The Petal Pages: Lavender

It’s midnight, summer midnight. All is silent and still. A moonbeam breaks through purple-dusted cloud as music and laughter float from a distant party. I stand in my garden, awash with midsummer sleepiness, and I breathe in the scent of lavender that weaves like silken thread through air.

English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) belongs to the mint family Lamiaceae. It is a shrub with narrow, evergreen leaves, purple flowers, that grow in long clusters, and a strong, clean-smelling fragrance. In summer (peak months being July and August), lavender is the ultimate hotspot for bees, which can be seen busying themselves around bunches from dawn until dusk. Despite its name, it is native to the Mediterranean but has since become a beloved feature of many English gardens.

Along with gardens, lavender thrives in rocky soils, grassy meadows and temperate hills and cliffsides. Lavender is a prominent sight in areas like Provence, France, where fields upon fields of the flower cloak the land in a jewel-toned purple. Due to its beautiful scent and calming effect, it is popular to use in many products including soaps, perfumes, lotions and herbal teas, and as part of aromatherapy products. It can also be used as an anti-septic and anti-inflammatory.

Throughout history, various species of lavender (there are 47 recognised species of Lavandula) have been cherished by many cultures. The ancient Egyptians used it in their embalming techniques and cosmetic products. When Tutankhamen’s tomb was opened in 1922, jars of a plant appearing to be lavender were found – its faint fragrance still lingering. Legend has it that Cleopatra used it in her fragrances. The ancient Romans used it in their bathhouses; the Latin word lavare (meaning ‘to wash’) is thought to be where the modern name for the flower comes from. In the Bible, Adam and Eve were believed to have taken lavender with them from the Garden of Eden. In 17^th century France, King Louis XIV was said to adore a lavender-infused bath. Queen Victoria was known to prefer lavender jelly over mint with her roast lamb.

Lavender has always been a precious plant for me; from the memory of a bubble bath at my nan’s house when I was little to cutting a bunch (always keeping enough for the bees) and making my own tea now. It’s a classic garden plant that has travelled far and wide. If we listen closely, imagine what stories it might tell us.

Lavender
Creature of August,
Best friend to the bees,
Maker of honey,
Gift from Mother Eve;
Your amethyst jewels
Play catch with moonlight,
Your sleepy aroma
Seeps out through the night;
From the lands of the ancients
Your story begins,
Egypt’s spell of seduction,
To the courts of French Kings;
So far you have travelled,
So much you have known,
Now here you grow
In my very own home!