Why Lavender? A Starter's Guide to Lavender - Everything You've Been Wondering About
- Karen
- Feb 21
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 21
With vineyards and cattle being amongst the most popular ventures in the Hunter Valley, a question that we are often asked by friends, guests, and customers is, ‘but why lavender’? While a cheeky response to that could be “because who doesn’t love lavender”?, the real answer is a bit longer - and more exciting!
Lavender is one of the most beloved and recognisable scents in the world, with a history dating back thousands of years. Some might also argue it is one of the most romantic of all flowers and most elegant of scents. When we started creating our healthcare product range for Sydney clinics in 2018, we couldn’t look past lavender, and we haven’t looked back since.
Not only is lavender soothing to smell and stunning to look at in gardens and fields (hello, perfectly lined purple rows!), it is also packed with benefits. From calming the mind and body helping you sleep better, to soothing skin, and even keeping bugs at bay, lavender is a powerhouse plant – so ‘why not lavender?’ we say.
What is Lavender?
Lavender (or Lavandula) is an aromatic herb, iconic of the Mediterranean (where I'm originally from!), which thrives in sunny, dry climates. Historically, lavender has been used for everything from bathing (fun fact: the word “lavender” comes from the Latin lavare, meaning “to wash”), to medicine, perfumes, and relaxation, purifying body and spirit. But here’s where it gets interesting…
Not All Lavender is Created Equal
There are hundreds of different varieties of lavender (or the 'genus' Lanvandula), so if you thought all lavender was the same, think again. At Wine Country Lavender we focus mostly on:
Lavandula Angustifolia (also known as English Lavender) – the most prized variety for essential oils, medicinal, calming, and culinary use.
Lavandula x Intermedia (also referred to Lavandin) – a hybrid with a strong invigorating scent, perfect for perfumes, body, and household products.
Lavandual Latifolia (sometimes referred to as spike lavender, or Portuguese Lavender) - intensely aromatic, strongly camphor-scented, with long stalks.
In home/decorative gardens, the most common ones are:
Lavandula Stoechas (also known as Spanish Lavender) – recognisable by its “rabbit ear” petals.
Lavandula Dentata (often known as French Lavender) – features serrated leaves and a light, pine-like fragrance (my very first lavender plant, which I still have!).
Knowing which type (or 'species') of lavender you are using is important because different species of lavender may have different oil composition, and therefore, different therapeutic properties.
The Science-Backed Benefits of Lavender
Lavender isn’t just about looking pretty and smelling good. It is also backed by research and traditional medicine about it several benefits such as:
Reducing stress and anxiety
Promoting better sleep
Soothing skin and hair through it antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties
Relieving pain that is often associated with headaches and sore muscles
Repelling insects
How to Use Lavender in Your Daily Life
If you are looking to add lavender magic to your routine, here are some easy ways to use it:
For medicinal purposes and relaxation - add a few drops of lavender essential oil to your diffuser, spray some lavender-rich water (misty magic) on your pillow, or other ways as prescribed by your healthcare practitioners.
For skincare and pampering– use lavender-infused face mist or toner (misty magic), body scrub (friendly abrasions), bath salts (froth top), foot cream (sweet feet), lip balm (smoochable), or body butter (smooth things over) for glowing skin.
For pain relief – mix lavender oil with a carrier oil, and massage (soothe yourself) into sore muscles or temples for tension relief.
For fragrancing of home and perfumes – place dried lavender sachets (drawer dweller) in closets and drawers or enjoy a gorgeous bouquet of dried lavender in a vase for a fresh, floral scent.
For tea blends – such as our beautiful Blended Brews of lavender tea (with Chamomile and rose, Peppermint, Daintree black tea, or Green tea and jasmine).
For cooking – add culinary lavender buds (tasty times) to sweet or savoury dishes, or even drinks!
Growing Lavender at Home: A Quick Guide
If you love the idea of having lavender in your garden or on your balcony, here are some tips:
Sunlight – needs at least 6+ hours of direct sunlight per day (without sun it will not thrive – it is a Mediterranean plant after all!).
Soil – prefers well-drained, slightly alkaline soil (avoid clay, heavy moisture or anything that clogs easily), the roots like to have room for a bit of a dance from time to time!
Watering – minimal watering once established (prefers drier conditions), but enjoys a drink in extreme hot weather conditions; its roots will rot if they sit in water for too long.
Pruning – give it a good haircut after flowering to keep it healthy and prevent woody stems.
… at Wine Country we also kiss our lavender goodnight (but we’ll leave that up to you 😉).
How to Find High-Quality Lavender Products
Cheap lavender oil is not really a thing - no pure essential oil is cheap - you literally get what you pay for here. Cheap bottles of any essentials oils are usually diluted with a carrier oil, which means you are not buying 100% essential oil. While this is ok to apply on skin, because you never apply pure essential oils directly on your body, it may not be good enough for diffusing (as you are also diluting the health benefits). As a rough idea, about 10-15ml of pure Lavandula Angustifolia essential oil (which is the highest grade of lavender oil, known for its calming and soothing properties), could cost around $32-$38 roughly (or more!) - read the fine print to see which type of lavender oil you are buying, particularly if you are looking for a relaxing ambience.
The same applies when buying lavender products. Lavender oil is not purple – it’s colourless or translucent, like most other oils. Aside from the buds and flower petals, nothing else is purple. So if you buy purple cream or soap, some colouring has probably been added to those products.
At Wine Country Lavender, we strive to alleviate stresses and pains with our natural, farm-grown lavender remedies designed to soothe your mind and body. We:
Plant, grow, and harvest our lavender at our farm in the Hunter Valley
Use lavender essential oil, and no artificial colourings or fragrances
Handcraft our products while working alongside healthcare practitioners
Offer a beautiful range of lavender skincare, wellness, and culinary products
Do not test our products on animals
Look after our lavender fields sustainably and follow a regenerative soil program
Final Thoughts
Lavender is more than just a pretty plant - it’s a timeless, scientifically-backed natural remedy for relaxation, skincare, and wellness... and a simple pleasure to be surrounded with! Whether you’re looking to grow your own, enjoy its calming effects, or incorporate it into your skincare and wellness routine, lavender is truly nature’s gift.
-Browse our online shop, or send us a message for more information.
-Got questions or want to share your tips? Reach out!
-Want more lavender content? Stay tuned for our upcoming blogs!
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