Many of us have a lavender plant in our garden that we are very fond of.
The plant with the long tall stems, a beautiful scent and the most beautifully coloured flower head.
It flowers all summer so you leave it flowering for as long as possible, and then one day you realize it has become just dead stems.
Here is a way to keep the flowers until you can find a recipe for pot pourri.
Drying lavender is easy, but there are a few steps that are important.
The flowers need to be completely dry before you pick them.
If the flowers have 3 or 4 days of hot sunshine before picking, the scent, when dried, will be sweeter.
The perfume is in the oil glands at the base of each tiny bud.
The bees will tell you when it is time to pick the flowers; they will be having a lovely time buzzing all over the bush.
Pick a bunch, make the size approximately the amount that will fit inside your thumb and curved index finger.
Place the bunch head first into a brown paper bag; close the bag around the stems, leaving the stems protruding.
Hang the bag in a dark ventilated area until the lavender is dry.
How to check the lavender is dry? A stem will crack when it is broken.
The paper bag will have caught any dried buds which have fallen off the stem.
STRIPPING THE LAVENDER FROM THE STEMS.
If you have many bunches, place them inside a pillow case (or similar) and roll the flower heads between your palms until you can feel most of the lavender has been removed from the stems.( If you only have a small amount just rub the flower heads between your palms)
Wearing gloves will help prevent the stems pricking your palms.
Tip the contents into a large bowl, or tray with sides and remove any pieces of broken stems.
Put the buds into a pretty bowl and stir occasionally to release aroma.
Alternatively fill lavender bags and place into drawers or linen press.
Lavender bags need to be squeezed to release the aroma.