Remember
how nice it once was to come in from a long, hard
day on the playground and curl up in Grandma’s
lap for cozy, peaceful nap? Chances are, Grandma’s
house was filled with the soothing, calming scent
of English lavender.
The lovely English lavender flower has
mystical beginnings but its very real benefits
make it a well-loved flower even today.
The sweet fragrance of the flower is said
to be the result of hanging the freshly washed
clothes of Baby Jesus over a lavender bush to
dry. This legendary association with freshly washed
laundry carries through today, where lavender
is widely used to scent soaps, perfumes, and cosmetics.
Aromatherapists
recommend using the oil to induce sleep and herbal
practitioners rely on it to ease nervous tension
and headaches.
The
strong antiseptic properties of the volatile oil
of the English lavender is said to be capable
of killing the organisms that cause diptheria
and typhoid. Antiseptic lotions made from the
herb’s oil can be applied to cuts and other
wounds. As recently as World War I, lavender oil
lotions were used to disinfect wounds received
in battle. It
is said that burns and scalds won’t blister
if lavender is applied directly to the wound.
The
clean-smelling scent of English lavender is popular
in sachets used in cupboards and drawers where
it is said to repel moths and other insects while
delicately scenting clothes and linens for a good
night’s sleep.
A
cotton ball soaked in lavender oil and then rubbed
on the skin is an effective non-toxic mosquito
repellant. No
wonder it was so easy to sleep at Grandma’s
house. Chances are, the soothing scent of lavender
brought comfort throughout.
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