Friday, May 30, 2008

Lavender Harvest

A Touch of Provence in Northern California!

I am lucky to have a little hill slope on the front side of our tiny California suburban lot. When I was planning our "cottage style" garden I envisioned a slope of lavender just like you would see in Provence. Northern California's hot sunny climate is perfect for my lavender hill to thrive.

In Provence, the lavender harvest occurs in late June. No, I haven't been to Provence (yet) but I read a lot about it because I want to travel there. I want to see the magnificent purple lavender rows in person one day. I want to visit the Provence markets. I want to take cooking classes there, too.

My lavender harvest is happening right now. I have an abundance of lovely lavender ready to be cut. I just love having cut lavender bundles all around the house for it's marvelous scent. This year I am going to dry the lavender and use the buds for sachets and Provencal style cooking.

The bees love my lavender,too!

During my lavender harvest, I have about seven large bushes to cut. I hand cut them with gardening sheers, one bush a day. I love how the lavender bushes attract the bees to my garden. If I am lucky, I may even get another harvest of lavender towards the end of summer, too.

A bundle of fresh cut lavender!

English and French grandmothers know how wonderful lavender is for your linen closet. A bundle of lavender or a pretty sachet keeps pesky insects away. Lavender is a perfect organic natural way to keep harmful moths away from precious silk scarves, winter woolens and wool yarns in your knitting stash, too!

Enjoy a touch of Provence in your home with some lovely lavender!

1 comment:

ByJane said...

Every time I walk up to my front door, I think "gosh, that lavender is so incredible that I should find some way of keeping it." But if I cut it all down, then I won't be able to admire it at the door. Choices, choices, choices.