Lavender is a flowering plant in the mint family that’s easily identified by its sweet floral scent. It’s believed to be native to the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and India, with a history dating as far back as 2,500 years. In ancient times, lavender was used as a holy herb.
English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), with its aromatic leaves and sweetly fragrant flower spikes, is often considered a herb. But it is actually an herbaceous perennial with a semi-woody growth habit. It’s often grown to dry its leaves and flowers to make sachets and potpourri, and for its oils used in sleep aromatherapy. It is also an attractive garden plant with vibrant purple flowers appearing in late spring to early summer.
GROW: Keep soil moist but never wet or dry. Seeds should germinate in around 14-21 days at a soil temperature of 18-21°C. Transplant seedlings to the garden once they have their first true leaves and are large enough to handle (usually 5-10cm tall). Plant out, spacing plants 40-80cm apart.
HARVEST: To harvest lavender for tea, pick the flowers before they fully open. When you want to make a fresh bouquet of lavender, harvest the stems when about half the blooms are open—additional buds will bloom after the stems are cut. To harvest lavender for essential oil, wait until most of the blossoms have opened
USE: The bud stage (mid summer) is the best time to pick lavender for drying. Dried lavender buds can then be used for cooking, tea, making infusions/tinctures, sachets/potpourri, or as ornamental dried flowers. After the flowers open (late summer), they attract many pollinators to your garden.
Related products
Dyer’s Chamomile, or Golden Marguerite, is used principally as a dye plant. As another of its names – Yellow Chamomile – suggests, the flowers can be used to make a yellow dye. Colours range from bright to an olive or brownish yellow, depending on the mordant or fixing agent being used.
Amaranth seeds are considered an ancient grain that has historically been used for its nutritious properties, combining the characteristics of a health-promoting food and a raw material with potential therapeutic activity
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a flowering perennial that is native to much of Europe and Asia. The word’s origins come from the Latin verb valere which means “to be strong and healthy”, and one of its common names is “all-heal.”
Anemone pulsatilla is a perennial herb that is best grown in fertile, humus soil. Plants need constant moisture in hot summer temperatures. Best performance is seen in cooler temperatures where plants can tolerate less humid conditions. Plants are best left undisturbed once established
Black cumin, (Nigella sativa), also called black seed, black caraway, Roman coriander, kalonji, or fennel flower, annual plant of the ranunculus family (Ranunculaceae), grown for its pungent seeds, which are used as a spice and in herbal medicine
Chickweed (Stellaria media (Linn.) Villars) — also called starweed, satin flower, or mouse-ear — is a common weed in the carnation family.It grows low to the ground, has a hairy stem, and produces small, star-shaped, white flowers. It’s primarily found in North America and Europe.
Calendula (Calendula officinalis) is a short-lived perennial in warmer climates, but in cooler climate zones it is usually grown as an annual flower in garden beds and containers. Although commonly known as pot marigold, calendula is different from the common marigold (Tagetes spp.).
Dill’s soft ferny foliage practically beg you to touch them. Snip fresh dill foliage for cooking, harvest dill seed for pickling, or cut the yellow umbels and feathery leaves for pretty homegrown flower bouquets. It’s small yellow flowers are excellent for attracting a variety of pollinators.