Bouquet of the Week: For the Love of Lavender
As part of our recurring Bouquet of the Week series, Garden Collage continues to present a weekly inspirational bouquet that incorporates intriguing new elements into the traditional practice of flower arranging. This week, Garden Collage stylist Chelsea Dowling prepares a lavender bouquet to honor the enduring appeal of this very special flower.
I have always believed July to be the most magical of the summer months. My youth was filled with hot summer days spent playing in Lake Washington with my best friend. We made pretend potions, created silly songs, climbed everything in site, and finished off each day with a bonfire at night that bore sticky, delicious marshmallows. The best part about this time of summer was that the lavender was in full bloom everywhere in Washington.
We would ride our bikes through fragrant streets on our way to the lake. Lavender is a scent that has always brought such peace to my heart. I was an anxious child, so worried about the world– as sometimes it could be numbing. But the scent of lavender had a way of calming me and bringing me back to those sweet and innocent summer days. Even to this day, if I feel anxious, I will get dried lavender and boil it slightly to do a steam that calms me right down.
I have moved a lot since those summer days as a kid in Seattle. But lavender has remained apart of my identity. That love of lavender has taken me all the way to the South of France, for the largest Lavender Festival in the world with one of my best friends. I have even decided that one day I’ll move to the South of France and start my own lavender farm! Until that day, though, I’ll continue to bring this special flower with me wherever I go. There is a quote I have always remembered about my favorite flower, from one of my favorite movies, Practical Magic, said by Sally Owens: “There are some things I know for certain: Always throw spilt salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck, and fall in love whenever you can.”
And this is how I will live my life: with a lot of love and a bit of luck no matter where I go.
