lavender for the soul

As Rosemary is to the Spirit, so Lavender is to the Soul.   ~ annonoymous



If ever I loved my job, it is when I am harvesting lavender.  There truly is something soul-healing about quietly handling and cutting each bloom.  The fragrance alone is enough to quiet my chaotic thoughts.; add to that the beauty and touch of them and I'm in another dimension altogether.

One of my aims as a gardener, both personally and professionally, is to have beautiful and useful gardens.  Lavender is both.  Every year, I gather as much as I can.  I make lavender wands out of them to use as sachets in my closets and drawers, bundle and hang them upside down to dry, and use them for cooking (lavender and lemon cake is to die for!).    At Christmas time, I use the bundles in my decorating.  It's aromatic, natural and beautiful.  I've even made soap with it!

It's best to harvest your lavender early in the day: after the dew has dried, but before the heat of the day, this keeps the essential oils in the plant itself and causes it to retain most of its fragrance.  Also, cut them before the flowers begin to turn brown.  Make sure you leave enough stem to make the plant useful.

With the proper care, many lavenders will bloom all summer.