Labyrinth Hill

A few ideas for the use of the stripped foliage to extend the enjoyment of your lavender plants:

A truly wonderful general household cleaner can be made by filling jars to about one-quarter full of lavender foliage (fresh or dried), then topping up with warmed white vinegar. Place lids on jars and leave in a warm spot on the windowsill for about two weeks (or longer if time allows), shaking daily, then decant into spray containers, by which time you have a lovely perfumed and effective product. Use to clean kitchen benches (repels and also kills ants), windows etc. It is also good to spray into the air around BBQs to repel flies and mozzies, but take notice of which way the wind is blowing as it will sting your eyes for an instant. For harder jobs, make up a lavender bicarbonate of soda by putting some of the dried foliage through a blender and then mixing it through some bicarb soda. Again, leave for about two weeks for the lavender to perfume the bicarb. Sprinkle the bicarb on the spot to be cleaned then spray the lavender vinegar on top and watch the reaction as it bubbles away and these two great cleaners go to work!

Lastly, if you have pets shake some of the pulverised dried leaves onto their brush and brush through their fur. Not only will they smell nice, the lavender also assists in flea control. My two dogs sleep on pillows filled with the dried pulverised foliage and their area always smells good. Growing and using lavender is a life-changing experience and as you progress along this enjoyable path you'll find you will devise many more uses for your plants. Cheers, Bonny Brisbane, Australia

'Annie' is waiting for her Lavender Therapy