Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Lavender in My Garden

The early morning sun lets my lavender glow

Recently I wrote about the beautiful lavender garden at one of our wineries. However, that's not the only lavender I enjoy. Of course there is quite some lavender in my own garden. I have several different kinds of lavender, from rather small to quite big, from pale blue to deep purple. Some of them do extremely well and grow bigger each year, some just... don't and die after a year or two. It's always a mystery to me why that happens, but it has never been a reason for not growing lavender. I just try a different kind.


I love to combine lavender with other flowers, especially with yellow and red ones. Stunning color combinations! But they're so pretty on their own as well.


They attract bees - and bees go crazy with happiness around the lavender. Sometimes I just sit there observing the little insects and listening to their busy humming. It's the beautiful sounds and scents of summer. What is not to love about that?




Usually I let lavender stay on the plant until it's faded. This year, however, I had so many that I cut quite a few branches and played with them in different combinations. 


They are gorgeous with dried up poppy seed pods!



Since I also have a lot of Shasta daisies in my garden, I made a little lavender-daisies arrangement. It looks natural and sweet - I love it.



The green pots, by the way, I found at IKEA. It is a set of two that looks like pale green milk cans (without the lids). Perfect for the more natural or country look. What do you think?







16 comments:

CherryPie said...

I love your top photo, it draws me into the flowers and bees below :-)

My name is Erika. said...

These are fabulous lavender photos. You really caught the feel the delicate nature of the flowers but at the same time the beauty. Hugs-Erika

Elephant's Child said...

Love the pots, and lavender.
I may have mentioned that years back I stayed in a Bed and Breakfast which dried its bed-linen over lavender bushes in the sun. That nights sleep will live in my memory forever. And if ever I succeed in growing enough lavender here I will follow their example.

Magic Love Crow said...

Simply gorgeous!! I love lavender too, but I found mine would die off, like how you were talking about. So, I stopped growing it. Maybe I should try again? I have now started to grow Russian Sage and it grows amazingly! But, I do miss my lavender!!

GreenComotion said...

Hi Carola-
The photos of the Lavende and the floral arrangements are exquisite.
Very beautifully done!
I love your macro photos and the fine use of aperture.
Have a Happy Week ahead!
Peace :)

Bethany Carson said...

Your lavender is beautiful! I grew a couple lavender plants in my garden a year or two ago, and lavender has to be my favorite herb. It has such a wonderful, soothing aroma! I'm thinking I should probably grow it again next year!

Darla said...

The photo's of the bees on the lavender are stunning. I worry a little when I hear news of declining bee populations so I'm delighted to see they are thriving in your garden.

Great green pots from IKEA. You know you are encouraging me to make a trip to the nearby store don't you?

Anonymous said...

Your lavender is beautiful. It's one of my favorite fragrances, very soothing especially at night (I have a little lavender pillow in my bed). I love the lavender and daisy arrangement, and the green "milk cans" are perfect!

La Vie Quotidienne said...

This is the loveliest post...such great pictures. Your lavender is great. I grow it too and have the same problem you do...some do very well and some just don't. I see that you also have salvias they do so well in the heat and are real stand-bys for me.

Happy gardening!

Linda Starr said...

oh how I love lavender, such a versatile herb, love your photos, I had a lavender farm in california when I lived there, still miss it, I have a few English lavender plants here, your's look like the taller stemmed intermediate variety. I have some lavender sachets that still have a fragrance after almost 8 years.

Sally H said...

A stunning post, Carola! I love all your photos. Lavender is a favourite of mine, but it has to be very fragrant. I can't believe that people have bred varieties that barely smell at all!

Laurie said...

Your post is chock film of loves for me today. Love your photos! Love lavendar and the combination of lavendar and daisies....love, love, love! And yes, I love your milk can full of blooms, too.

Pamela Gordon said...

I love lavender and my plants are just about done now but still lots of bees around them. I managed to clip some for 2 small bunches at their prime. I like your new cans from IKEA. Beautiful photos Carola! Have a lovely weekend.

Lynn Cohen said...

I Carola, I haven't been to your blog or your garden in a long while.
I am in love with all your lavender! I just planted a bunch here too, and can't wait until it is as large as your plants! Your photographs are as beautiful as ever. I hope you remember me.

windrock studio said...

I would go crazy around the lavender, too! It is so pretty and all your photos are beautiful, especially the top one that shows that lovely fence.

Jeanie said...

Your Hawaiian visit is so beautiful! But that lavender in this one -- wow! It leaps off the page and I can practically smell it!

Thanks for joining in the Marmelade Gypsy. I look forward to doing the same and following you, too!