Lavender (Lavendula) has many uses, flavoring cookies and sorbets, scenting cosmetics and perfumes, and repelling insects. Lavender attracts bees, butterflies, and birds to our gardens, helping with pollination.
Lavender has a luscious fragrance that can lift the spirits and calm the nerves.
Common lavender is often called English lavender because it grows very well in the English climate, not because its native habitat is England.
Lavender loves well drained, sweet soil in full sun just as in its native Mediterranean climate. Although the high summer humidity of Zones 5 to 7 may sometimes prevent lavender from looking its best, local gardeners have successfully grown lavender by paying attention to those three requirements: well-drained, somewhat alkaline soil, full sun, and good air circulation between plants.
Uses
For culinary use, cut lavender in full bloom for the tastiest flavor. For drying, also cut in full bloom to get the best flower color. To encourage fullness, trim lavender either after bloom in summer, or in the fall.
Both lavender foliage and flower spikes are fragrant. Lavenders that bloom a heavy first flush in June may bloom later in the summer, but not as profusely. These late flowers are still quite tasty in the culinary lavenders, but the stems are not as sturdy for making lavender wands.
Drying
To dry lavender stems, hang them upside down in bunches. The fragrant stalks and leaves dry easily for use in fragrant sachets or potpourri. Tie dried stems into bundles for the fireplace.
Favorites
Our favorites include ‘Munstead,’ ‘Grosso,’ ‘Provence,’ and more.