3 Uses for Lavender

As Decoration. Once harvested, avoid packing stems tightly in vases, which will allow them to dry naturally. Lavender flowers remain fragrant and attractive, and may be kept on display for extended periods of time, although they may be a bit messy as they drop fine dried petals over time. Lavender flower are traditionally dried in tied bunches hanging upside down in a cool, dark, dry place. Store away from light, heat, and humidity.

In Cooking. Lavender flowers can be used as a flavoring herb, particularly for infusing sugar; in baking and bread making; for herbal and medicinal tea; and in syrups, dressings, and sauces. Fresh flowers make a striking addition to salad. Flowers, buds, leaves, and stems are all edible and used both fresh and dried.

If you wish to cook with lavender, choose your varieties carefully in advance of planting. English Lavender is typically used for cooking, with flowers that are mild and sweet; select cultivars that are known to be suitable for cooking, and if possible obtain flowers from multiple varieties to taste and cook with in advance to make an educated choice about which you prefer before planting. Be cautious with harvesting flowers from plants in public areas or in any area in which you don’t know the maintenance history, as plants or soil may have been treated with pesticide or other chemicals. Lavender can quickly become overpoweringly perfumey or bitter in food, so use with caution. Many landscape and garden species and varieties of lavender may be unsuitable for culinary use.

As Infusion. Lavender can also be used in oils, soaps, sachets and perfumes.

The word “lavender” may be derived from the Latin “lavare,” the verb “to wash,” which hints at the plant’s longtime use as a bathing infusion. For a medicinal, fragrant bath, run very hot water and infuse about 1 cup of dried lavender flowers or 2 cups of fresh flowers (or to preference) for about 10 to 30 minutes until the water cools enough to bathe in. Use a large “teabag” made of mesh, cheesecloth, or coarse fabric if you prefer to avoid having flowers floating around in the water while bathing. For a more complex and nuanced flower bath, add rose petals, rosemary leaves, mint, or other aromatic herbs and flowers.

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