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Lavender has been revered for its fragrance and healing properties throughout the ages.
The name lavender is derived from the Latin word lavare, to wash, and is one of those ancient herbs first used for laundry and for Lavender soaps, due to its refreshing scent.
Lavender grows wild in many forms throughout the world and is indigenous to the Mediterranean, where it thrives in warm, sunny, semi-arid conditions. Dioscorides, the Greek writer, listed lavender as a medicinal plant in one of its earliest recordings.
His writings recommend boiling the flower heads of lavender in water to make brew that was "good for ye griefs in ye thorax".
In addition to being a wonderfully fragrant herb with beautiful flowers in hues from blue to purple, lavender has marvelous antiseptic, deodorant and insect-repelling properties.
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Get a pair of sharp garden shears and a ball of string.
Cut matured lavender flowers just above the leaves, getting the longest stem possible on the flower.
Without crushing the stems, tie each flower separately, close to the cut end with a long piece of string. Leave about 3/4" between each stem. This will ensure that when you hang them to dry, air will be able to circulate and that the lavender will not rot or go moldy while drying.
Tie the ends of your string together to form a loop.
Hang the chain of lavender, ensuring the flowers point toward the floor, in a dark dry place for about a month.
Untie the lavender from your piece of string when it's dry, and use in dried flower arrangements, or chop up for potpourri.
QUICK-MAKE BATH BAG Use an old handkerchief or piece of thin cotton fabric, six to eight inches square. Place a fourth cup of dried lavender blooms in the center, gather the corners together and secure the bundle with a piece of twelve-inch ribbon, tie it in a knot. Tie the very ends of the ribbon together in bow or knot, to form a loop by which to hang the bag. Slip this over the bathtub faucet positioned so the water will run through it as the tub fills. It may be used for several baths, the lavender should then be replaced.
LAVENDER COOKIES
These cookies are probably better classified as shortbread.
1 cup butter2 cups sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 Tbsp. dried lavender flowers1 cup self-rising flour
Cream butter and sugar; add egg. Mix in lavender and flour. Place small heaps on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes or till golden brown in color.
Cut matured lavender flowers just above the leaves, getting the longest stem possible on the flower.
Without crushing the stems, tie each flower separately, close to the cut end with a long piece of string. Leave about 3/4" between each stem. This will ensure that when you hang them to dry, air will be able to circulate and that the lavender will not rot or go moldy while drying.
Tie the ends of your string together to form a loop.
Hang the chain of lavender, ensuring the flowers point toward the floor, in a dark dry place for about a month.
Untie the lavender from your piece of string when it's dry, and use in dried flower arrangements, or chop up for potpourri.
QUICK-MAKE BATH BAG Use an old handkerchief or piece of thin cotton fabric, six to eight inches square. Place a fourth cup of dried lavender blooms in the center, gather the corners together and secure the bundle with a piece of twelve-inch ribbon, tie it in a knot. Tie the very ends of the ribbon together in bow or knot, to form a loop by which to hang the bag. Slip this over the bathtub faucet positioned so the water will run through it as the tub fills. It may be used for several baths, the lavender should then be replaced.
LAVENDER COOKIES
These cookies are probably better classified as shortbread.
1 cup butter2 cups sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 Tbsp. dried lavender flowers1 cup self-rising flour
Cream butter and sugar; add egg. Mix in lavender and flour. Place small heaps on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes or till golden brown in color.
Teresa,
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful... I LOVE your new blog, your photographs are spectacular.
TFS
Cheers!
Lisa