Saturday, July 7, 2012

What 7lbs of lavender looks like…

The kids are in bed on time.  Chores are done so the house is not a disaster area.  I made a wonderful dinner pulled from the garden (buttered cabbage with dill!  YUM!).  And yesterday I spent about an hour harvesting lavender.  It smells like it in my house too.  Tiny bunches of lavender are hanging from strings and I keep wanting to make a garland or something out of them for the mantel.  But I can’t seem to take it from the basket it’s so beautiful!

_MG_8239

I have such a torn relationship with this stuff.  Honestly, it’s an ugly plant...  Except when it’s not.  9 months out of the year it looks like a hedge of dead tumble weed has landed in my front walk…  but in June and July the stuff couldn’t be more stunning!  And I make things out of it every year. 

Blueberry Lavender Jam (INCREDIBLE!  It’s now a family favorite I give away for Christmas.)

Lavender and Twig Stars (Amazing for a mantel or hanging in a window as the weather starts to get colder.)

_MG_8235

More garden posts to come, because it’s all going crazy out there!  I have pounds and pounds of peas pouring in (3lbs just today!), cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and the start of the years herbs including basil which is starting to bush out and really produce!  The weather has taken a turn for the beautiful and I am out there most of the time, just sucking it up!

Hope summer is treating you all well!

SHARE:

4 comments

Unknown said...

Awesome! I have a few lavendar plants myself. Right now they are beautiful!

Ell. said...

i love levander :) it smeels so good
we have them on the garden

http://notesbycreativity.blogspot.cz/

Amy said...

Val, does your laveendar come back each year? I have had a hard time with my lavendar as a perennial- it just doesn't come up as nicely the following year. I am wondering if I have a funny variety or if I need to pile on extra mulch before winter hits. Any suggestions?

Val in the Rose Garden said...

Amy - I am not sure what kind you have but mine does come back each year. :) I am slowly pulling out new starts and putting them in pots so when I get rid of the majority of my lavendar bushes I can have a few plants here and there. I do love the usefulness of it, but it really looks dead most of the year.

Perhaps you are cutting yours back too far? You are only supposed to cut it back to the woody parts. If you cut too far, esp when frost is coming, you could very easily be damaging the whole plant. Hope you find out! It's such a fun addition to the garden! :)

Blessings,

Val

Blogger Template Created by pipdig