As well as being a beautifully scented perennial in the garden, lavender possesses beneficial qualities and has been used throughout history in medicine/homeopathy and cooking. Containing a healthy punch of natural camphor, lavender oil provides relief from congestion when inhaled. Heating lavender buds and applying them to aching or strained muscles produces an icy-hot sensation, providing comfort and lessening pain while providing a comforting scent when recovering from and injury or strain.

Linalool, another naturally occurring compound found in this plant’s blooms, has been used to calm anxiety and lower blood pressure. A nice compliment to a massage is having the recipient breath in lavender oil applied to a cloth to impart a calming effect to the mind while the body is manipulated into relaxation. Massage oil blends containing lavender oil provides a cooling sensation on the skin, and the scent certainly calms the mind.

Before commercial antiseptics, lavender was used to clean hospitals wards and is still used for its antimicrobial and antiviral properties today. We can easily add pure essential oil to hot water for cleaning surfaces and mopping floors.

Lavender oil applied to wounds or burns aids healing by improving the skin’s ability to produce collagen. This method will increase the healing time for cuts and blisters. The oil applied to an insect bite will relieve itching and burning while healing simultaneously.

Lavender is a member of the mint family, and like mint and rosemary, it has been used in cooking for hundreds of years. It pairs nicely with dairy, chicken and of course, sugar. Lavender cheesecake or lavender ice cream are both delicious concoctions, and lavender honey puts the crowning glory on anything. Teas blends with lavender provide a minty floral taste to the cup and is a key component in France’s popular herbal seasoning Herbs de Provence. This blend of herbs is also used to season meats and vegetables.

Lavender is the perfect addition to any sunny garden and provides food for bees, butterflies and humans. Every garden should include this diverse plant steeped in history. Lavender prefers at least eight hours of full sun and well-drained soil.

For more information and recipes visit Lavender Ridge Farms at LavendarRidgeFarms.com. or in person at 2391 County Road 178, Gainesville, TX 76240 or contact 940-665-6938.