What do you think about when you want to have a relaxing evening after work, or something to help you sleep, or something to comfort you when you feel anxious or restless? The most popular suggestion would be to take out your lavender-scented candles or to sniff the lavender essential oil through the diffuser. This magical potion, called Lavender, is all around us without us even realizing it. Today let's take a closer look at the story of our beloved Lavender and celebrate our mutual love for this wonderful flower.
If we look back at the earliest uses of lavender, it goes back to 2500 years, when the Egyptians used it to mummify, the Romans used it in cooking, as a bath oil and as an antiseptic. The Greeks were also known to use lavender as a sleeping aid. If we explore the etymology of the word lavender, we can find its roots in the old Latin word "lavare", which means "to wash". In the Middle Ages, fabrics would be washed with lavender and, while drying, they would be placed on lavender bushes, as the aroma of the plant helped to keep odours away and acted as a skin freshener. Whenever we think of the lavender flower, our visual memory takes us to the fields of Provence in France where we imagine lush and enchanting lavender fields that look like a dream. The reason why lavender grows best in Provence is because the climate and temperature there are the most favourable for growing lavender. Moderately sunny and gentle winters and perfect humidity make Provence's climate ideal for growing the best lavender in the world. Although its cultivation is not limited to the Provence. Lavender is also grown in the Middle East, in the English countryside and in many parts of the Mediterranean, but the best lavender we all know is the lavender of Provence. With the enormous popularity of lavender around the world and given the nature of the global consumer economy, lavender is now being grown on huge commercial farms in the United States as we move into the 21st century.
There is a myriad of lavender-related products. Just start with essential oil, candles, bath oil, perfumes, the list is endless. There are countless products made from lavender on the market today. But lavender is not only a favourite of mainstream people, but it is also a highly treasured by the elites and royalty around the world. The English Queen Victoria was so fond of lavender that she wanted everything to be covered with lavender and her laundry to be scented with lavender. The popular tales have it that Cleopatra used the scent of lavender to seduce her lovers. The attraction for this plant is endless. Queen Elizabeth is famous for drinking lavender tea to relieve migraines. The peculiarity of lavender is that it is not just a product or item to be used for various purposes, but the plant itself; is visually soothing and hence the trend to take pictures in the midst of lush lavender fields is on the rise. A French fashion designer has taken a further step by organizing the spring collection fashion show in a lavender field.
Research around lavender has suggested its usage as an alternative medicine to help treat anxiety, insomnia, restlessness, etc. Lavender has also been shown to have analgesic effects, serving as an insecticide, and it has been found to have healing properties as well. In addition, lavender is also widely used in cooking and baking.
The Magic Around Lavender
In the world of witchcraft and magic, lavender holds a special place. We all know how the scent of lavender gives us a feeling of calmness and tranquility. It is also considered to be a plant that provokes love. Lavender is said to be Cleopatra's trickery for seduction and in native tales likewise, lavender was the weapon of enchantresses to entice men. In the age of love letters, they were scented with lavender to arouse more love between lovers. A lavender-scented pillow is supposed to make your dreams come true. The myths and beliefs revolving around this enchanting plant are numerous. Which one do you believe?
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