Long live lavender! This popular summer flower is always a good fit in the garden, bonus points for the delicious scent and the fact that bees and butterflies seem to absolutely love this flower. Furthermore, lavender is extremely suitable as a cutflower. The history and the list of uses of this flower is long and quite interesting. Read all about it in this product profile!
 

ORIGIN

The botanical name ‘lavandula’ is derived from the Latin word ‘lavare’ meaning ‘to wash’. This name is due to the fact that the Romans used to put lavender in their baths, just like other ancient cultures like the Egyptians and the Greek did. But aside from the enchanting scent, lavender is well known for its calming abilities amongst others, people make tea from lavender extract to calm down their nerves, or put a few branches within their pillows in order to have a calm night.

Other practical uses include scented lavender bags that are placed inside of the linen closet, in the old days lavender was used to clean wounds and reduce inflammations, you can even sprinkle the tiny leaves over your salad, or find them within cheese and pastries, and did you ever taste lavender syrup? – It exists! These days the oil that lavender contains is a very popular ingredient in soap, perfume, body wash, hand lotion, etc.

Most lavender varieties are from the Mediterranean area. You are probably familiar with the pictures of endless violet lavender fields, with an orange sun setting in the background. The French Provence has become quite famous for these breathtaking sights. You can admire this spectacle in all its glory from July to early August.

MYTHOLOGY 

Throughout history, lavender has been used extensively in various countries and cultures for a variety of reasons. For example, a French king demanded that lavender was put inside of his pillow case, so he could sleep better at night. King Elisabeth I of England instructed her staff to place fresh lavender in vases every day of the year. Diving into history a little bit further, we learn that Cleopatra of Egypt used lavender oil to seduce people in other to strengthen her political power. We know for a fact this technique worked all too well on Julius Caesar and Marcus Antonius.

But lavender was not only reserved for the rich. The poorer population also liked to use the flower for the many (magical) benefits it has to offer. Rich and poor alike used to put the scented lavender bags in between their clothing and beds. The fearful used to hang bushes of lavender above the front door to ward off evil spirts. It was also said that lavender oil was added to bathwater to drive out angry spirits and demons from unbehaving children. At midsummer night, the flower was used as a component for a ritual to evoke fairies and elves. Lavender was used for all kinds of magic spells, placed inside amulets, and to attract or repel love.
 

APPLICATION

In a bouquet lavender can easily be combined with gyps, violet and white roses and eucalyptus. Also consider the combination craspedia, setaria italica and gossypium to create a beautiful and long-lasting bouquet.
 

CARE

Lavendar is a great flower for drying purposes. Choose stems that look the most beautiful and do not show signs of decay. Remove the leaves of the stem, then tie the flowers together in small bushes and hang them upside down in a warm and dry place. It is best to dry the flowers in a dark spot, so the colours remain mostly intact.

Another technique is to dry the lavender within a plant press, or under a stack of heavy books. Due to the weight of the books or the plant press, moisture is pressed out of the flowers. With the flattened flowers you can create some fun DIY-projects: make a floral photo frame, or create the famous scented lavender bags for yourself, of course!
 

AVAILABILITY

The lavender within our range is currently supplied by our partners in Italy. Please visit our website to check the current availability or contact your account manager.