tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5453792360015486892.post4831076247436600628..comments2024-03-28T21:11:46.849-07:00Comments on Perfume Project NW: WHAT’S IN A LAVENDER?Doc Ellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08376377441504529063noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5453792360015486892.post-2061667800029142852013-08-25T12:52:38.092-07:002013-08-25T12:52:38.092-07:00Laurie, something always gets lost in the processi...Laurie, something always gets lost in the processing. If you work with essential oils, you quickly learn that they're not a faithful rendition of the actual plant smell. You're right that growing conditions can make a big difference, but processing methods probably make an even bigger difference. Ellenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17617147322518152988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5453792360015486892.post-37343075654643968802013-08-25T11:48:49.313-07:002013-08-25T11:48:49.313-07:00I suspect strongly that the conditions the plants ...I suspect strongly that the conditions the plants are grown in changes the scent, also. I only have L. angustifolias heere (zone 4) and they all smell very similar, but in different parts of summer they smell different to me! The temperature, amount of water are the two variables I can come up with. <br /><br />And they all smell sweeter than the EO. I swear something gets lost in the processing.Laurie Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815630032743705939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5453792360015486892.post-64315842351342558422013-08-23T09:12:52.486-07:002013-08-23T09:12:52.486-07:00Yes, I remember the pink flowered lavender at Mish...Yes, I remember the pink flowered lavender at Misha's and was actually surprised to find something like it at Flower World. The biggest problem with that bank will be to create some terracing so we can actually access the plants without falling down the slope. Also we might have to start all of our own lavender plants. The cost of purchasing plants for three rows of lavender across that sloping frontage is nothing to sniff at. Azarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08011756547431804355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5453792360015486892.post-5405583692192857902013-08-23T08:54:54.564-07:002013-08-23T08:54:54.564-07:00Gail, If you recall, some of Mesha's varieties...Gail, If you recall, some of Mesha's varieties are pink-flowered. The 'Melissa' oil that we distilled was from a pink-flowered variety, and she also has one called 'Hidcote Pink'. The one you describe with the buttery, fruity scent, sounds lovely!<br /><br />It's my impression that all lavender grows vigorously here, as long as the soil is well-drained in winter, so I would imagine that any variety would thrive on your slope. The nice thing about stoechas is that it blooms so early in spring, and it's now blooming a second time. Of course, the bees love it, so it gives them an early start, before the angustifolia kicks in, and a late-season treat after it's through.Ellenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17617147322518152988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5453792360015486892.post-52017616121684140702013-08-23T00:23:18.090-07:002013-08-23T00:23:18.090-07:00The other day Brad and I went around to several lo...The other day Brad and I went around to several local nurseries looking at and smelling various lavenders. We had planted L. stoichus down in Yachats years ago and never really cared for it that much. At Flower World we found some light, pinkish flowered lavender, perhaps a shorter growing version of angustifolia, that had a buttery, fruity scent. It was beautiful but I'm not sure if it would be vigorous enough to thrive on our long front bank. I really need to get a hold of the books that Mesha showed us. Even though new cultivars are always showing up I need a basic reference if we are going to put all the time and money into planting that slope in lavender. I never imagined that lavender selection and cultivation could be this complicated. Azarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08011756547431804355noreply@blogger.com