Lavender

"As Rosemary is to the spirit, Lavender is to the soul"



Well, today, my soul is rejoicing because the lavender is in full bloom and the bees are just as happy as I am!  The flower spikes have been up for awhile and now the flowers are finally opening up with the urging of the warm weather.  Lavender has got to be at the top of the most beloved herbs.  Not only is it drop dead gorgeous, but the smell is absolutely intoxicating.  And it's not a smell like an overly sweet parlor type flower, but a crisp, clean, piney, camphory.....hmmmmm...I didn't realize it would be so hard to describe, but when you close your eyes, you can smell it in your memory.

Lavender has probably been around longer, but we have it recorded back to at least 2,500 years ago.  It gets it name from the Latin "lavare", to wash, because it was used in bath water and also used to wash wounds.  Lavender has gone by different names throughout history.  The Greeks called it Nardus or Nard after the city Naarda in Syria, where it grew naturally.  In the Mid East it was called Spikenard and is referred to in the Bible under that name.   Legend says that Lavender got it's scent when Mary layed Jesus's clothes on it to dry.  It has always been held as a holy safeguard against evil and a cross of Lavender was hung over the door for protection.  Egyptians used it as a perfume and for mummification.  The Romans used Lavender for a variety of intestinal cures and also to repel insects and as a disinfectant. 

Lavender was used mostly by just Monks by the time of the dark ages, except some people used it to protect against the plague.  We now know that Lavender does repel insects, so maybe it had an effect on the fleas that spread the plague?  It does make sense.  It came back into fashion with the British and the royal families.  It was much loved by kings and queens and the king ordered for it to be grown outside of the monasteries by the common people who came to love it also.  It is loved and grown extensively in France.  The Shakers first grew it here in America.  Lavender is added to smelling salts and is said to be the best plant for "the neck up".  I can remember lavender having another "rebirth" in the late 60's and early 70's.  Yardley had alot of lotions and perfumes that were scented with lavender.  It is used somewhat in the kitchen.  The flowers can be candied and added to teas.

Lavender is in the mint family, Lamiaceae.  The genus is Lavandula.   In my garden I have 2 different species.  The Spanish, L. stoechas, which is one of the oldest varieties and the one that was used by the Romans and Greeks.  The other one I have is the English, L. angustifolia, which has a wonderful aroma.  Lavender is not easy to grow true from seed, so you will be much better off buying plants from your local nursery.  The French Lavender is L. dentata, which I don't have, but would love to be able to find the plants so I can compare to the others. Lavender is evergreen and looks good year round, even when not in bloom. Here is a little overview of the differences of the two I have.

Spanish Lavender - Lavendula stoechas



If you click on the picture for a larger view, you'll notice this Lavender has a pineapple shaped flower head.  First thing...all Lavenders require the same growing conditions and if not given to them, they will not make it.  I learned the hard way, but they say third times a charm.  They require, or should I say demand, dry, well drained soil.  Think Mediterranean where they're from.  Sandy or gravelly is just fine and a lean soil to boot.  No fertilizer or if any, just a tad.  You will loose flowering potential with the adding of fertilizer.  Full sun is a must with good air circulation.  Do not mulch with an organic mulch.  ie...wood chips.  If you need to mulch, use pea gravel or something comparable.  The wood chips hold in moisture which add to wet roots and disease.  For the Spanish Lavender....it grows shorter than the English and if you notice, has a darker purple flower which is different shaped and held much closer to the plant.  It is not very cold tolerant and I have probably lucked out getting it to grow up here.  It is in it's little micro climate by a pea gravel walk that absorbs heat and it is protected from winter wind by the shed, so that has probably played a large part in it's survival.  It's the first bloomer in the Spring.  After it's bloomed, I'll cut it back an inch or 2 into the green growth.  It's short, so you don't need to go too deep with the cut.  Lavender has a harder wood at the base...never cut into this.  As it goes up, it gets into a softer wood.  Leave at least 2 inches of the soft wood if you cut down that far.  You can cut out any dead wood anytime.

English Lavender - Lavendula angustifolia

First thing you notice with the English Lavender is the height.  The wands are long legged with a different shape flower.  The English is the hardiest of all the Lavenders and tolerates cold, so is the number one Lavender grown here in the states.  Same growing conditions as the Spanish.  Notice the steep slope mine is on?  Great drainage and I added no mulch.  It s probably one of the few plants that would have tolerated this condition.  The only drawback, the bees are so thick I can't use the steps this time of year, but that's a small price to pay.  They're there from early morning until dusk.  I don't harvest the flowers because I grew it for the bees, but if you are going to harvest it, here are few rules.  It will take English Lavender 3 years to reach full growth.  From 1 to 2 years from first planting, the plants should double in size.  Cut at least 2 inches above the soft wood, the same as the Spanish Lavender.  The difference being, the wands are so much longer on the English, so you'll be cutting down farther from the bloom.  Be careful and don't cut too deep down toward the base!  They say cutting or harvesting the lavender makes hardier roots, but I have never cut mine and they're doing fine.

I truly hope this has inspired you to plant some lavender.  It is a wonderful plant that will give you many years of brushing your hand against it just to catch the wonderful smell.  The joy of watching the bees gorge themselves on the flowers and if you choose, cutting and drying the wands to enjoy it all winter long.  Here's to an amazing plant!