12 Brilliant Ways You Can Use Lavender From The Garden Around Your House

Lavender growing wild and profusely in your outdoor space can add abundant color, texture, and scent to your yard. If you planted this fragrant herb, you may be wondering how to bring some of that beauty inside your home, either as decoration or for more practical uses. The great news  is that lavender is one of the best plants that you can bring into your home in any of its forms, whether its fresh from the garden or has been drying for months. Not only does it look amazing when slipped into a simple vase on your table or counter, but this versatile plant is great for everything from handmade crafts to cleaning. 

How to harvest and store you lavender best may depend on your potential use. There are some helpful tips on drying out lavender like a pro if you want to use the stalks or the buds, as well as how to harvest lavender for optimum fragrance. While exposure to lavender and its scent is non-toxic for most adults,  if you own pets or have small children, you will want to keep the actual plants away them and use less intensely scented infusions for products like oil and cleaners. 

You can make a lavender scented oil using any number of carrier oils (jojoba, almond, and coconut all work) and an infusion process that requires only a jar, a warm spot to leave the oil for the duration of a 2-3 week infusion process, and some cheesecloth to strain away plant matter when finished. This oil can be made into rooms sprays, used in a scented oil burner, or be sprayed on fabrics for a fresh scent. There are also many pests you can naturally deter with lavender in spray or loose form. 

Hanging bundles of dried lavender can not only leave your home smelling amazing, but they can look pretty as part of your décor. Hang a bundle from a hook rack or lay one amidst a tableaux of other items like pottery, candles, and statuettes to add volume and texture. Or, suspend the bundles in the kitchen near the sink or in your shower, where steam from the faucet will accentuate the smell even more. Or put it in a hanging basket for instant front door décor. 

Turn loose lavender petals into delightfully scented sachets to keep the insides of your drawers smelling fresh. You can also pack them with out-of-season clothes to keep them from getting musty in storage. Lavender is also known as a moth repellent with a much nicer scent than traditional mothballs. Place a few hanging sachets amid your winter coats to keep the pests away and keep your closet smelling fresher than ever.  

A big bunch of lavender sprigs in a vase or mason jar can make an instant easy centerpiece for spring or summer dinners. Or, use lavender mixed with other fresh or dried florals to add color, texture, and scent. Lavender gives a French Provincial feel to your décor and table settings, where you can also use small pieces as natural napkin rings or add tiny bunches to place cards when entertaining. You can also use live lavender plants as a pretty centerpiece. 

Melt and pour candles can be a beautiful way to make gloriously scented candles inexpensively for yourself and to give as gifts. You can mix lavender infused scented oil with various waxes, including beeswax, paraffin, or all-natural soy wax using fun containers like mason jars, vintage dish ware, or recycled glass containers. While using lavender stems in your candle may look pretty, make sure that they don't catch on fire by making direct contact with the flame. You can place the stems on the outside or behind a barrier within the candle.

Long stalks of dried lavender can be used in textiles, baskets, or bowls using natural materials. Just weave the long stalks in among other materials like twine, floss, or yarn. Not only do they give whatever you create a more natural look, the plant matter will still carry a trace of the original scent, and you can include the buds as part of a botanical design. This time consuming task can also be a fun hobby with a unique result.

Lavender wreaths can be created from dried or fresh lavender stacks using an underlying wreath form to affix the blooms to and floral wire. You may need some bigger bunches, so see if you can find a local flower farm to supplement your own cuttings. Cover the entire surface of the form with lavender in a circular formation or use a grape vine wreath with just a few springs for a rustic look. Hang them as part of your inside wall décor, above your stove, or on your door to welcome guests. 

Lavender, both in oil form and as dried blooms, can be a perfect addition to handmade soap – whether you are using a cold process method or a simple melt and pour. Adding dried lavender can add a natural exfoliating element when the bar is rubbed over skin. Or add some dried lavender on top of a loaf of soap for a decorative touch that looks gorgeous in a pretty soap dish on your counter. You can also use lavender in handmade bath bombs, bath salt mixtures, or in a bath tea mixed with other flowers and herbs.  

If you love wrapping gifts for all occasions, try using some lavender sprigs as a gift topper perfect for spring and summertime holidays, birthdays, and hostess gifts. They look especially pretty with simple and nature-inspired wrappings like butcher paper or newsprint when paired with some twine or ribbon. You can also attach small gathered sprigs with some hot glue for customized gift tags with a romantic touch. 

Fresh lavender has a number of cooking uses, including adding it beverages and baking it into desserts. Some popular recipes include lavender lemonade, lavender lattes, and lavender simple syrup for making infused cocktails. You can also make an exquisite lavender infused honey for your table or add some bits of lavender to ice cubes. One of the more edible varieties of flowers, you can also use it fresh on salads. 

Make a delightfully scented all-natural cleaning spray using water mixed with some vinegar infused with dried lavender. The smell of the lavender cuts the harsh scent of the vinegar when in use but retains all of vinegar's amazing cleaning and disinfecting powers. Use your spray in the kitchen or bath for a lightly scented cleaner that is non-toxic for kids, pets, and the environment. Lavender essential oil involves a distillation process and can carry a stronger scent, but it can also be great for cleaning. 

Use some pressed and dried sprigs of lavender inside a frame for a beautiful piece of botanical wall art. Enlist white glue or Mod Podge to keep them in place. You can even create framed arrangements using greenery and other flowers with the lavender. Using archival-grade adhesives, backing materials, and matts can help the lavender last longer without crumbling into pieces over time.