If you are in the process of doing your fall garden clean-up and come across some left-over lavender you can cut the old stems and
bundle them into small bunches with raffia or some natural string.
These bunches can be used for culinary purposes on your barbecue to "smoke" your meat and seafood or you can use them as aromatic fire starters.
When using the stems to create aromatic and flavourful lavender “smoke”, soak them in water for 10 minutes and then place them on a hot BBQ with your meat or seafood.
To make your own fire starters, place the dried bunches of lavender by your fireplace and use them as handy - very aromatic fire starters.
Octoberber 2009
Make your very own natural lavender Bath Salts!
A chill is in the air ... what better way to warm up than to have a nice soak in your tub – naturally with lavender!
The natural lavender essential oil is soothing on the nerves, eases muscle pain, works as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent ... and is often accredited with helping individuals to drift off to sleep quicker, takes the edge off of pesky headaches and helps to decongest during a cold or flu.
Step 1
In a bowl mix the Epsom salts, the Dead Sea salt and the baking soda together.
Step 2
Add 20 drops of lavender essential oil to this mixture – voila! Your very own relaxing bath salts!
Step 3
Add 2-3 handfuls to your bath, stir with your hand to dissolve the salt crystals ... relax and enjoy!
If you’re not keen on making your own ... Lavender-Blu has done the work for you ... keep it for yourself or give it away as a gift!
Our Relaxing Lavender Bath Salt mixture allows for seven relaxing baths and comes with a decorative – but practical sea shell “scooper”! $20.-
September 2009
WOW!!
This lavender blooms until October ... does not mind the rain ... and loves some shade!
No wonder it's my new favourite! This variety is known by many names: Lavandula multifida, ‘Downy Lavender’, ‘Fern-leaf’ lavender, Jagged Lavender, Lavendula pinnata, or Lace Lavender are a few of the names this beauty goes by!
This is a tender perennial in zones 8-11 – but if you live in Canada in zones 4,5, and 6, you can still enjoy this variety by keeping the plant in a pot.
It grows to approximately 1 meter tall with purple-blue blossoms and gray-green velvety/fuzzy foliage – the foliage has the distinctive fine-toothed lacy appearance. The flowers sit atop long stems and are divided into three parts resembling a pitchfork or Neptune’s Trident!
The best feature about this particular variety is certainly not its scent ... they lack the lavender “perfume” we all so much love - nor are they intended for decorative drying ... HOWEVER ... where they lack in aroma they make up with voluminous purple flowers AND they bloom from spring until the first frost in the fall ... like all lavenders they require well-drained soil and these in particular actually like a bit of shade!
In addition: the blossoms attract bees, Hummingbirds, butterflies (and children), the plant grows fast and becomes large very quickly, and it does not mind rainy weather too much as long as it has well-drained soil. Dead-head the wilted flower tops for continuous bloom.
If your garden is in zone 4, 5 or 6 the plant will not survive your harsh winter, therefore, as mentioned above, you must keep them in a container – enjoy them through spring, summer and fall, but bring them indoors to overwinter. Once inside during the winter months, place them on a bright windowsill. The soil in the pot should contain some sand, perlite, or vermiculite to aid in drainage. Water when soil is dry to the touch and fertilize every three weeks.
July/August 2009
Make your very own Herbes de Provence!
It's the taste of summer in a jar ... all year round!
You will find this herb mixture in every French kitchen ... it combines all the fabulous Mediterranean flavours in one scoop! Season soups, stews, vegetables, salads and meats ... not to mention your home-made pizza or focaccia!
There are many variations to this recipe ... you can omit some herbs ... but you cannot omit lavender - that's simply a staple!
Combine all ingredients. Mix well and spoon into jart. Keep in a dry dark place. Makes a lovely gift!
Use organically grown herbs ... before using in your culinary dish crush the herbs between your fingers to release the flavourful essential oils contained within each and every one of these plants!
Or grab some quick tips on our very own recipe page ...
June 2009
The Art of Growing Lavender in Canada ...
This summer Lavender-Blu will be joining NEOB Lavender Farm for the first annual Lavender Festival: The Lavender Scent-ses Festival Market on Saturday, July 11th from 11am-5pm at 758 Niagara Stone Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake.
April/May 2009
When you are an artist surrounded by 25,000 lavender plants it’s hard not to get inspired!
Andrea Kiernan spent the first twenty-two years of her life in New York where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. She majored in glass blowing and explored the many different techniques for working with hot-glass, metal and stone - ultimately combining these elements to create large scale sculptures.
After the completion of her studies she relocated to the west coast to be closer to the booming Seattle glass scene.
Her relocation prompted many new artistic inspirations. Firstly, she began to explore the torch, learning what she could about glass beads and lampworked sculpture from books. Moreover, while teaching art at the local elementary school she was inspired to experiment and to explore with new materials. During her summers off, Andrea worked for Pelindaba Lavender Farm handcrafting products from the plants they grow in their organically-certified fields.
Free to roam amongst the 25,000 lavender plants, it wasn't long before her day job began to influence her artwork. Up close and personal, Andrea paid close attention to the many lavender cultivars and their varying shades of vibrant purple, blue, pink, white, and even green. She began sculpting glass in-the-round using “hard”, borosilicate glass to model the full head of the lavender plant.
In her island studio - where she lives with her husband and three-year-old daughter, Andrea recreates the beauty of the lavender fields. She has begun to explore imported Italian “soft” glass and has found some wonderful shades of purple and blue to work into her collection. She continues to work part time for the local organic lavender farm developing value added products and at their retail stores where she meets visitors from around the world and gets to tell them all about her glass beads.
(Andrea at work in her studio. After the bead is cooled slowly in the annealing oven, she removes it from the stainless steel rod (or mandrel) and cleans out the hole with a Dremel tool’s diamond bit in a cool water bath.)
(After adding the silver beads, findings and crystal, Andrea uses pliers to wrap the glass bead with silver wire thus creating a loop for the pendant to hang.)
Each bead is digitally kiln annealed for maximum durability and is showcased using sterling silver, semi-precious stones and Swarovski crystals.
Each piece is packaged in a protective gift box or a sachet filled with fragrant organic lavender buds.
Here are 10 quick tips on how to use organic lavender essential oil to infuse a fresh spring breeze right into your home environment!
1-2 drops onto a warm light bulb will immediately infuse your living/working space with the soothing aroma.
Place 1-2 drops on the air filter of your vacuum cleaner while vacuuming.
For washing floors and surfaces – use up to 15 drops of lavender essential oil in a bucket of warm water.
For a dryer sheet - add 10 drops of lavender essential oil onto a small towel and place it in your dryer ... the clothes will have a natural fresh lavender scent.
Add 5-10 drops of lavender essential oil to your ironing water – ironing will never be a chore again!
Put 5-10 drops of lavender essential oil on a cotton ball and place it in your drawer, your gym bag, suitcase, shoe closet ...
Use a lavender essential oil infused cotton ball (5-10 drops) when storing away winter clothes and boots ... lavender also is known to repel moths! For this purpose, the organic lavender sachets are also ideal!
Pure lavender essential oil does not stain ... therefore you can put a few drops of lavender essential oil on your clean linens, bedding, etc ... before putting them away.
Fill an empty spray bottle with warm water, add 10-15 drops of lavender essential oil and use it as a natural air freshener or dusting “agent”.
Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to all the towels around the house ... including the kitchen towel ... anytime you use a towel, the fresh scent of lavender will be released.
Bonus – after a stressful day of Spring Cleaning make sure to add 10 drops of Lavender Essential Oil into your evening bath ... sweet dreams!
February 2009
Lavender - Hot Off the Press
I must admit that I have not yet ordered my copy of this hot off the press item - however I thought lavender enthusiasts must know about it.
The Maui Book of Lavender unveils the unique agribusiness story of Maui’s Ali’i Kula Lavender, along with useful information on lavender crafts and home uses, as well as 40 recipes incorporating lavender - making this hardcover book a treasure for gardeners, home crafters, cooks and anyone else who appreciates a little lavender in their life.
Moreover, this new lavender-scented release from Watermark Publishing traces the herb’s historic uses in Hawai’i and abroad. Besides its distinctive aroma, lavender boasts time-proven health, beauty and culinary value: its use has been well documented for some 2,500 years.
Make your very own natural lavender Bath Salts!
In addition: the blossoms attract bees, Hummingbirds, butterflies (and children), the plant grows fast and becomes large very quickly, and it does not mind rainy weather too much as long as it has well-drained soil. Dead-head the wilted flower tops for continuous bloom.
Andrea Kiernan spent the first twenty-two years of her life in New York where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. She majored in glass blowing and explored the many different techniques for working with hot-glass, metal and stone - ultimately combining these elements to create large scale sculptures. 
Free to roam amongst the 25,000 lavender plants, it wasn't long before her day job began to influence her artwork. Up close and personal, Andrea paid close attention to the many lavender cultivars and their varying shades of vibrant purple, blue, pink, white, and even green. She began sculpting glass in-the-round using “hard”, borosilicate glass to model the full head of the lavender plant.
This past month we have been busy updating the travel section of our website. Lavender-Blu now has an extensive reference list of over 130 lavender farms throughout the world, for example: 
There is also a special travel guide to