In the New World of seventeenth century America, bundles of herbs hung from hooks and rafters within homes, within easy reach for remedies, teas, seasonings, and air freshening. Women tended to gardens in huge gathered skirts over padded bolsters and petticoats. Men labored without a plow, clad in metal armor for protection. But try as the colonists might to grow their beloved lavender, plants failed in the climate of New England gardens.
Today’s gardeners can easily grow many newer varieties that are suited for a broad range of climates. (No metal armor or petticoats needed.) Some gardeners may plant lavender for the slender blossoming spikes that paint a touch of wistful romance into their garden bed, or for blossoms that cast their scent as a lure for honeybees. Certainly beauty and fragrance are reason enough, but lavender is as beneficial to grow today as it has been throughout history.
Lavender repels slugs, flies, moths, and mosquitoes. Deer and rodents don’t care for its taste.
Lavender is a staple of many herbal remedies, for relaxation and headaches, for topical burns and wounds, and more.
Lavender is an effective deodorizer for air, carpets, laundries, cars, closets, and more.
Lavender is a seasoning for sweet and savory cooking.
Leftover stems can be used as kindling, mulch, or a spring pond additive to clarify water that has turned green over the winter.
Quail often nest under the refuge of lavender shrubs, hiding their babies from birds of prey.
Lavender flowers offer a buffet of sweet nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds, and a reservoir of pollen for bees and ladybugs.
To learn more about growing lavender, you’ll find lots of tips in my new book (available April 2021): Lavender: 50 Self-Care Recipes and Projects for Natural Wellness Kindle Edition