lavender in italian gardens

lavender and its uses in italy

we are all aware that lavender in Italy is beautiful and that it has a pleasant aroma however there is far more to learn about this sensational plant!
Lavandula is a genus of flowering plants of around 25 species, which curiously come from the mint family (Lamiaceae), the most commonly used are the angustifolia and intermedia species. Lavender can be found throughout the Mediterranean region, where the species is native, down into Africa and even into southern reaches of India. Thriving in hot climates and dry, well-drained soils lavender has come to symbolise the Mediterranean for many people and rightly so!
In reality, from a garden design perspective, lavender is a superb plant for Mediterranean gardens, given its ability to withstand extremely arrid conditions. Its wonderful metallic silver foliage and the way that its purple flowers attract and display every butterfly in the vicinity also renders it a visually breathtaking addition to the eco garden in Italy.
On warm summer evenings the resinous foliage can emanate its heady scent for long distances and moths, such as the hummingbird moth, just can't resist it! This amazing moth will appear, as if by magic, to feast on the rich nectar in the lavender flowers from when the sun goes down and throughout the night.
Medicinal Properties:
The name Lavender was derived from the Italian word lavarsi, meaning simply to wash oneself, as the plant was crushed, added to olive oil and then used as a primitive soap in Roman times to improve the suppleness of the skin. The plant's strong scented resin has strong antibiotic properties and was even used to disinfect hospital floors during World war II. When the plants oil is burned in aromatherapy it will actually repel moths from the house and induce a positive effect on human respiration. Lavender's anti-inflammatory properties can relieve skin burns and when mixed with rose water can even cure acne. The plant was used during the years of the plague to repel the fleas that carried the disease.
The Romans highly prized the cleansing qualities of this plant and knew that it restored and soothed the skin. The Romans loved the plant and a pound of lavender flowers would have cost around a months wages for a farm laborer So intrinsic was this plant to Roman culture, it was transported everywhere throughout they were in fact responsible for introducing lavender to England and other far reaches of their vast empire.
Culinary uses
In France and Italy lavender is used as a flavoring for meat dishes and sauces and this is a recipe that I adore, using lavender flowers to flavor chicken

Lavender Chicken Escalopes with Caramelized Peaches

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
4 large peaches or nectarines
3 whole lavender flowers, without stems
300g dried breadcrumbs
2 organic chicken eggs
- Beat the chicken breasts well with a rolling pin or large, blunt vessel on a solid workbench. Lightly dust the flattened breasts with some seasoned flour and set aside.
- Finely chop the lavender flowers and mix with the breadcrumbs.
- Immerse the breasts in the beaten eggs and then coat in the breadcrumb and lavender mixture, set aside in the fridge to rest.
- In the meantime slice the peaches or nectarines into thin slices, heat a knob of unsalted in a non-stick pan
- When the butter foams, add the peach slices and pan-fry until golden brown and caramelized then place them in a warm serving dish and cover.
- Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a non-stick pan to a medium heat and fry the chicken breasts until cooked through and golden.
- Drain on absorbent kitchen paper, sprinkle with a pinch of fine sea salt and serve.

Propagation.
Here in Tuscany there is a saying that a Lavender plant dies after 7 years and this indeed true if that same plant receives absolutely no pruning during those 7 years. To maintain the vigor of your lavender it needs to be trimmed, with garden shears, in early spring (around March in Italy). Shoots should never be pruned below vegetative growth as there arent any dormant/active buds below this point. This should always be followed by a generous application of compound fertilizer and a good watering- to help it recover from the prune.

The best time of the day to collect the flower spikes, is at sunrise, as they tend to preserve longer than those collected at other times of the day.
Happy gardening!