The Lavender plant (Botanical name :Lavendula ) .
Among one of my favourite old fashioned cottage garden plants.
Lavender is a perennial herb,but there are some varieties that are treated as annuals.
Summer blooming ,with long lasting purple flowers with that unmistakable fragrance.
A great attraction to the bees and the butterflies.Some varieties of Lavender have stalks that grow up to four feet tall.
The lavender has an aromatic foliage,fine and semi evergreen,an attractive foliage that looks good in borders and areas of mixed plants.
As the Lavender matures it grows into a bush shape,as wide as it is tall.
Apart from the odd trim Lavender will take care of itself once it is established.
Lavender can be grown from seed ,but my preferred way is taking cuttings.
The last Lavender bush that I bought was from Sheringham,Norfolk,the home of Lavender and it is flourishing.
It can be used as a large container plant,very good in cut flower gardens and Lavender also makes a good hedge.
I have four bushes,they are all different,all beautiful and they all vary in depth of fragrance.
The plant is used most often to make essential oils,but very often I `harvest` mine for lavender bags for my wardrobes.
You have to bear in mind that you must cut the Lavender when it is in bloom,but before the `buds`are fully open to get the very best fragrance from the flower.
You can find many different recipes on the Internet using Lavender in one way or another.
The blossom can be eaten ,and is used in jellies,sauces and herb vinegars.
If you are choosing a Lavender for a garden design,then you will need to take a close look at the different types ,or you may end up choosing a plant that is far too large to fit in with your design.
Some Lavender bushes will only grow four inches above the ground,then others will grow to over four feet high,so there is a lot to take into consideration when purchasing a new bush.

Other uses for Lavender :
Aromatherapists use inhalation of Lavender oil as a way to treat headaches and nervous exhaustion .
Herbalists treat acne and fungal infections with Lavender oil.
Lavender oil is used in a healing bath for circulatory disorders and as a rub for rheumatic ailments.
Lavender oil has also been used for post operative pain.
A Lavender oil massage may relieve anxiety ,aid relaxation and improve sleep quality too.
The lavender flowers give nectar in abundance helping Bee keepers to achieve a high quality honey.
Lavender oil is widely used in the cosmetics industry too.

I love Lavender,the smell is fresh ,delicate and old fashioned.
My four bushes flower every year,giving me ample to make my Lavender bags and to hang some sprays in the house.
I have used the Lavender in the bath this year,I get a large cotton square and fill it with lavender,then tie it to the bath tap,as the water pours through the lavender it takes the fragrance into the water.
The `Lavender tie` will last at least five times before the lavender needs changing..just a pleasant way of scenting the water.

So to sum up-Lavender has many uses,culinary,medicinal and cosmetic.
What a very versatile plant.