Recent Posts
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Welcome Spring! 7 Fascinating Facts about the Season, plus, A Daytime PJ Quick Guide
2 weeks ago -
Beyond Hot Flashes: Discovering Unexpected Menopause Symptoms
1 month ago -
Everyone Loves Extra Time – Take advantage of every hour this Leap Day!
1 month ago -
Eat your heart out! Show Your Passion with a Heart-Shaped Inspired Valentine’s Dinner
2 months ago -
Time for YOU! PAMPERING tips from self-love January to take with you all year!
2 months ago -
Dreamy Delights: Our Sleepwear and Lingerie Holiday Gift Guide is LIVE!
4 months ago -
Julianna Rae Announces Giving Tuesday Beneficiary PLUS… the staff share their beloved Thanksgiving recipes!
4 months ago -
20 Thanksgiving themed front door decorating ideas to welcome family and friends
5 months ago -
The Ultimate Guide to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloons: History, Fun Facts, and More!
5 months ago -
The Bathrobe: 12 movies that chose this iconic clothing to set the scene…
6 months ago -
Silk: The Secret Ingredient for a Restful Night’s Sleep PLUS… Meet our new SILK Sleep Mask!
7 months ago -
Cherishing the Slow, Sweet Surrender of Summer
7 months ago -
We’re Seeing Double: August and September are Double Rewards Months with Julianna Rae’s “Top Drawer” Rewards Program!
8 months ago -
The Splendid Silk Camisole – A Perfect Cami for Day & Night!
9 months ago -
Our Flag, A Great American Icon PLUS… 3 American Flag Desserts for the Fourth!
9 months ago -
Get Inspired to GO… Spark your Wanderlust with 15 Fab Books and Podcasts
9 months ago -
A Father’s Day history plus We Love These Country Traditions…
10 months ago -
12 “MOMolicious” Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day
11 months ago -
Going Green: 5 Cleaning products you can make at home this Earth Day
11 months ago -
Woman’s History Month Proves All Her Time isn’t Spent in the Kitchen
1 year ago
For the Love of Lavender plus 3 Ways to Add More to your Life
Mmmmmm, the scent of lavender can bring to mind luscious gardens, fragrant sachets or flavorful recipes. We love this versatile herb so much we wish the Julianna Rae office was in Provence (well… that’s just one of the reasons… the food and wine of Provence is another reason! But that’s for another blog post.)
Sadly, our office isn’t in Provence, but that doesn’t stop us from enjoying lavender as much as possible! Lavender comes from the mint family Lamaiceae (no wonder it smells so wonderful!) and is grown in the garden for its beauty and fragrance but the virtues of lavender continue long after it is cut and dried. We tap into its fragrance for use in perfumes and aromatherapy and use the components of the plant in herbal medicine while dicing it up in the kitchen! But, did you know…
- The scent of lavender deters pests like mosquitoes and mice.
- Using sachets near your woolens will keep the moths away, a nice alternative to moth balls and your clothes will smell far better!
- Trouble with aphids on your roses? A lavender plant nearby will keep them at bay.
The scent of lavender is calming and used in aromatherapy to help with anxiety and depression and will help with bedtime too! Using the essential oil or breathing the scent from some sprigs at your bedside can send you off to dreamland before you count all your sheep.
And, lavender is a superhero in kitchen recipes as well. If you want to try a recipe, English lavender is best for culinary flavor, look for varieties with the names ‘Hidcote’, ‘Sharon Roberts’, ‘Loddon Blue’ and a pretty pink ‘Melissa’. It is recommended to use the leaves and flowers but to avoid your food tasting like perfume, use a light hand when adding lavender. Lavender is so versatile as a flavor it can be used well in baked goods as well as savory dishes.
From an aesthetic standpoint, it makes a gorgeous bouquet that will last long enough to pretty your house for more than a week and have we mentioned it smells nice? Of course, as a color, it is the perfect shade for oh so many of us…
Want more lavender in your life? Here are three ideas we love!