Lavender is a fairly common addition to gardens and landscapes here in Central Texas. In fact, there are several commercial lavender farms located nearby in the hill country. Just Google “lavender farms texas” for some eye-popping images.
It wasn’t until last year that I became better acquainted with lavender. It was part of the prescribed landscape design at the new place and quite frankly, I wasn’t very impressed at first. Some of the plants looked half-dead and it seemed like for the better part of the last year they just sort of sat there not doing much of anything though on the plus side they proved they could tolerate sub-freezing temperatures for extended periods.
Fast forward a year and it has now taken off. The plants are beginning to fill out and are covered with buds and blooms. The detail in a lavender bloom is so intricate. I wish I could get a close up of one, but alas I’m no Paul Schliesing (If you enjoy nature photography up close and personal you should follow him on Instagram – paulpablo; ah-mazing). Each bloom head appears to be a series of tiny flowers in columns that are perfectly spaced and the deep purple and lavender color contrast beautifully with the delicate gray-green foliage. I am now solidly on board with lavender.
Prior to that my most recent experience with lavender outside of purchasing Mrs. Meyer’s liquid hand soap or Lysol Tuscan lavender scented toilet bowl cleaner (yes, there is such a thing) had been serving lavender lemonade at catering gigs, much to the dismay of Chef Chris. Every time I would tell him I needed 5 gallons of it for a wedding reception he would roll his eyes and say, “Why would you want to drink something that smells like your grandmother’s underwear drawer?” Well, when you put it like that.
But I have an even earlier memory of lavender dating back to the mid-80’s when I strolled into a little shop located adjacent to the Tavern at 12th and Lamar called Crystal Works (http://www.crystalworksaustin.com/). It seemed back then there were all sorts of fun little places like that to check out. Does anyone remember Rainbow Works and later St. Charles on East 6th or Unicorn Gallery in Dobie Mall? And of course there was the Cadeau on the Drag. All of those are no more, but Crystal Works is still operating in roughly the same spot.
When I walked into the store I was approached by a woman with flowing blond hair, wearing a dark blue kimono with red detailing and holding a wicker basket. Instead of of the usual retail greeting of “Hello, how are you today?” or “May I help you?” she asked me in a dulcet voice, “Have you been given lavender?” And while not expecting that line of questioning I could truthfully and without hesitation answer that no, I had not. She then handed me one of the packets from her basket which I did not want to refuse for fear of offending her. She didn’t tell me what it was for or offer any suggestions as to what to do with it and I guess it didn’t really matter, I had been given lavender; mission accomplished. And while I’m sure it will surprise absolutely no one, when I was preparing to move and cleaning out drawers I found that packet some 30 years later.
I will admit that I’m not an adherent to homeopathic self-care and things such as healing crystals, oils, etc. evoke much the same combination of skepticism and wonderment that I experience when I go to Harbor Freight Tools and see the rows and rows of tools that I have no idea as to their use and then have to stop myself before acting on the urge to purchase a food dehydrator. I will say that the odds of meeting one’s future ex-husband at HFT are exponentially greater than they are at Crystal Works so they’ve got that in their favor.
Since it looks like it’s shaping up to be a bumper crop of lavender this year here at Euclid Cottage I’ll need to read up on how to harvest and process it. And the next time when you come to visit expect me to greet you at the door with, “Have you been given lavender?” Though I will not be wearing a dark blue kimono. Unless of course you’re a future ex-husband.
I'm Just Being Frank 