Thursday, September 24, 2009

I love lavender

There are a few herb bushes that I just adore. It's because they smell so delicious, especially on warm days. One of these plants is called lavender; Italian lavender to be precise. It's not a very big plant, as it only grows to about 30-40cms high, but it has the most pungent smell of lavender you will ever find. I can still smell it on my fingers, after this mornings activities.


Lavender in flower


Because I love this particular variety so much, I decided to see if I could propagate some more. I would love a full hedge of this stuff! So upon passing my recyclables bin this morning, I noticed a yoghurt container which could be put to good use.


Empty 1kg tub of yoghurt


After cleaning it up and drilling a few holes in the lid, I filled it to about a third full of wet sand. I pulled most of the leaves off the lavender cuttings and plonked them straight into the sand. With the lid on, I'm hoping some will take root in a few weeks time.


Cuttings placed in wet sand


But that's not all I use my lavender for. I recently changed rinse liquids from the store bought variety, to just plain white vinegar. It leaves the laundry feeling soft and fresh. Instead of ordinary vinegar smell however, I pop some lavender flowers (or stalks) into the bottle for about a week. Left too long and it starts to ferment.


Lavender flowers in empty bottle


Once the lavender is removed from the vinegar however, it leaves a slight lavender scent to it - and my washing. No soapy residue left on my laundry either, which I noticed from the store bought variety once I switched over.


Filled with white vinegar to the top


My other favourite herb bush is called the curry plant. On warm days you can smell the aroma of curry as you walk past it. The surprise is so tantalising, you just have to keep walking past it again and again! Once my curry plant gets bigger, I'll see if I can propagate it too.


Curry plant


If it wasn't for the aroma of certain garden plants around the year, I'm not sure being in the garden would be half as enjoyable.

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