Lavender

...for Wildflower

 

Beautiful pictures! Both my English and French lavenders are having a rest at the moment. The English one blooms all autumn / winter / spring but the French one only in the spring. I have to keep both of them in pots as they take over and become very straggly. My first English one here was planted in the sand garden (which is on a predominantly rock base) and within two years grew to about 1,5 metres wide, so up it came!

Lavender, particulary French, grows wild here on the craggy hillsides in very poor terrain but this time of the year it's dried. Not a good time of the year for wildflower spotting for us!

 

Lavender has been used for years to soothe supress and sedate..It is an excellent remedy for burns and stings and its strong antibacterial action helps to heal cuts..the oil also kills,,typhoid baccilli..as well as strptoccus...add 6 drops of lavender oil to teh bath to calm yourself and promote sleep.
place 1 drop on the temples for headache relief..blend with almond oil for skin sores..rheumatic aches..anxiety..and depression..

other uses..rub fresh lavender flowers on your skin for perfume..or pin a sprig to clothes to discourage flies....use the flowers in potpourri and linen sachets,,it is also an excellent moth repellent..

 

Thank you to hornbeam for the lovely photos...

lavender biscuits...
4oz butter
2oz caster sugar
6oz self raising flour
2 tablespoons fresh chopped lavender leaves..
1 tea spoon lavender flowers removed from spike..

cream the sugar and butter together add the flour and lavender leaves..knead until it forms a dough scatter the flowers over the rolled dough and lightly press in..cut into small rounds and bake on a baking tray at 230 degrees or gas mark 7 for 10 to 12 minutes until golden and firm remove and eat...

 

I've had this recipe in the past, Wildflower. I agree, Lavender is wonderful for so many things - I like Rosemary or Melisse in my bath. At the moment I have three vases of Lavender stems in the house as a freshener.

I don't know what made me think of it, but do you remember Violet sweets?

 

Parma violets! yes, you can still get them! Melissa is very good for the memory - had it in my sandwiches whilst taking my exams at college this year (I'm hoping it did the trick!) Rosemary is great if you put it over your barbeque coals, & fab with roast parsnips & garlic in olive oil.
Lavender pics are lovely Hornbeam, it never does well in my garden, I have to grow it in pots as my sandy soil is too acidic.

 

Melissa is obvious what I need more of, Bayleaf! Hope your sandwiches did the trick and that you have good results! Fingers crossed and all that! Must try the Rosemary on the BBQ coals ... it's just starting to bloom again, will take a picture when it's in full bloom and post.

 

I allways throw herbs on the bbq coal..and a handfull of mint at the end to scent the air.. :rolleyes: yes i remember palma violets they are still for sale but they dont taste as nice now..I use my rosemary to make foot ointment with so i cant spare any for the bbq..when i move in 2008 i shall have to have more of what i use and less of what is just their for show..

 

My Rosemary is about five foot tall and about as wide, have to keep trimming it but plan on doing a serious cutback in the Autumn, although it will probably still be blooming then.

 

Wow, thats a biggie! I have a little Rosemary - variety "Green Ginger" - it really does have a gingery aroma

 

Just took some photos so will post them later. Mmmm, green ginger ... I like green ginger wine in the winter!

 

Hello Hornbeam, thanks for posting the lovely photos and thanks to everyone else for the tips and recipes. I have some french lavender and it's looking a bit sorry for itself at the moment, the leaves are yellowing a bit, do you think it needs water? I thought it was pretty drought resistant but perhaps it needs to be watered more often than I thought, any suggestions would be grately appreciated. Thanks

 

sounds like it needs water ..its just so hot and dry that the plants are all suffering..do you cut it back after flowering ?

 

Yes, I agree with Wildflower, sounds like a wee drop of the wet stuff wouldn't go amiss! I also cut mine back after flowering (but don't cut too deep into the old wood) and it comes back a treat!

 

LOL do you have the Papillon Lavender (butterfuly lavender) ? I have to cut it back regularly to keep it in check ! finished flowering now of course ..but normally April / July... would look superb in a large pot and the perfume is wonderful ....


and close up


M-L