Lavender varieties spice up life and landscape

By JoAn Bjarko
North Forty News

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Lavender is a plant that loves northern Colorado. It loves alkaline soil and little water. And it loves to give back with its fragrance to humans and its nectar to bees.

May is the time to place small lavender plants (2-inch pots) in the garden or landscape. In the garden, it's a companion plant for cabbage and tomatoes. It will perk up a xeric landscape when it begins to bloom in late June, around summer solstice, depending on the variety.

There are at least 80 known species and countless varieties of lavender grown all over the world. Native to the Mediterranean, lavender was likely brought to Britain by the Romans, and from there it became a mainstay of English gardens.

Sally Nelson, co-owner of Windswept Farm south of Wellington, has grown lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) for many years and used it for all sorts of dried floral arrangements, sachets and potpourris.

"It's an herb I've always loved," she said. "The whole plant has a smell."

Her favorite and well-tested varieties are 'Munstead,' Hidcote' and 'Grosso.' 'Lady' was developed to bloom from seed the first year, but it will not overwinter here, she advised. Several lavenders grown together will provide a long season of bloom. If one wants to save lavender for home use, however, the flowers should be harvested just before the swollen buds are ready to open, Nelson said.

If one wants to provide good habitat for bees, let the lavender plants go to full bloom so the bees can get into the flower. A light pruning after full bloom will produce new shoots and flowers to extend the season.

Plant lavender 18 to 24 inches apart and never divide plants, Nelson advised. Established lavender plants that were not pruned in the fall should be sheared into a rounded shape the first week of May, she said.

If a lavender plant is not thriving, it may be in the wrong place. May also is a good time to move lavender to an optimum environment so it can settle in before it gets too hot. When properly placed, 'Munstead' and 'Hidcote' will grow 18 to 20 inches tall. 'Grosso,' which blooms later, will grow 22 to 24 inches tall.

Nelson puts her plants in full sun or southern exposure. "In our clay soil, you want to plant on a raised area so water drains away," she added. Small gravel can be mixed into the soil for better drainage, she said, but never use sand. (Sand turns clay soil to cement.)

Gardeners need to water young plants more frequently to get them established, Nelson said, then cut back to twice a week and then once a week. If planting next to a neighbor's yard, be sure the lavender won't be deluged by a sprinkling system.

"They don't like to sit with their feet wet," Nelson said.

In June and July, gardeners have to decide what to do with the lovely blossoms --harvest for personal use or leave them to feed bees and enhance the yard.

If harvesting, hang the stems upside down to dry in a place with good air circulation and moderate light. Once the stems and flowers are dry, they can be used intact for floral arrangements. For cooking, sachets and potpourris, gently strip the buds by hand.

Nelson likes to mix lavender buds with small chunks of cinnamon, whole cloves and bits of cedar. She places the mixture in a cheesecloth or muslin bag to freshen linen closets or drawers.

"The scent of lavender stays in the flower a long time," she said.

Nelson also adds a bit of lavender to herbal tea. About 1 teaspoon of dried lavender in a batch of sugar cookies adds subtle flavor, she said, cautioning not to use too much.

Lavender is one of the ingredients in Herbes de Provence, along with hyssop, oregano, basil, rosemary, sage, thyme and fennel, which is used for flavoring meat, fish, salads, sauces and egg dishes.

Lavender in white vinegar can be added to wash water, and a muslin bag of lavender can be tossed into the vacuum cleaner bag or clothes dryer for a nice scent.

Not just the precious blossoms are useful. Lavender leaves also can be used in potpourri, or the stems can be placed in a fire or on the barbecue like rosemary.

When fall arrives, some people like to trim their lavender plants to about 12 inches so they will be ready for spring and another round of aromatic delight.