french lavender in my home

by Sharon Santoni

bee on lander

I am often asked about the famous fields of lavender that grow in the south of France, it is true that they are beautiful, but actually lavender grows pretty well up here in Normandy too.

apricots growing against stone wall

I have planted a long row of lavender on a south-facing wall beneath an espalier apricot tree, and this year it is doing well.

apricots growing against stone wall

The apricots are ripening beautifully, and the bees are buzzing in the lavender bushes below.  For the moment the blue grey flowers are only just opened, but by late August they shall be ready to harvest.

apricots growing against stone wall

Harvesting the lavender is not just about the perfume.  It is vital to cut the bushes back hard to keep them in a good shape and prevent their stems from growing too long and too woody.

lavender in cotton bags

I still have plenty of lavender from last year.  I used a lot to make up some pretty sachets that I used as hostess gifts, but for larger quantities I drop handfuls of the dried stems into some cotton bags with ribbon ties to close them.

dried lavender

The bags can be popped behind stacks of sheets in my armoires, and when their perfume has lost its strength, they simply need to be replenished.

lavender in linen cupbord

And if I drop any lavender while I’m filling the bags,  I vacuum it up and it perfumes the hoover too.

french linens in cupboard

 

Little pleasures that cost nothing and take only a few minutes to put together.

53 comments

Lynn July 7, 2015 - 5:22 pm

Just lovely – I always feel such peace when I visit your blog. And lavender is so soothing.

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Sharon Santoni July 7, 2015 - 6:46 pm

Thank you Lynn, I also find the smell of lavender very soothing, and clean smelling

x

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Denise July 7, 2015 - 5:58 pm

Sharon I love Lavender. I planted a big pot of them this year. Reminds me of my mother when we lived in France.

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Sharon Santoni July 7, 2015 - 6:47 pm

It’s a good idea to put lavender in a big pot, although here we’d have to be careful with the winter frost

x

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Jill Karr July 7, 2015 - 5:59 pm

Sharon….do you ever sleep? You do so much and everything is perfect! You have inspired me to make lavender sachets with my lavender. Thank you!
Do you cut your lavender back hard when you harvest it or in the fall?

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Sharon Santoni July 7, 2015 - 6:49 pm

Hey Jill, you are very kind, but remember this is a blog! I show the good bits and talk less about the backlog on my to-do list 🙂
I cut the lavender back hard when I harvest it, simply because I normally harvest it a little late, and life is just too short to do the same job twice!

xx

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Renee July 7, 2015 - 6:02 pm

My favorite posting! Beautiful.

Thank you!

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Sharon Santoni July 7, 2015 - 6:49 pm

thank you Renee!

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Rosemary July 7, 2015 - 6:04 pm

Sharon, thank you for the information on Lavender. I didn’t know that I should be cutting it back hard. Will do!!!

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Sharon Santoni July 7, 2015 - 6:50 pm

I don’t think it affects the next year’s crop Rosemary, it’s just a way of keeping the bush in a better shape

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Donna Baker July 7, 2015 - 6:06 pm

I love everything about lavender -but the smell. It smells like mothballs to me. Am I the only one? I also have it growing in my garden, as I said, it is so beautiful etc. And to eat it? I can’t imagine what that would taste of.

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Sharon Santoni July 7, 2015 - 6:52 pm

So sorry you don’t like the smell Donna, I guess perfumes are as personal as colours. I have never eaten lavender, but I do have a friends who likes to flavour her ice cream with lavender in the summer.

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Karen July 7, 2015 - 9:11 pm

I have had lavender chocolate chip cookies at a restaurant here in Kansas and they are HEAVENLY!!!!!

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Colleen Taylor July 7, 2015 - 6:16 pm

Sharon, I have quite a few of those same lavender plants. There’s nothing quite like their beauty. Lovely post!

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Sharon Santoni July 7, 2015 - 6:52 pm

I’m sure it grows really well in your part of the world Colleen, hope you are well 🙂

xx

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Freda July 7, 2015 - 6:35 pm

I am wondering if you ever write about whitening your beautiful linens? And is lavender truly a moth repellent? Thank you for the lovely photographs!

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Sharon Santoni July 9, 2015 - 7:58 am

Hi Freda,
that’s a good idea, I haven’t written about caring for linens in a long while, I shall do that soon, thank you.

I don’t know if lavender is a moth repellent, I’ve been lucky!

x

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Nancy Greb July 13, 2015 - 12:43 am

Oh yes please if you have any info on how to whiten and care for fine linens that would be wonderful – I use lavender each season for moth repellent and had great results.

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Agnes Irene July 7, 2015 - 6:37 pm

I’ve had a long love affair with lavender and use it frequently – lavender oil on my wrists, springs of dried lavender on my counters and bookshelves, lavender bath salts and bath gel, sachets for my linens (it even finds its ways into my stories) – something about the fragrance is so pure and lovely. Though I think part of its allure is from a particular association I have from my younger days studying at UC Berkeley. There was a tiny shop near the campus that I loved visiting, and it was there that I discovered a Product from France – Pre de Provence bath oils. The scent of lavender always brings back memories from that wonderful time in my life.

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suzanna July 7, 2015 - 6:49 pm

Oh Sharon, love love lavender….I need the formula for planting it, I have a green thumb as they say, yet my levender struggles…..I can usually bring strugglers back to life…wonderful if Fla region is it, I don’t see much lavender planted here when out and about, .so beautiful and loving your apricot tree….delicious, love them too! Beautiful as usual here Sharon! hugs

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Pamela July 7, 2015 - 7:03 pm

What a great poat. I was thinking about buying a couple lavender plants thanks for the info.non cutting them. I was thinking about making some lavender water.
Have a great day!!

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Emm July 7, 2015 - 7:10 pm

A friend once gave me some homemade vanilla ice cream flavored with lavender. Heaven.

I’ve grown lavender in northern New England, but planted it backed by a stone wall and south-facing. Even in that extreme climate, it thrived.

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Mia July 7, 2015 - 7:22 pm

I love Lavender.. have been enjoying the healing benefits of its essential oil for years! So glad to be surrounded by it here in the South of France..Thank you so much for such a lovely post!
Blessings
Mia

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Dore July 7, 2015 - 7:23 pm

oh the scent of Lavender….
I grow it here in Southern California on the desert, and it makes me feel like I to live in an amazing French villa or cottage as you my dear.

Your plantings are in abundant and of so full of French grace.

See you and your inspiring decor and grounds soon.

Xx
Bisous

Doré

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Joie Lynn July 7, 2015 - 7:33 pm

I have lavender in almost every room in my cottage in one form or another. In the bathroom I have 4 framed photographs(from France) that look like pressed lavender on linen with lace ribbons and antique script. When mine is ready I am going to try to weave some into one of those sachets with ribbon. I am new to your blog, having found you on Kristin Espinasse’s blog. I find it beautiful.
Merci,
Joie

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Lorraine July 7, 2015 - 7:51 pm

Do you need to dry the flower heads after cutting? And once dry how best to store them so they don’t lose their fragrance? Thanks.

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Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon July 7, 2015 - 8:01 pm

When I smell lavender it reminds me of my Grandfather’s shaving mug, and my Grandmothers linen closet. Wonderful memories of spending a week or two in the summer at their house. I never smelled it anywhere else and wondered why, but now I know they were French living in a German community.

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Nicole July 7, 2015 - 8:01 pm

J’adore la lavande et j’en ai vraiment beaucoup sur ma terrasse, pratiquement dans chaque bac de fleurs ou à plantes. J’adore l’odeur de la lavande sans parler des couleurs de fleurs très variées.

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Lesley Coetzee July 7, 2015 - 8:12 pm

Everyone loves Lavender…. so many varieties…. but I love the French variety.

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Vicky from Athens July 7, 2015 - 8:16 pm

Sharon – a few months ago a woman spoke to my garden club about lavender and it’s many uses. She brought for each of us to eat some little tea biscuits that had a very small amount of lavender in them. They were iced with a lavender icing – those little cookies were sooo good!
It’s a smell I could never tire of. Unfortunately, I’ve had little luck with growing it here in No. Georgia. I’m sure it’s just me.

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wynne wright July 8, 2015 - 7:23 am

Its doubtful its you. Lavender does not kike the humidity of the deep south so hard to grow there. Plant where well drained, lors of dun…and air needs to circulate around it to reduce the impact of the humidity

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Vicky from Athens July 9, 2015 - 7:44 pm

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately, the one thing I can give them plenty of is humidity!

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Joyce Major July 7, 2015 - 8:55 pm

Lavender grows well here in Lake Country, Canada. I dry it before cutting and also after cutting back hard for dried bouquets, add it to white cake batter and the icing, add to sugar …. a nice lavender sugar, brew lavender tea served hot or cold, lavender water on ice.

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Rita July 7, 2015 - 9:02 pm

Lavender is so French. I love the fragrance and often add it to a big bowl of fruit salad. It gives a nice, interesting flavor! Love your writing and am looking forward to your book debut!

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Chrysanthemum July 7, 2015 - 9:09 pm

You have given me a wonderful idea for a south facing wall on our house… I wonder if I can have espalier tree there and plant lavender below. I will investigate!!! Love reading your blogs…..
I do love lavender, my husband comments on my use of it for everything. I always take it when I travel…soothe sore muscles, stop cuts from infecting, stop itching mosquito bites and aids in getting to sleep. He admits he doesn’t mind the scent any more.

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StitchinSweetSue July 7, 2015 - 9:11 pm

your post is very timely sharon! upcoming local lavender festival, 2015 poster is lovely don’t you think?! it’s about a one hour drive from us, you’re welcome to join us any time:) xo

https://fingerlakeslavenderfestival.blogspot.com/2015/05/finger-lakes-lavender-festival-2015.html

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Susan (une femme) July 7, 2015 - 10:28 pm

Oh, I love lavender! It does pretty well here in Southern California too, but I’ve neglected mine too long and let it get leggy and woody. Need to pull out and replant next year. Yours is lovely!

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Sally July 8, 2015 - 12:21 am

I love lavender too! When you say ‘cut back hard’ how far into the stalk do you cut (1/3 down; 1/2 down?) and when do you cut (when you cut the flowers; autumn?)
Thanks! Sally

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Gina July 8, 2015 - 3:36 am

Lavender against a rock house is heaven

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Esther George July 8, 2015 - 4:09 am

So that’s where we went wrong! Hi Sharon, I love Lavender the first one we bought…English Lavender, it is lovely, to our surprise it attracted Australian native bees, they are smaller and more yellow in colour, the second… French it got a bit leggy because we didn’t cut it back (note to husband). Next on my list is Hidcote Lavender which is not available yet. Thank you for sharing beauty. Till next time regards Esther from Sydney. PS I can just catch the scent way over here….beautiful.

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Linda July 8, 2015 - 4:36 am

Lavender grows well here in Washington state, and I never grow tired of visiting the area where it is grown during the summer. We just returned from a trip to Europe that included six days in France. We were in Paris and enjoyed a visit to Giverny, where I bought sachets filled with lavender. The gardens there were spectacular!!

Thank you again for the inspiration your posts give me. I so enjoy my little visit to Normandy when I open another post.

Linda

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Gayle de Bruyckere July 8, 2015 - 6:22 am

When I had Lavender bushes, I used to save all the growth I pruned from them and burn it in the open fire in winter. The house always smelled beautiful!

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Lorrie July 8, 2015 - 6:54 am

This is a very timely post – my lavender is ready to be cut. I like the idea of refillable bags instead of closed sachets – much easier to switch out the lavender.
Beautiful photos.

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Penne July 8, 2015 - 8:46 am

I love your lavender Sharon, and it is wonderful to have it in drawers etc, but the apricots are what I covert most as I live in Brisbane Australia where of course they don’t grow – yours look so delectable!!

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Delaine July 8, 2015 - 11:52 am

What a beautiful post! I always get excited to see a new blog entry from you…makes me happy! Sharon, you are always such an inspiration. Now I need to find some lavender to grow! The sachets are a great idea! Merci!

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Chris Frank July 8, 2015 - 1:44 pm

Sharon,
I look forward to getting your note and especially this one on lavender. I made shortbread cookies and put a little lavender in and then glazed them with lemon and some more lavender. It has a slightly minty flavour as it is part of the mint family.
I can hardly wait to cut some of my lavender. ..has so many uses besides looking beautiful.

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Karena July 8, 2015 - 5:04 pm

Sharon how wonderful to simply walk outside and gather your fragrant lavender! The sachets must be so wonderful to spread about your home!

xoxo
Karena
The Arts by Karena
Stems Soiree

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Sally July 8, 2015 - 7:24 pm

Thank you Sharon for all your expertise. My lavender has grown leggy and woody. It will really be pruned back this winter.
Love your site, it is a quick trip to France.

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PEGGY BRASWELL July 8, 2015 - 9:06 pm

how delicious + great photos xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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Marian from UK July 9, 2015 - 2:47 pm

Lavender – lovely! New garden in progress and Lavender on the list. Thank you for the useful tips. And Apricots! how lucky you are to be able to grow them! I Don’t think they’d work here in South West England would they?

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Josephine July 9, 2015 - 3:51 pm

One day my sister-in-law came to visit and inmediately commented that my house always smelled so good. Thanks lavender!!!!! I said thanks and your post reminded me of that visit for she has passed away, like memories and smells, they linger in a beautiful way.
Thanks for your beautiful post it is a bright spot in ones day:)

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Roxane July 9, 2015 - 11:38 pm

Lavender is one of most favorite plants! I love to make lavender & rose sachets. I tuck them in my sheets, hang them in closets and I have one inside my pillow case. I love the smell of the lavender as I go to sleep. I made Lemon,Lavender, Poppy Seed Bread in mini loaves for our daughter’s wedding in June as favors. I sprinkled dried Lavender flowers on top of the icing too. My sister loved them so much with her tea, I had to make her some more! I also made Lavender Lemonade for a non-alcoholic drink and tossed lavender buds on the lawn throughout the ceremony area and also inside the dining tent at the wedding too. I had read that Lavender Oil repels mosquitoes, so I figured what could it hurt to toss around a few bagfuls of lavender buds? lol Quite a few people remarked how lovely it smelled. I have a delightful little book Norfolk Lavender “The Scented Lavender Book” by Lois Vickers that explains the history and distillation of lavender. It has several recipes and crafts for Lavender. I remember reading somewhere that cutting back Lavender isn’t recommended, so I haven’t been doing that for the last 4 years. We had such a terrible winter that it took my Lavender forever to recover and it looked so horrible for so long this spring I was worried I lost most of it. It’s also looking really woody. It just bloomed this week and now the plants are buzzing with bees. I leave all the buds for the bumblebees and honey bees, but I will definitely be cutting them all back this Autumn. Thank you for sharing your garden with us!

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Trixie August 13, 2017 - 2:27 am

Thank you so much for sharing al the information on lavender I have just purchased 2 New (old pots) and was debating what to plant in them I live Adelaide S A and lavender grows very well here am going to buy the plants today I love your very inspireng blog many thanks Trixie..

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