While the quality of a garden is often judged on its visual appeal, lavender is particularly popular for its fragrance. It's not surprising that so many products boast of their lavender scent. While smelling good is certainly a sufficient reason to like lavender, its aroma also provides a calming effect that people appreciate. Lavender in your garden, or inside your home, can help you make your residence a more relaxing place.

We have a color named after lavender, but not all of these plants are lavender color! You can track down different species that provide a darker and richer blue-purple color, or look for lavender plants that are pink, or even white! If you can't resist tinkering with your garden, you can appreciate having so many options to choose from when sprucing yours up with new lavender plants.

Lavender plants tend to thrive in hotter, dryer spaces. They also need relatively little space in order to grow - you should have no problem working them into your garden bed, or just growing them in a pot. Lavender grown in flower pots can be moved indoors if you fear that the weather is turning too cold for the plant's well-being.

Lavender is a friend to the mosquito-hater in all of us. The scent of the oils that lavender plants produce can repel these insects and keep them away from your residence. If you want to make sure mosquitoes stay out of your home, keep lavender plants closer to your doors and windows. Fleas, flies, and moths can also be kept away with lavender.

A lavender plant from your garden can become a great gift for someone! The plant is able to live in a vase for two or three days, so it can be a nice way to dress up a desk or a welcome table in someone's home. Of course, lavender's practical benefits mean that your gift doesn't have to be the plant by itself. You can dry lavender and make DIY sachets people can use to spruce up linens, or set inside a pillowcase to encourage better rest.

Lavender can add something natural and colorful to the interior of your home, and bring the pleasing aroma inside with you. If you are worried about cold weather, rotating your lavender to an indoor location can help you vary your living space while also protecting your plant, and extending its life. Because lavender needs relatively little water, it won't need much of your attention while inside. Be sure to keep the plant in a place where it enjoys plenty of sunlight.

What is it about lavender that contributes to a good night's rest? Lavender oils give off a scent that can lower a person's blood pressure and relax their muscles. In other words, physical symptoms of stress can be better managed, so you can more easily turn yourself off at the end of your day. These benefits can carry over into the next morning. Researchers looking at the effects of lavender oils on sleep found that the scent helped people enjoy deeper rest, and they reported feeling more refreshed during the day!

Lavender plants belong to the mint family. Like so many types of mint, lavender plants can add a welcome flavor in different foods and drinks. You can find that lavender adds something new and invigorating to desserts, as well as savory dishes. If you want to use lavender for a family treat, many desserts feature lavender. If you want something that's just for adults, you can look up lavender-infused cocktails!

Bars of soap, body wash, and shampoos and conditioners regularly boast lavender scents. If you have homegrown lavender at your disposal, you can enjoy a more personal experience with this scent. To create a relaxing lavender scent with each shower, gather and tie a bunch of lavender to your shower head. The steam your shower produces can create a private spa experience.