The moment I found out about the lavender farm 40 minutes away from us, I remembered how much magick lies in flowers. Their beauty can span far beyond living in vases for a few weeks until they wilt— and up until a year or so ago, I really thought that was all they were for!
But as I ventured off to the farm, with a little pair of scissors, a shopping basket, and surrounded by happy bees, I realized how many uses there were for this fragrant little friend.
From bright flavors to deep scents to beautiful designs, I wanted to compile a list of everything I’ve been using (or planning on using) lavender around our home to help you find some dried lavender uses for yours!
Teas + drinks
1. Lavender tea
As I still experiment with the amount, temperatures, steeping times, and more, I do love having fun finding the perfect blends that are medicinal, tasty, and warming. While I’ve been casually mixing them up with a few herbs from my own garden, I want to try a formal recipe so I can be more confident in the measurements, mixtures, and medicines. A simple lavender tea recipe I’ve found is a teaspoon of dried lavender for each cup:
- Boil a cup of water and add a teaspoon of dried lavender flowers.
- Let it steep for about 10 minutes, then strain the flowers.
- Sweeten with honey if desired and enjoy.
I’ve experimented with pairing lavender tea with peppermint, and look forward to trying some more.
Related: the best teas, habits + foods for morning energy + inspiration
Decor
2. Hanging & decorative lavender bundles
Using dried lavender (which you can spray with a natural, non-aerosol hairspray for longevity) can easily add a little nature and whimsy to your space. Hang a bundle of dried lavender sprigs upside down, or simply place her in a vase just like you would regular flowers to add texture and nature to your space without the ongoing maintenance.
Keep your decorations out of direct sunlight in a door, dry place to preserve their color and scent for the longest time possible.
3. Lavender wreath
Now that the lavender season is over where I am, I realized I won’t have enough to make dried lavender wreaths with fresh lavender sprigs! I’m determined to create this during the next season to add to the front door for an all-natural, springy essence upon entering.
If you have some fresh lavender sprigs, go ahead and try this out instead of spending $25+ for an artificial wreath at Home Goods.
Natural sprays + fresheners
4. Lavender essential oil
Of course, you can use your sacred lavender as an essential oil, which you can then diffuse throughout your home! Take note that this requires a lot more of a process than simply a lavender-infused oil, which doesn’t require many additional products. Take a look at how to make your own lavender essential oils here:
5. Lavender room spray + pillow spray
I DIYed my own lavender spray, filling a tiny little spray bottle with half water, half witch hazel, and a few drops of lavender essential oil (I can’t remember how many– I had to test it a few times to make sure the smell was strong enough).
Here’s another simple way to create your own lavender pillow spray, which you can use with alcohol if you’d like. I use this as a room spray and a pillow spray, and both have worked really well in welcoming guests into our guest rooms and giving our home a little once-over just to freshen it up.
6. Lavender pre-vacuum freshener + deodorizer
I’m excited to give this one a try. It’s just a cup of lavender flowers, 2 cups of baking soda, 10 drops of lavender essential oil, and 10 drops of geranium oil (if you’d like). Sprinkle it on your rug, let it sit for about 30 minutes, and then vacuum as usual. I can’t wait to give this one a try! The more I learn about the many uses of flowers and oils, the more I think, “Why the heck have I been using store-bought options for so long?!”
7. Lavender drawer + closet freshener + sachets
I can’t wait to try this one out either! A blissful waft of lavender every time I open drawers? Yes, please. To make this drawer freshener, find a fabric of your choice (organic cotton is best), mix in dried lavender buds, essential oil, and white rice, and place the mixture in the fabric to tie a little bow on it. These can go in your drawers, wardrobes, or even in your car to enjoy the refreshing scent of lavender wherever you go.
You can also tuck this lavender sachet under your pillow for a more restful night’s sleep.
8. Lavender dryer bags
I love this little girl who gives us a great tutorial about how to make lavender dryer bags and all-natural fabric softeners. It is SO simple! Plus, it shows you that lavender bags and sachets can be multi-use.
Bath
9. Lavender shower freshener
You could also let your fresh lavender sprigs hang out in the shower with you. Simply tie a few lavender sprigs up with a rubber band or string and hang them in your showerhead for a nice scent every time you step into the shower.
10. Lavender bath salts
With a jar, some salt, essential oils, and dried lavender flowers, you can have a relaxing bath salt blend to use over and over again. I like Soap Queen’s recipe, which blends all the ingredients together and has you use a handful in your next bath. ♀️
11. Lavender-infused oil
Fill a jar with dried lavender flowers, cover them with a carrier oil like jojoba or sweet almond oil, and let your mixture sit for about a month or so– I like to have them sit by the window so they get some sun. Afterward, I’ll just use the oil as needed! You can strain the oil or simply keep the buds in there.
This is great for the skin or the hair for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, itchy bug bites, and other skin irritations.
Baking + cooking
12. Lavender cookies
I found this wonderful recipe from Liz Moody a vegan, gluten-free lavender cookie recipe that includes
chia seeds
almond flour
vanilla extract
coconut oil
culinary lavender
(to name a few).
Many use Lavandula Angustifolia, or what many call English lavender, as culinary lavender, but at the farm I went to, they had Grosso, which was the culinary lavender at their farm, and is what I use for teas and anything edible.
Related: ultimate vegan food list for beginners (+ 9 simple recipes!)
13. Lavender pancakes
We love cooking pancakes on Saturday mornings, and with all the Grosso lavender I now had from the farm, I figured, what better to do with it than add it to our pancakes, too?
It’s very fragrant and flavorful, so a little bit of it goes a long way, whether that’s for dishes or drinks. I happened upon The Floral Vegan and found a pancake recipe that hits all the marks! I plan to make this the next weekend I can. The ingredients list includes:
Oat flour
Almond milk (we’ll probably use oat)
Dried lavender
Cinnamon
Blueberries
(to name a few).
