By Vicki Spencer, Master Gardener
When I was a child, my mother grew lavender and mint along the fence in the back of her rock garden. I thought lavender was just another flower that attracted a lot of bees, but on hot summer days we picked the leaves to garnish our glasses of iced tea or lemonade. I didn’t know that lavender is an herb. I just thought it was fun to put a leaf in my cold drink.
Since then, I learned there are many different uses for this species of the mint family. For centuries, lavender has been an essential ingredient in perfumes. For me, it was the most recognizable scent at the local Woolworth’s. I also remember the lavender sachets that my aunt would give me for my dresser drawers. Today we recognize lavender as a fragrance to spray on our pillows to relax at night or an essential oil to make our massage more enjoyable. But its uses are becoming more diverse and creative.
Although we typically think of the English varieties that are used in fragrances, there are many varieties you could try growing in your garden, depending on your personal preferences. I particularly enjoy Spanish lavender with its dark purple, pineapple-shaped flowers and dark green leaves. French lavender is the more traditional plant with gray leaves and serrated edges.
You can propagate lavender by seed, but it germinates slowly. It is most easily grown from a cutting or division. Once planted, lavender is a fast-growing shrub and can take over your garden if you don’t watch out. It flourishes when kept 3 feet high, so all you need to do is trim it occasionally and decorate your house with fresh floral bouquets.
Besides its beauty and fragrance, lavender is an ideal plant for Colorado’s extensive sunlight and droughty soil. Perhaps more importantly, lavender is known to be deer resistant, so I recommend rural gardeners find a place for it in their gardens. At the same time, bees and butterflies love lavender, which benefits our at-risk pollinator populations.
Although not native to North America, lavender is easy to grow, and communities all across the country hold festivals to celebrate its beauty and restorative character. If you are in the Front Range July 16, you should join the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield for the Lavender Festival. Local growers and artisans will have lavender products for sale and lavender educational programs. In addition, festival-goers will enjoy hay rides, barrel train rides, face painting, live music and food vendors.
Earlier in the month (July 8-10), if you are in the Western Slope, you can enjoy the Lavender Festival in Palisade; it’s a short four-hour drive from Denver. Kick off the weekend with motor coach tours of various farms on Friday night. Then spend Saturday and Sunday enjoying demonstrations, seminars, workshops, music and cooking demos.
Not only do the festivals provide fun-filled activities for the whole family, but there is also so much to learn about lavender that it will surprise you.