Tag Archives: lavender

nature, Photography

Purple Power

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Lavender loves the Okanagan Valley weather and has been growing and developing well all summer; it’s now being harvested and sold at shops or markets or it and its products are being processed and packaged for distribution all over the world.

Do you see the bees?

The glorious scent of the lavender stalls at the Penticton market can be detected far and wide.

The bees adore these plants and settle on them in their thousands, it seems. Like humans, they can’t stay away from that beautiful summery perfume and, of course, the lavender nectar.

For a while it was seen as a very old-fashioned fragrance but its sheer loveliness and usefulness has thankfully overcome that stigma.

According to aromatherapy principles and medicinal practice, lavender isn’t just a pretty-smelling face. It’s a very relaxing and calming scent that promotes sleep while a topical application of lavender oil can help heal minor wounds and a lavender tea can calm an upset stomach. Pretty great for such a simple plant.

Happy Thursday.

Reblogs

Reblog: A Week of Flowers | Day Five

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Cathy of Words and Herbs is inviting everyone to join in with her annual “Week of Flowers” to spread colour and cheer just when we need it most as …

A Week of Flowers | Day Five

Another of Hey Jude’s lovely photos for the Week of Flowers project. To join in, please click the link above. It’s wonderful to see these summer flowers at this time of year.

nature, Photography

Lavender Bees

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The lavender is glorious right now and it’s wonderful to pass by a bush and hear the gentle humming of the bees. The air around them almost seems to be vibrating!

I have lately seen lavender bushes alive with their busy business. Given that their overall numbers have been dropping, it’s absolutely marvellous to see so many of them.

Happy Thursday. 🐝

nature, Photography

Week of Flowers – Day 6

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Cathy at Words and Herbs is encouraging people to post flower photos for a week to help chase away the winter doldrums.

My contribution today is lavender and lilies; the photos were taken in July in the garden of the Naramata Inn, a heritage hotel that has retained its charm (and fabulous restaurant). I can still smell the scent of both in the hot summer weather.

Do you see the bees?
A beautiful (and busy) lavender bee. I find the sound of them almost soporific.
The scent from this stargazer lily was heady.

And for good measure, nearby …

… there was a lovely snowball hydrangea.

If you would like to contribute your own flower photos, please do!

Happy flower week.

Commentary, nature, Photography

It’s Lovely Lavender Time

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Lavender grows very well in the Okanagan. The soil and weather conditions are rather great for it, so it’s quite prolific.

Not only does it look and smell wonderful, it’s also thought to be a calming and centring element of aromatherapy. I have a small bottle of lavender oil next to my bed; I don’t think it puts me to sleep but it certainly has a fantastic scent!

Lavender does well as a dried plant and you can also cook with it (depending on the type and it also has to be carefully sifted). Given its varied and many uses, it is an extremely versatile plant and it shines at this time of year!

Happy Sunday.