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The type of ‘lavender’ used in traditional ‘lavender bags’ is actually Lavandin - a hybrid variety with a strong scent.There is a huge range of Lavender plant varieties. All have unique properties and ideal uses. At Castle Farm we have carefully chosen the best for colour, quality and fragrance.
Dark blue flowers
Delicate fine stems
Light, soft, sweet scent
Use for relaxation (eg Sleep Pillows), calming, aromatherapy and perfumery
Use sparingly in cakes and biscuits or desserts with sharp, fruity, citrus flavours.
Grey-blue flowers
Long, sturdy stems, sometimes branched
Long-lasting, refreshing scent
Use for its uplifting, revitalising character and for fragrancing rooms and linens.
Pair with coriander or mediterranean herbs in savoury foods - and with chocolate!
We grow two varieties for drying. Our strong-scented Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia ‘Grosso’ and the dark blue Lavender ‘Folgate’ (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Folgate’) which we have always strongly favoured for drying because of its excellent colour, density of buds and stem length.
Bunch cutting is a skilled job and our team work long hours - often starting at 6am to avoid the heat of the day - to ensure the flowers are cut and dried in their prime.
For drying, we cut the bunches when the flowers are in full bud, just before they open.This is when the colour is strongest.All the bunches are hand-cut in the field,spiked onto rods and hung on trolleys for drying in our specialist kilns.
Take fresh bunches out of any packaging immediately. Do not stand them in water but allow air to circulate around the stems to prevent mould developing.
Fresh-cut bunches can be refrigerated for 24 hours before use but may deteriorate if stored longer.
Dried flowers can be fragile so handle gently to prevent the buds dropping. If very dry, condition the bunches in a damp atmosphere for a few hours or use a mist spray to soften them before handling.
The blue of lavender flowers will last for a long time but the green stems will gradually fade if displayed in direct light.
To dry fresh lavender, separate the stems into small bunches and hang in a warm location, out of direct light.
When fully dry, lavender can be stored for a long time without deterioration. Store it in a dry, dark location....or display it and enjoy the fragrance while it lasts!
Please note, our fresh and dried bunches are all home-grown at Castle Farm but we do not have the facility to produce all our own loose flowerbuds to meet demand. We supplement with organic buds of lavandin from a farming friend in Provence.
From Chelsea Flower Show Winner Caroline
"Judging when to cut fresh lavender is an exact science! Different varieties flower at different times and some hold their colour or scent longer than others. For drying, fresh lavender needs to be cut on a sunny day when the first buds are starting to show petals - the south side of a bush is always more advanced! Don't wait until all the flowers are fully open - they will be much more fragile and tend to drop when dried."
