The name lavendula is from the latin lavare, to wash.
I smelt some lavender yesterday and thought ahhhhhh Lavender I have not written an opinion on you yet. So I have settled down to write one.
Lavender is an herb I have strong childhood memories of. My parents live in a thatched cottage a semi attached to my grandparents who are now dead the garden was combined and we had a row of about 10 lavender plants they were under the washing line. I hadn't thought about it till recent years, but I suspect my granddad planted them there to scent the washing as it was drying. As a child (40 years ago) I remember picking the lavender and putting it in the airing cupboardwrapped up in a pillowcase to dry. When it had dried and the flowers fell of the stalks, my mother would sew little bags and we would stuff them with lavender. Some of these bags she would give as gifts, some she would put in every drawer that contained clothes, towels or bedding. As a young girl I was a girl guide I have memories of bob a jobbing. I used to visit my grandma's old friends and polish the brass. Their houses often smelt of lavender. I often think of lavender as an old ladies smell. Sometimes the smell can be a bit overpowering.
Enough of childhood memories, Let me tell you about the plant.
Lavender is a perennial it is native to the Mediterranean regions there are about 21 different lavenders and lots of hybrids. Lavender flowers come in shades of colours deep purple, violet, mauve, blue, pink and white. The flowers grow on long spikes. The leaves are a narrow and grey-green. The plants grow to a height between 9 and 36 inches 233-45 cm. And have a spread of up to 4 foot 1.2 metres depending on the variety.
Lavender likes a sunny position and well-drained soil. It is fairly easy to propagate I have done several cuttings successfully.
First fill some pots with a mixture of peat substitute and grit or perlite. In mid-late summer early autumn select a healthy looking new shoot. Cut where it is woody near the base of the shoot. Dip the end of your cutting in a rooting hormone and insert into your pots firm the compost around the cutting and water them. Ideally keep them in a greenhouse over winter remembering to water them.
The lavender should have formed roots and be ready to plant out the following autumn or the spring after that.
My lavender in the front garden is very old and woody (lavenders tend to get woody with age) I have heard of this method of propagation so this is what I will do in the spring. Mound layering In the spring I shall build up a mound of free draining soil over the base of the plant only leaving the top exposed this will stimulate new shoots to develop roots (I hope) I will keep the base of the plant covered in soil till late summer /autumns then investigate. Then I will cut of the new shoots with roots. And plant and care for the new cuttings hopefully I will have lots of new plants.
Lavender has many a historic use in medicine. It is still used in folk medicines It is advised not to use it in the first three months of pregnancy. It is a calmative, antidepressant, antispasmodic, antibacterial, antiseptic, and stimulant, insect repellent. It contains a volatile oil
At one stage it was used as a strewing herb strewn across the cottage/hut floor to make it smell nice and kill/hide the germs.It is used in many a furniture wax, used in scented candles, draw liners, incense /joss sticks. Used in many a perfume or bath preparation what woman has not received a lavender scented gift?
It can be used in many crafts paper can be scented with it or lavender bags made lavender wands made by plaiting the lavender like a corn dolly. To be honest I am not too keen on the smell it's a bit sweet and heady in excess.I think I had too much of it as a child. It can be used in cooking in teas with poultry in salads in sweet dishes but I have never tried any
Thanks for reading there is so much about lavender I could go on forever.
Sadly this lavender bush will have to go next week we are having a front porch added tp the house and poor old lavender is in the way. I shall miss her. Fortunately I have taken some cuttings succesfully so lavender will live on in my garden somewhere.
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