The Lavender is perrinial shrub, with grey-green
leaves and a woody stem. They are native in the
Provence, where they grow on the hills on chalky
soil. Lavender grows above 400 meter and is
sensitiv for rainy summers. The blue or purple
flowers grow on long stems, and are 1 decimeter long.
Commercial Lavender
Lavender is grown on large area's in the Provence and
Cote d'Azur. The dried flowers produce the famous
lavender oil.
lavender used for lavenderoil:
true or fine lavender
The true lavender or lavandula angustifolia become
75cm high and grows in the Provence as a nativ shrub.
The true lavender produces the fine lavender oil that
is used in the parfum industy and pharmacal purposes.
True lavender grows high in the mountains, on altitudes.
over the 500 meter. The flowers are collected when half
of them have been flowering. True lavender flowers
during the whole summer. True lavender is the starting
point for the large amount of cultivars.
French Lavender or Topped Lavender)
The fench Lavender or Lavandula stoechas gets 1 meter
high and resembles the true lavender.
Its fragerance is very strong and its oil
contains more resin then true lavender. Its is
used in air freshener product.
Lavendin br>
Lavendin is a hybrid between L. angustifolia
and L. latifolia. The lavendin produces lavender oil
that contains a camphor component and this oil
is used for soap and detergent production and air
freshener.
Lavender road
The most lovely lavenderaies (fields with lavender)
can be found around Gordes (Luberon), and next to the
abbey of Sananque. Sault is the number one lavender
place, one can find here the Jardin des Lavandes and the
lavender parties on 14 and 15 augustus (Fête de la Lavande).
The production of Lavender oil
One needs 40kg lavendil or 140kg true lavender flowers
for the production of 1 kg lavender oil.
Here is how its happen:
Tlr flowers are steamed and the crude oil will
evaporate.
The steam is cooled and a mixture of water and oil
forms.
This mixture is heated au baine Marie, and the pure
oil remains. The production of the oil is in fact very
easy and is done since 1600.
The lavender garden
Lavender grows on sandys and chalcky soils, and
prefers the full sun.
Lavender is very resistant against dry periods.
Lavender cultivars.
There are very many cultivars, in the colors
pink, blue, purper and white.
The most cultivars are related to the L. angustifolia.
The most populair cultivar is L angustifolia"Alba",
with white flowers.
Another opulair cultivar is the L angustifolia "Munstead",
with a strong fragrance and a blue color.
Propagation
Verreweg de eenvoudigste manier is om lavendel te stekken.
Dit gaat vrij eenvoudig door op het einde van de zomer
een takje af te snijden van een niet-bloeiend deel van
de struik. Dit dient een decimeter lang te zijn.
Doe dit stekje in een pot met zand en tuinaarde.
Verzorging van Lavendel
De bloei van de lavendel heeft na drie jaar zijn
hoogtepunt bereikt, het beste resultaat geeft door
de lavendel te vervangen door nieuwe stekken.
Voor een grotere opbrengst kunnen uitgebloeide
stengels meteen afgesneden en verwijderd worden.
recipe of lavender syrop: 1 liter water,
half a kilo of sugar, 10 spoons of lavender flowers,
1 lemon for its juice .
Mix together the water and sugar, and bring to a boil.
Remove from the heat and add 10 spoons of lavender flowers.
wait half an hour. Sieve it, and add the lemonjuice.
serve cold in a long glas.
Lavender-thyme tea
For 1 pot of tea: 4 teaspoons of dried lavender
and 4 teaspoon of dried thyme.
Put the Lavender an thyme in a pot
boiling water, steep for 5 minutes, sieve it.
culinair Lavender
The best Lavender for culinair usage is the
vencal lavender (Lavandula dentata) which has a
mild aroma and flavor, but true lavender and Italian
Lavender have a stronger taste and are preffered by
others.
Culinair Lavender is used in the kitchen together
or as a substitute of thyme, do not overkook the
lavender, as it gives an unappealingly bitter flavor.
Herbes de Provence is made of basil, fennel seed,
marjoram, rosemary, sage, summer savory and thyme,
and lavender and is used in meat, poultry and
vegetables.
Fresh lavender flowers are used as a garnish in salads.
lavendelhoning
Lavender honey
Lavender honey is produced by bees that only visit the.
Lavender. One field can feed 50 beehives that
produce 40kg of lavender honey each.
