Love that lavender

I started my journey with lavender several years ago. I had purchased and planted seven different types including Provence and Munstead. Several of them were not hardy and are long gone. Figuring I needed a little help with lavender I enrolled in an online lavender course – From Soil to Sachet – taught by Susan at Lavender Hill. From this class I learned quite a bit how to grow this beautiful plant.

I also found out about Grosso. I ordered a couple plants from an online source and then found them in my local nursery. However, the local nursery was surprised when I came back a year later and told her that Grosso was indeed hardy here in Zone 6. I’ve enjoyed my Grosso, but thought it would be nice to expand.

So this year I decided to make a new lavender area in front of the new sun garden where our precious elm lived until last year. We had attended a garden conference this year where Carolee Snyder from Carolee’s Herb Farm gave a talk on lavender. She recommended I try Melissa to cook with and Royal Velvet and Sachet to play with. So I ordered them and a Hidcote Giant.

Box of new lavender
Box of new lavender

I ordered them from Purple Haze Lavender. Gotta love the name of that place! Now I’ll be singing that song all day. Anyway, one Melissa died soon after planting, but they were quick to replace it.

Here is the newly planted bed. I really wasn’t looking to make a design with the rock, but we had some old and new gravel that just happened to be different colors.

New lavender bed
New lavender bed

The area behind this new bed is the new sun garden which is not quite finished.

I’m looking forward to seeing how Melissa tastes and using the other new lavenders.

Meanwhile, I harvested more lemon balm for my Lemon Balm Lavender Bugs Off Spray.

Harvested Lemon Balm
Harvested Lemon Balm

I use it every day in the garden. I have been going through a quart a week and I’m bite free! This batch should last me awhile!

Lemon Balm Lavender Bugs Off Spray
Lemon Balm Lavender Bugs Off Spray

I leave the lemon balm and lavender in for a week or so. I kind of forget about it. Which reminds me, it’s probably time to strain it!