Flower Spotlight: Lovable Lavender
by
Wet & Forget
Easy
Lavender is a truly amazing flower. While it's not as glamorous as the rose or as exotic as the orchid, lavender has every other flower beat in terms of versatility. Lavender looks beautiful in the garden, smells divine in a flower arrangement, perfume or sachet, and even makes a delicious topping for cheesecake. Need we say more? Read on to discover just how incredible this unappreciated beauty is, and see why it earned our flower spotlight this month.
Not everyone knows about it, but lavender is actually pretty versatile in the kitchen, as well. It is delicious in everything from Herbes de Provence, to creamy vanilla cheesecake with lavender syrup, to lavender shortbread cookies or sparkling lavender lemonade. Here are more recipes you can make with culinary lavender. Note: Never cook with lavender from a florist's shop or garden center, which can contain pesticide. Use only culinary lavender from a cooking store or pescticide-free lavender you have grown yourself.
Lavender smells absolutely heavenly, which makes it perfect for soaps and body washes. You can find lavender varieties of popular commercial soaps and body washes, or use a recipe to make your own homemade lavender soap.
Lavender does all of these other things so well, it could almost slack off in the garden, but it doesn't. Lavender is absolutely gorgeous in the garden, with blooms that can be blue, purple or pink, beautiful silvery foliage, and a low-maintenance attitude. Not all varieties are edible, but edible varieties like Munstead lavender look beautiful in your garden and also excel at every one of the tasks listed above. Munstead lavender is perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 5b to 8a, makes a great border, container plant or massing, and attracts butterflies. What more could you ask for?
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