A Garden With Fragrance

There is nothing nicer than walking in your garden, soaking up the sun, smelling all the different fragrances of the flowers and hearing the bees humming away. One specific plants comes to mind when picturing this image, and it is the lovely Lavandula dentata ‘Elegans‘.

As they dance in the wind with their long dainty stems topped with a vibrant purple, we now understand why bees absolutely love these shrubs!

Lavendula dentata ‘Elegans’

A bushy shrub with fragrant dark green leaves and dark purple flowers from spring to summer, they love to be planted in the sun where they can cope with all the shine in your garden! The Lavendula dentata ‘Elegans’ grown by Malanseuns is excellent to use for cut flowers and can be used as pot-pouri as well.

When you think of planting lavender, don’t limit its use to garden beds bedding – use the lavender as a fragrant hedge in your driveway or try it in a beautiful pot on your patio to enjoy.

What benefits would you enjoy from this delicate perennial?

Lavendula dentata ‘Elegans’ is a very versatile plant that can be used for cooking, for decorating and for aromatherapy apart from using it in your garden. We would say yes to choosing this plant for all these wonderful reasons!  

Bringing the lavender fragrance indoors

Savouring the Lavendula dentata ‘Elegans’ in your food is a treat, from baking with lavender to savoury dishes or making a soft lavender ice-cream – lavender brings a floral-earthiness-minty type of flavour and aroma to food.  How delicious!

If you’re not sure how to use lavender in your food, always choose to use it sparingly because its scent can be a little overwhelming, like vanilla. We suggest to rather start mixing a little bit with your dish, along with other great pairing herbs such as thyme and rosemary, and as you get used to the taste explore with different combinations. You can use freshly picked lavender or ground dry buds that you can keep as spice in your cabinet, for you to explore with in the kitchen.

Easy chicken and lavender recipe:

We found this easy and delicious chicken recipe for you to try. Thank you www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com for this recipe! Enjoy readers!

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 – 4 chicken leg quarters (or other chicken pieces)
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 10 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
• Several sprigs of fresh lavender leaves
• 1 lemon, cut into slices, rind and seeds (mostly) removed
• Seasoning of your choice, including freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Heat an oven-proof pan over medium heat, then add the olive oil and swirl around to coat the bottom of the pan.
3. Fry the chicken till the skin is golden brown on both sides (not to cook the chicken, just to brown it).
4. Remove the chicken from the pan, drain the excess fat, add the wine and honey, and swirl around to deglaze the pan.
5. Arrange the chicken pieces in the pan, sprinkle with pepper and other seasoning, then sprinkle with lots of lavender leaves and add the lemon slices on top.
6. Set the pan in the oven and set a sheet of aluminium foil on top for 20 minutes.
7. Remove the foil and let cook for another 20 – 25 minutes or until the juices of the chicken run clear when poked with a knife.

Add some fragrance to your garden

Next time you visit Plantland, remember to add the Lavendula dentata ‘Elegans’ to your trolley: you will be amazed as to all the astounding things you can do with this perfect lavender.