Lavender for All Seasons - by Paola Legarre (Paperback)

About the Book

"Everything you need to know about the basics of growing lavender in different climates and conditions, for growers at any scale. Included is detailed information on how to grow and maintain healthy plants (including pruning, pest control, ecological cultivation strategies), the best species and varieties, how to harvest and preserve the flowers, recipes and crafts for each season, and information for growers who want to produce plants on a larger scale"--

Book Synopsis

An essential guide to growing, using, and enjoying lavender year-round.

Lavender for All Seasons covers everything you need to know about the basics of growing lavender in different climates and conditions, including how to maintain healthy plants, choosing the best species and varieties for your space, and how to harvest and preserve lavender flowers for a variety of uses. Gardeners will be inspired to embark on their own lavender journey, gaining insight on how to care and maintain their lavender plants, how to harvest and process lavender flowers, and what it takes to incorporate lavender into an existing garden plan, including information for growers who want to produce plants on a larger scale. Inspirational crafts and recipes that follow the seasons of the year will empower readers to discover how to integrate lavender beyond the garden and into the apothecary, pantry, and crafting space.

Paola Legarre's small-scale, high-intensity farm, Sage Creations Farm, is a biodiverse paradise of medicinal and culinary herb crops, cut-flower gardens, heirloom vegetables, and a cherry orchard. For over twenty years she has been implementing sustainable farming practices, nourishing soil life, avoiding herbicides and synthetic fertilizers, rotating plantings with cover crops, and encouraging pollinators and beneficial insects through diversified plant hedgerows, and companion planting. With Legarre as an expert guide, readers will discover:

• The basics of growing lavender in different zones and conditions, and how to select the right plants for your climate
• Growing requirements for healthy plants, including advice on pruning, pest control, propagation, and other ecological cultivation strategies
• An array of the best lavender varieties including species and cultivars for cooking, essential oils, crafting, landscaping and more
• Incorporating lavender as a key pollinator plant in the garden, and how to extend bloom time by planting many different species and varieties
• How to harvest and preserve lavender flowers for multiple uses, including techniques for drying and distilling
• In-depth planting information for professional growers seeking to produce on a larger scale
• Enjoying the harvest with delicious recipes incorporating lavender as an essential herb in the kitchen
• Step-by-step, simple, and rewarding craft projects incorporating lavender in every season

Review Quotes

"This special book is at once a generous and welcoming guide, definitive text, fascinating plant biography, and joyous love story. In these gorgeous pages a multi-talented author writes about the multi-talented plant she adores and knows so well, and you can't help but come away with both the desire and ability to bring more lavender into your life in all sorts of ways. I'm now inspired to plant a whole new area of mainly lavender for our bees."
--Lauren Springer, plantswoman, designer, and author

About the Author

Paola Legarre has been passionate about gardening since she was a child and has worked in organic farming since 1995. Her studies in development and agricultural economics at UC Berkeley and food and agribusiness at the University of Santa Clara inspired her to pursue her farming and marketing interests further. Eventually leading her to start her own farm, Sage Creations, where she first planted lavender in 2006. As her lavender fields grew, Paola extended her product line to include essential oil, bath and body products, dried flowers, and lavender plant starts. She has been trialing different species and cultivars of lavender to see which are best suited to the Colorado climate and its different zones. The farm now has more than 6 acres in lavender production and grows and propagates four species and more than sixty different cultivars of lavender. Through Sage Creations, Paola teaches workshops and classes, and has mentored many lavender growers and home gardeners through the years. She is a founding member of the Colorado Lavender Association and has presented at workshops and conferences across the United States, including the US Lavender Growers Association conference. Paola and her Sage Creations Farm have been featured in regional and national publications and on television and radio, including on PBS and Colorado Public Radio. Paola lives and farms with her husband and two children in Palisade, Colorado.