A few years ago, I planted some lavender on either side of the steps leading to the front door of our house. It was sort of a whim, but I love how it’s grown over the years and the scent and color it adds to the entrance. I’m a homebody, anyway, so I love walking up those steps to the front door, but the lavender is an extra perk.
It was getting a bit unruly this year, though, and I was encouraged to cut it back by people who know a lot more about gardening than I do. I sort of hated to cut it, but I was told it’s best for the plant and prevents them from becoming woody.
So, I went out in the cooler temperatures of the evening, armed with an antique apple basket and new pair of shears, to trim back the lavender.
I didn’t realize how much lavender I had flanking my steps until I filled the large basket.
I love lavender in general, but lavender cut from my yard?! I was like a proud mama.
And I had to take all kinds of pictures of my first harvest of lavender.
I was able to make eight large bunches, which I tied with butcher’s twine and hung them up to dry.
I was laughing at my bunches, which look a bit wild compared to the dried lavender bunches I have purchased in the past.
Well, I’m a rookie lavender-buncher, so there you go. Wild bunches.
After being out of town for over a week, I am back home now and enjoyed a day back in the studio. While I was away, Kriste worked hard to get more Lucketts leftovers as well as items from our studio purge photographed and listed. Another online sale will go live later this week.
More details to come…
22 Responses
Lovely!
I got some as well! Love it.
Heavenly!!
Lavender is heavenly! I went to the Provence last summer for my 70th birthday & we did a day trip to Sault—that is amazing. Lavender as far as the eye can see & an aroma in the air that is indescribable. I have beautiful photos that capture everything except the smell—and I bought 2 bottles of the wonderful oil to remind me, lest I forget.
I love your blog—love lavender & all things Provence!
You are so cute! I too feel such joy with little things like the bunches of lavender….don’t change, keep the joy in small things! I often feel that God smiles and chuckles as he sees my excitement and joy in the things He has made!
Hi there, I have a couple of larger plants that were here already when I purchased this home. I harvest mine, but looks and is the other variety from yours, short ends. I watched a you tube video recently because I wanted to harvest and make bundles and what I learned is that if you use rubber bands on the end, as the lavender drys and shrinks, the rubber band will go with it and you will not have any drop out of the bundle, I learned the hard way. So now I bundle in rubber bands, sometimes hang with a large paper clip taken apart, when dry I just add a couple of extra go rounds with the twine. I love the shape of your lavender plant, mine may be the squatie top French but I love it and it smells so sweet 😉
Oh – beautiful!!!! And, I am sure your house smelled…. FABULOUS! I <3 lavender!
NIce! I need to do mine. I harvested two years ago and I used the method of rolling in newspaper and laying in a box in a dark space. It really worked. I still had enough this year to make sachets for all the mothers in our family. My first planting was so successful that I have since planted three more–all in the garden in front of and next to the house. I think the warmth of the brick keeps them from freezing in the winter.
how did you harvest to make new?
doesn’t get any fresher that that! gorgeous!
I wish i had Smelevision!
I love lavender and have tried and tried to grow it but to no avail,makes me sad . Yours is beautiful and so glad you had so much.
Beautiful! It will dry quickly and then you can put it in a little sachet : ))
Hi Marian, Did you grow them in a pot or in the ground? I would like to try that! I love lavender. It smells as beautiful as it looks. So glad yours came out so beautiful. Thank you.
Can’t wait for Sale! let us know!
Next year you can make Lavendar Wands- they’re so easy to DIY. Women have been making them for centuries.
It might be a good idea to use some rubber bands to bunch your lavender. As it dries the stems will shrink a bit and they may all fall out of the twine. Your lavender looks great. What variety is it? I like the hidcote for the dark purple color.
Beautiful! What variety do you have?
I love lavendar, too. But I haven’t had much luck growing it. So I’m kind of green with envy at your beautiful bunches. I don’t know why the lavendar I plant always dries up and dies. My daughter has some planted in her raised beds that she was showing my today when I visited. She says it needs quite a loose, sandy soil to do well. I don’t know if that is the kind of soil you have or not, but your lavendar apparently likes it! I know also that there are different types of lavendar, so maybe I just haven’t tried the right kind yet. I’m not giving up, by gosh! I WILL grow lavendar! Thanks for the pretty post, Marian.
What a luxury! A gift from the good Lord:)
Your lavendar is beautiful! But, what I really LOVE is that door behind it. Gorgeousness!!!!!!
So beautiful! I bet the smell is divine! May i ask about the source of your beautiful basket? Just what I’ve been looking for!