I‘ve been waxing poetically a lot this summer about hydrangeas.
Their beauty. Their dependability. Their hardiness. Their beauty as cut flowers.
Their praise is well deserved.
They have been my dependable go-to for floral bouquets again and again this sultry summer.
But there is another perennial I adore for so many reasons.
Lovely Lavender.
This post is dedicated to you.
I decided to post about lavender for this week’s Garden Moments blog after this morning’s early a.m. garden clean up.
As I moved about deadheading and doing some general late-summer cleanup, my nose was immediately hit with that amazing, pungent perfume from one of my large, potted lavender plants.
It’s one I purchase this past spring from a lavender farm on Old Mission Peninsula outside Traverse City.
From the moment I bought it, the sweet smell permeated my car and now, my garden.
It has stopped me in my early morning gardener tracks more than once.
I gently pinched a blossom and then held the resulting fragrance to my nose.
“Ahh…,” I said aloud, while breathing in its healing perfume.
In that exact moment, I was reminded that this plant is also a great garden gift.
Low maintenance, too.
When I decided to give it a shout out today, I googled to find out a little more to share with you about its history.
Its scientific name is Lavandula.
It’s an evergreen plant of Mediterranean, Indian and Middle Eastern descent with deep roots of over 2,500 years.
Today, there are several varieties and a variety of purposes.
It is even used as a holy herb.
Sacred garden respect.
Maybe it’s not as showy as all those gorgeous, assorted colors and varieties of hydrangeas are. But it’s a winner just the same.
With a fragrance often used for healing purposes, especially for relaxation.
And we can all use more of that these days.
Right?
Every time I take a deep whiff of its charming little petals, I understand why it’s so popular.
I immediately feel better.
Simple and natural self-care courtesy of my garden.
Breathing it in deeply was a great way to start my Friday.
Lavender deserves its place in my garden.
Right next to all those showy hydrangeas.
Breathe in and out.
Repeat.
Ahh…
Simple self-care.
Right outside my front door.
Pure Lavender love.
Is Lavender a staple in your summer garden?
What do you love most about its sweet fragrance?
