Lavender advice

I have a few lavenders in the garden at different stages, one my flatmate has already cut off the flowers but the stems look really straggly, should I cut them down to 2" above the brown wood? Also for the other lavenders some of them still have flowers and other flowers are starting to die off, does anyone know how to dried lavender? As I'd love to use them in scent bags for christmas?

 

Not sure how.

But you can take cuttings from your Lavender to make loads of new plants!

 

Cut the flowers in the morning before the sun has got to them, it drives some of the essential oils off, tie in bundles and hang somewhere shady & ventilated

I love the smell of lavender, it reminds me of childhood walks along the river, Mum telling me about Celandines & discovering real Bullrushes, not the Reedmaces that everyone thinks are Bullrushes, but the rush experienced when being chased by a Bull through a field at 4 years old.

 

For the ones still with flowers, why not make some wands:
Gardening: How to Make Lavender Wands

 

Thats good, you could hex someone with a nice scent

 

You can also use lavender flowers and leaves in cooking.

Pick, wash and dry them, strip the flowers from the stems then pop about 2 tbs. into a jar with 1lb of sugar. Shake the jar occasionally, leave for about 3 weeks then use the sugar in baking - you can either sieve out the flowers or leave them in for things like lavender biscuits or lavender ice cream.

Both leaves and flowers can be used in soups and stews.

NB - when cooking with lavender the 'rule' is 'less is more', don't be tempted to put in more than the recipe says, dried lavender has a much stronger flavour than fresh and too much (fresh or dried) leads to a bitter flavour.