragrance are sure to enchant.
Tall spikes of fragrant flowers will fill your garden with an irresistibly subtle fragrance, making this plant ideal for bouquets and wedding projects. As half of its blooms will likely be double, you should sow twice as many seeds to encourage this. To promote double flowers further, pinch off one bud after planting to force further production from secondary buds.
Nature’s Garden Lavender Fragrance Oil captures the classic, soothing fragrance of this popular herb in a concentrated form. It contains top notes such as Italian bergamot, eucalyptus leaves, and citrus zest; middle notes including lavender, lily of the valley, and clary sage; as well as base notes like Nordic pine needles, cool camphor, and clove buds for maximum enjoyment!
Our Lavender Fragrance Oil is a high-grade essential oil designed for use in candles, soaps, and other personal care products. Phthalate-free and compliant with International Fragrance Association Cold Process safety standards – you’re sure to find plenty of uses!
Color
Lavender is a light shade of purple or violet that takes its name from both its inner petals (calyx) and outer petals (corolla). When in full bloom, its beauty takes your breath away: vibrant petals dance in the breeze while its scent fills your senses.
Lavender plants produce both single and double flowers that can quickly be grown as cut flowers or container plants. Lavender thrives best in cooler temperatures with limited sunlight.
Incorporation of lavender into spiritual practice can foster love and intimacy between lovers, heal the heart, and promote a calm state of mind.
Lavender, a perennial herb with silvery gray leaves and fragrant, spiked flowers at its tip, can be used medicinally and extracted to produce oil for use as natural perfume or in scented soaps and cosmetics.
Some varieties of lavender produce vibrant pink or bluish-purple blooms that make beautiful fresh bouquets or arrangements, while other lavenders are known for their intense fragrance – often having abundant flower spikes that add a stunning accent to gardens or containers. Lavandula x intermedia ‘Little Lottie’ is an example of such a fragrant variety; this small, compact English variety grows well in containers or rockeries while blooming from late spring into early summer.
Lavandula x intermedia ‘Miss Katherine’ is an outstanding pink lavender variety. Perfect for rockeries and cut flower arrangements alike, Miss Katherine produces fragrant bloom spikes that add beauty and scent to gardens or decorative containers alike.
Lavandula x intermedia ‘Grosso’ is an exceptionally robust lavender variety known for producing abundant dark violet-colored blooms that make this variety perfect for creating wands and sachets. Dried flowers retain their fragrance and color well, making this variety ideal for cutting to add beautiful accents to bouquets or fresh floral arrangements.
History
Lavender has long been used for decorative and healing purposes throughout its long history, from decorative purposes to using it as medicine. From royalty to commoners alike, lavender cultivation has taken place for over 2500 years in both the Mediterranean and Middle East regions. Lavender derives its name from the Latin lavare, or “wash,” as used in therapeutic baths. Queen Sheba gave spikenard (the botanical name of lavender) as one of King Solomon’s gifts in exchange for gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Romans loved using lavender in their cuisine, adding its leaves and flowers to soups, stews, baked goods, and meat dishes; Cleopatra was said to use lavender oil as a seduction technique against both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, while early medieval people hung bunches of lavender on doors as protection from evil spirits. In the 16th century, lavender was used as an aid for sleep and as a disinfectant in sick rooms. Additionally, it was placed on pillowcases to facilitate sleeping and used as an insecticide in linen closets, used in perfumery and potpourri making, furniture polishing, and scenting muslin bags to protect clothing from moths – with smaller bags often carried as love charms in women’s cleavages.
Lavender remains one of the most versatile herbs. Lavender essential oil can be used in aromatherapy to treat anxiety, insomnia, and depression; bathed into tired muscles to ease headaches and tension; applied topically as cream on burns or cuts for pain relief; and even used against migraines and sinusitis.
Most commercial lavender plants are grown for essential oil production and cut flower use, with two cultivars being particularly popular: Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) and English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). Both produce high yields of essential oil but differ in terms of their flower characteristics; for instance, Lavandin varieties have the highest concentration but tend to dry into gray hues, while English lavender varieties exhibit more blue tones when dried out. Lavandin varieties also show more excellent resistance to adverse conditions like drought or poor soil than English varieties do, as Lavandin cultivars can withstand harsher climate conditions as well as weather extremes compared with English varieties, which bloom more blue shades when dried out compared with their counterparts l.
Uses
Lavender’s sweet floral fragrance adds an exquisite note to various dishes. Both its buds and leaves can be used fresh or dried when cooking; when harvested at an ideal time and quality source, these buds can even be distilled to produce essential oil with culinary uses ranging from sweet floral desserts to heartier meat dishes.
Lavender flowers have long been prized as crafting and decorative pieces, both culinary and otherwise. Lavender blooms can be used to prepare fragrant sachets and potpourris while also being frequently utilized in floral arrangements and centerpieces alongside more fragrant flowers like roses or lilies.
Culinary lavender can be easily purchased at supermarkets and specialty spice shops, and homegrown culinary lavender is also an easy process. When shopping for culinary lavender, look for bunches with vibrant purple buds that exude a strong aroma. Avoid purchasing dried-out blooms that appear gray or brown, as these may have lost their scent and potency.
Lavender herb is most often used to flavor food dishes, though other uses for its ingredients exist as well. Lavender syrup is a popular choice as a subtle way to add lavender flavors to drinks and baked goods; alternatively, it can also be used in marinades, salad dressings, and other liquid concoctions.
When using lavender herbs, it’s essential to remember that less is more. Dried lavender is approximately three times stronger than its fresh counterpart and could easily overwhelm a dish if used too generously. When selecting an appropriate amount, keep the following in mind: the recipe’s desired texture and the amount of liquid present.
Lavender can offer many health advantages beyond its culinary uses, from its anti-inflammatory and soothing effects on digestion to relieving insomnia, anxiety, and stress. Furthermore, its abundance of calcium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin C may support cardiovascular health, while topically applied or inhaled use can enhance immunity while decreasing inflammation.
