A little bit of lavender
 

Hi all-

For the first time this year, I'm going to have a handful of lavender flowers. Prior to moving to this location I never could get it to live, much less bloom. Now we're in a spot where herbs like lavender and sage thrive!

My one lavender plant is still small so I'm only going to have, literally, a handfulof flowers. I'm looking for suggestions for using them!

Any ideas, anyone? :)

My friend made Lavender Peach Jam one year. She infused the lavender into water that she added to the peaches. It was wonderful jam!

I read once about someone who made lavender ice cream, but I don't recall how much lavendar that would take. Congratulations anyway. I love having it in the yard because the bees love it.

Lavender shortbread. Or, just make a small sachet that you can enjoy all year round. It is said to be a relaxing aroma so also good for a sleeping mask.

Lavender cookies. Good stuff.

My neighbor gave me a red variety - def. a cool plant.

~ Tom

RED? COOL!!!! :D If you have seeds later on, may I have a few??? I'd love to add it to my herb garden and I should have a fairly large trade list this fall....

Jennifer

Hey ! No problem!!!

So far the plant seems as though its acclimating - it had been a real challenge, because my neighbor went to a garden show and got the plants in Feb! Over-wintering them was not so easy ...

But it looks established and has some new growth - the variety is called "Kew" and maybe its a variety you already have thats been renamed ? - let me know either way ...

~ Tom

[url]http://www.paghat.com/kewred.html[/url]

Tom, interested in this variety?
Fragrant Butterflies - Lavendula stoechas pedunculata
[url]http://www.veseys.com/ca/en/store/herbs/lavenderp/fragrant1[/url]
I'll trade some seeds for some seeds of 'Kew'.
I started some plants but not blooming yet as I was real
late purchasing them this spring. I have to grow them
in a container as they won't survive outside overwinter
in zone 5b.

Peter

[quote=Tomstrees;102967]Hey ! No problem!!!

So far the plant seems as though its acclimating - it had been a real challenge, because my neighbor went to a garden show and got the plants in Feb! Over-wintering them was not so easy ...

But it looks established and has some new growth - the variety is called "Kew" and maybe its a variety you already have thats been renamed ? - let me know either way ...

~ Tom

[URL]http://www.paghat.com/kewred.html[/URL][/quote]

Lavender is planted around businesses here, near roads, as well as home gardens. Once you get it going, the bees will find you if they haven't already.

You might try making a lavender wand. I admit that I have not tried this, but it is popular here with some folks. I'm sure you could find directions.

Never tried lavender ice cream either, but it sounds yummy. So do the cookies.

You might try sewing a little piece of cloth and filling it with the lavender. If you are handy, you could decorate it with embroidery of some sort. Or you could fill a little draw string bag with some dried lavender and hang it in a place where you can smell it often.

Mary - I do exactly the same thing - place the flowers in a small muslin bag and use it if I can't fall asleep. Put it near my face and next thing I know the alarm is going off! Piegirl

Lavender wands are wonderful-I've made a few. But mostly I sew heart sachets with it. Never tried it in baking, though.

add lavender like mint to tea! Nice

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]Hi, I was always interested in lavender. Its scent reminds me of smells from childhood. I live in CT now and had been told that lavender does not grow around here because it is a tender perennial and our temps fall below 0F quite often during the winter. Does anyone know, if that is true and would it help situation if I grow it in huge pots that I can roll into the garage for the winter. The temps will still hit freezing point in the garage, but probably will not fall lower then freezing. Can you recommend any varieties that would be good for such growing? I also have grow lamps that I can use to start the seeds now, in order to promote blooming the first year. [/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]Thank you.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]Maya.[/SIZE][/FONT]

Maya, I live in PA and have some severe winters, but my lavender has always bounced back. I believe my varieties are Munstead and Hidcote. Just make sure that you plant them in a very well-drained area. Cold, wet springs are more dangerous than freezes!