O u t d o o r s GARDEN

d octor

Lavender

A d v i c e a b o u t t h i s r o m a n t i c

f a v o r i t e f r o m t h e

B e t t e r H o m e s

a n d G a r d e n s ®

e x p e r t s .

by e r ic l is k e y

I love the smell of lavender in my house. How do I cut it for

bouquets? Does it dry easily?

Lavender blooms are wonderful cut flowers. Snip them early in the morning and

place them immediately into a vase of water. As with all cut flowers, you’ll

prolong their life by making fresh stem cuts and changing the water daily.

To dry lavender, tie a bundle of the blooms together w ith string or a rubber

band around the base of the stalks and hang upside down in a cool, dry place

such as a basement. It w ill take 1-2 weeks to dry. To make a lavender sachet, strip

blossom parts from the dried stems and stuff them in a small cloth bag. Use the

sachets to add fresh aromas to drawers, or give them as gifts.

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APRIL 2010

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS

PHOTOS: BOB STEFKO