Cleopatra used it to seduce Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony,The Queen of Sheba gave it as a gift to King Solomon and a woman famously poured it over the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair as an act of utter devotion. Whew! And you thought Lavender was something your granny used!
Apparently, legend has it that Adam & Eve snook a lavender bush out of the Garden of Eden but it didn't have a perfume until Mary (the mother of Jesus) hung his nappies out to dry on it. I'm not sure about the truth of that one but I discovered that Nard or Spikenard which is mentioned several times in the Bible is in fact Lavender. It is wondrous stuff.
Armed with all this knowledge I went on a day course called "All things Lavender" at the home of my friend Sarah Janes earlier this week. Sarah taught me to make soap and other fabulous beauty products a few years ago and I keep going back to learn more.
Throughout the course of the day we made salt scrubs, lip balm, foot balm, bath tea and a fabulous powder that is a safer alternative to talc (which contains ingredients with serious health questions). As I went home on the train afterwards the carriage was filled with the scents of my products and I'm sure everyone was more relaxed than usual! It might have stopped us all from spreading nasty cold germs around too as during the Middle Ages it gained the reputation of warding off the plague. The healing power of lavender is well known and it can be used neat to help wounds heal and prevent scar tissue.
However, the reason I'm telling you all this comes down to the aphrodisiac properties of Lavender. During the Middle ages it was thought to attract a lover and if you sprinkled it on his or her head was said to keep them faithful. The Victorians bathed in it and scented their bedlinen with it. Sarah mischievously told us it was a good cure for 'headaches'.
This would be a great idea for your wedding favours as a luxurious alternative to chocolate. Why not contact Sarah to see if you can do a workshop and make your own? Email her at sarah.janes3@ntlworld.com
Whatever you do make sure you dab lavender behind your ears on the Big day. Wouldn't want a headache to spoil the fun would we?
