Lavender is one of the most popular herbs with recipes and remedies dating back thousands of years. Whether you grow or buy freshly harvested lavender, there are many creative projects to capture the fragrance and essence of this beloved plant including soaps, linen sprays, bath melts, and heat pads—and plenty of ways to enjoy it in beverages and baked goods.
You may also enjoy this Beginner’s Guide to Growing Herbs with tips for choosing plants and the best location.
Lavender Loveliness
Lavender | Genus: Lavandula
Lavender Growing Guide
Woody herb / Sub-shrub
• Hardiness Zones 5 to 9
• Full sun 6+ hours per day
• Well-draining soil
• Trim flowers after blooming
• Lavender dye recipe for fabric
Lavender (Lavandula) is a flowering plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae) with many different species.
Depending on your climate and plant choice, lavender may be grown annually or perennially.
See How to Grow Lavender and Easy Mistakes to Avoid for a detailed growing guide.
I always have several varieties in my garden for a very simple reason: I just love how it looks and, of course, bees love it too.
If you have some lavender to harvest or purchase (try Etsy and eBay), there’s all sorts of creative projects to choose from.
NEW! Click play to listen:Growing Lavender
While I’ll save the topic of how to grow lavender for a separate post, I can provide a few basic pointers (applicable to any plant growing).
Lavender needs sun with warmth but not humidity, well-draining soil, and root space.
To grow perennially, be sure you are selecting a variety suited to your growing zone and conditions.
While we use lavender as a herb, it is really a small shrub or ‘sub-shrub’ with both woody stems and herbaceous growth up top.
Different varieties have different properties so choose yours based on whether you want it as an ornamental plant or to harvest it for cooking, beauty products, scented sachets, or dried arrangements.
Lavender is a favorite plant for cottage-style gardens like mine. You can see more recommended plants here.
Lavender Craft & Project Ideas
Harvesting Lavender
First, you need some lavender. As mentioned, if you are not growing your own, try a gardening friend or farmer’s market. You can also order lavender, lavender seeds, and lavender oils by mail-order.
Dry Lavender Flowers | Amazon
Sweets and Treats
- Patti of Garden Matter has recipes for lavender sugar, syrup, and cookies.
- Tanya of Lovely Greens makes lavender honey cookies.
- Stephanie of Garden Therapy shows how to make infused sugars including lavender and say cheers with lavender soda and lemonade.
- Lynne of Sensible Gardening and Living makes lavender jelly.
Clean
Have you ever tried soap-making? I made my first soap years ago (free instructions here) and got hooked. Not only did I manage to create a soap I love, but one batch lasts for years. I see why so many people get into selling their homemade soaps and lotions. Once you try it, you want to experiment more.
- Tanya of Lovely Greens has lots of soap tutorials including lavender rosemary hand soap.
- Stephanie of Garden Therapy makes lavender and cocoa butter bath melts.
Color
- Use plants from your garden including lavender to dye fabrics. See a lavender leaf dyeing recipe here.
Soothe
- Jami of An Oregon Cottage will relax you with these lavender and flax seed warming pillows and heat pads.
- Kristin of Live Simply makes lavender candles.
- Stephanie of Garden Therapy shares how to make these sweet lavender eye pillows.
Sweet Dreams
- Patti of Garden Matter makes lavender bath bags and sachets.
Lavender Essential Oil | Amazon
Harvest
- Shelle of Preparedness Mama shows us how to harvest lavender.
And Toto Too
Who doesn’t like the scent of lavender? Fleas!
- Stephanie of Garden Therapy keeps her little Meatball happy with anti-flea dog shampoo.
If you make one of these projects or have one to share, I’d love to hear about it.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
