By Sarah Sieradzki, OTR/L, HTR
As the ancient Egyptians knew, lavender is much more than just a pretty herb. Its antiseptic and healing properties, along with its clean refreshing fragrance, make it a favored ingredient in cosmetics, perfumes, and salves. Lavender is calm blue magic, full of peace and harmony.
CRITERIA 1: LAVENDER IS INEXPENSIVE AND EASY TO GROW: Lavender can readily be grown from cuttings. The cultivar ‘Lavender Lady’ can also be grown from seed and is said to bloom the first year if started early indoors.
CRITERIA 2: LONG PERIOD OF USEFULNESS: Lavender can be used fresh in the early summer. If harvested then, many plants will rebloom in the fall. Lavender can be dried by hanging rubber-banded bunches upside down. These dried bunches hold their color and fragrance for crafting uses throughout the year. Lavender flowers can be inexpensively and easily purchased for use in sachets and crafting through the year.
CRITERIA 3: PROVIDES MULTI-SENSORY STIMULATION: Lavender comes in several beautiful shades of purple as well as pink and white. The spikes provide an interesting shape in the garden and its gray foliage makes it a great xeriscaping plant. Lavender is a wonderful tactile and olfactory experience—to touch the flowers or foliage is to release its powerful perfume. Most people do not know that lavender is also edible. It is an integral part of Herbs de Provence—a delicious herbal seasoning blend. It is also a delicious addition to cookies, brownies, pound cakes, sugar, honey, and many more dishes. Its taste is perfumey if used in too large of a quantity—just a pinch of organic lavender will add an intriguing flavor.
CRITERIA 4: SAFELY USABLE BY A VARIETY OF AGES, POPULATIONS, AND SETTINGS FOR HORTICULTURAL THERAPY: Lavender can be used by any age population and in any HT setting. Some of its HT uses and activities might include:
CULINARY: Make lavender sugar, lavender honey, lavender lemonade, lavender brownies and cookies, lavender pound cake, lavender tea, herb seasoning blends. Many lavender recipes are available online.
CUT FLOWER USE: Fresh bouquets
SKINCARE/COSMETIC USES: Use lavender essential oil in lotions, hand creams, soaps, and colognes.
MEDICINAL USES: Lavender essential oil has significant therapeutic properties. It has antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiviral properties. Used alone or in creams, it is a topical anesthetic which aids in healing skin abrasions, insect stings, cuts, burns, inflammatory skin conditions. It is one of the few essential oils that can be safely applied to the skin. Lavender’s essential oil is balancing, relaxing, and strengthening. . It is said to relieve anxiety and depression, balance moods, make thinking clearer, and promote restful sleep. Lavender essential oil helps relax the large muscles of the body bringing relief for headaches and muscle aches. It remains one of the most favored of all essential oils in massage therapy. Lavender is also an effective insect repellant.
CRAFT USES: Fresh lavender can be used to make bouquets, wreaths, lavender wands, and tussie mussies. Dried lavender and essential oil can be used to make sachets, soaps, potpourri, sleep pillows, massage oil, and dried floral arrangements. Lavender sprigs can be used for nature printing or as a pressed flower.
USES IN THE GARDEN: Lavender is a low maintenance perennial with low water needs once established. It is deer resistant and can protect other plants from hungry deer. It attracts bees and butterflies.
CRITERIA 5: HAS INTERESTING PLANT LORE ASSOCIATED WITH IT: Lavender was used as a perfume and for mummification in ancient Egypt. The Greeks and Romans used lavender for its healing and antiseptic qualities, for deterring insects and in washing. Roman soldiers took lavender on campaigns to dress war wounds. In the Middle Ages, lavender was strewn on the floor to sweeten the air, fumigate sick rooms and as incense for religious ceremonies. Queen Elizabeth I of England used lavender as a perfume, medicine, and tea. During the First World War, nurses bathed soldiers’ wounds with lavender infused water to reduce infections and disease. Lavender has a long and storied history around the globe as a healing plant. Today Provence, France is known for its lavender harvests which are used in many modern perfumes.