The common lavender is a well known and well loved beautifully aromatic perennial found in gardens, parks, and public spaces. It is also occasionally found in the wild close to habitation and it is still farmed here in some areas.
The lavender plant grows to a woody many stemmed bush, it has longish spear shaped silver grey leaves.
Delicate purple flowers appear from May to September, these are the parts used in natural medicine.
How To Gather And Store Lavender
Gather the flower buds in May or June before they open, dry the flowers, they can then be kept in an air tight jar for future use.
Lavender Benefits
Lavender benefits: Lavendar herb is perhaps most well known in this country as a scent, couples used to give each other bags of lavender as tokens symbolising remembrance and love, Charles the second would take such bags, tied up with pretty ribbons, and give them to his mistress Nell Gwyn at their secret meetings.
Medicinally it is useful in the treatment of tension headaches, insomnia, stress and anxiety. Lavender can help aid digestion, combat flatulence. It is antiseptic and antibacterial, it calms burns, bites and skin complaints.
Lavender does have uses in the kitchen, it can be used as a garnish for drinks, flowers can be added to a salad or it can be used in jam making, (it is best to make an infusion of lavender first and use that in your jam.) In some areas lavendar cakes are made.
Organic Lavender Leaf For Remedies
Lavender Remedies
Calming lavender tea: Take two teaspoons of lavender flowers and place in a pan, pour on a pint of boiling water, cover and leave to infuse for ten minutes. Strain into a mug and sweeten with honey, (any mixture spare can be kept in the fridge for up to three days,) drink in the mornings and evenings and between meals to help calm mild anxiety and feelings of stress.
Upset stomach preparation: Take a teaspoon of lavender flowers, place in a mug and pour on boiling water, cover and leave to infuse for five minutes, drink in the mornings and evenings.
Soothing lavender bath: Add a handful of lavender flowers to your bath to help ease rheumatic pain and general aches and pains of the body.
Warnings For Using Lavender Home Plant Remedies
Do not use during pregnancy unless advised by midwife to do so.
Do not take if also taking aspirin or blood thinning medication.
Lavender Bush Uses In The Old Times
In Tuscany, Lavender herb was used to remove the evil eye from children. A decoction was made from the herb, and the child was bathed in the liquid. If the water became cloudy it was said that the evil eye had been removed.
During Roman times, lavendar flowers were sold for 100 denarii per pound, which was about the same as a month's wages for a farm laborer.
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