Bringing French Country Home : Lavender Dreams

Nothing says French Country like lavender.
The gorgeous purple color. The intoxicating scent. The memories it evokes.

I dream of riding my bike through fields of lavender in Provence. 

Just imagine the delightful perfumed air.

Or strolling between rows and rows of lavender with my basket and clippers.

Fairly easy to grow, lavender needs a sunny spot with good drainage. 

If you have clay soil, you can try growing it in a pot. 

I've heard lavender is short-lived but I've had mine for many years and it gets better every season.

These fresh green buds soon turn purple.

Planting lavender near pink or silvery-hued plants 

such as sage, artemesia or these pink winecups is a pretty combination.

I like to display fresh or dried lavender in an ironstone vessel,
a vintage silver pitcher or a simple basket.

It even looks charming during the drying process, hanging from a nail or a beam.

It's easy to dry your own lavender.

Here are a few tips:

Harvest lavender as the buds are just opening when the color is most striking and the fragrance is strongest. The best time to harvest it is mid-morning when the morning dew has evaporated. 

If you live in a dry climate, it's safe to harvest anytime as long as it's been dry for a few days.

Cut lavender at the base of a long stem.

Strip off the leaves as you would with a bunch of thyme.
by sliding your fingers down the stem from top to bottom.

Trim the ends so they're mostly all one length.

Gather into a bunch and secure with a rubber band until tight. 

A rubber band keeps stems from slipping as they shrink.

Dry in a dark, airy place to retain the purple color. 

Hang upside down on a nail using a straightened paper clip as a hook 

or on an old coat hanger with clothespins.

Let dry an average of two weeks.
Then, inhale and enjoy!

Ahhh. 

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