Lavender Field

This is a picture of the lavender field in Maui I took sometime ago when I attended the wedding of my nephew in Lahaina. It was the perfect opportunity for me to be close to my favorite herb of all, the lavender.

Lavender is the most popular herb I know. Not only the flowers smell good, it also has some healthful benefits especially in the area of aromatherapy.

Lavender is native to North Africa and the Mediterranean. It is widely used in making soaps and shampoos and the oil are extracted for other uses such as perfume and other toiletries. The perfume reminds me of my childhood where we used soaps that smelled like lavender but I didn’t know it back then. That’s probably why I like it so much.

Lavender has also some uses like insect repellent and used as anti-fungal. The researchers also say it can help to treat hair loss. As a sleep aid, lavender is also use. You can make a pillow filled with lavender buds and can help you relax and sleep good. I make small sachets filled with lavender buds and put it in my linen drawers not only to make things smell fresh but also to repel insects.

Nowadays, lavender is being used in the culinary world. I bought a tin can of edible lavender buds from the shop in Maui because I read about a recipe for making sconce with lavender. I tried it and it turn out good.

I’ve been trying to grow lavender and enjoy the fragrance while I can. Even the leaves are very aromatic the bees are always hovering around the garden. They are supposed to be simple enough to grow but sometimes too much water gives them molds so I try not to water too much and because they prefer alkaline and sandy soil, it is best to add some lime to the ground where you are going to plant it. Fertilize it with a 10-30-10 fertilizer once a month and it should be enough to keep it growing and flowering. It is a perennial plant so it would last long in your garden.