Incorporate the language of flowers into your Mother’s Day celebration by using a lavender theme! After all, lavender means devotion!
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Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to show your appreciation for that special woman in your life, and what better way to do it than incorporate the language of flowers into your celebration? Whether you are celebrating your Mom, a sister, a daughter, a best friend or even yourself, I have some ideas to help you get started!
Before We Get Started-
Today is a special day on the blog! Not only am I going to share my favorite tips on incorporating herbal symbolism into your celebration, I am joining together with several of my blogging friends. My friend, Carol from Blue Sky At Home organizes these monthly blog hops for us! I appreciate her hard work! This month’s theme is Spring Celebrations. Links to everyone’s posts can be found near the bottom of this post.
No matter how you arrived here today, whether you are one of my regular readers, you hopped over after visiting Missy (her Mother’s Day tablescape ideas are so colorful and creative!) at Sonota Home Design, or you found me on Google, I am so glad you are here! My name is Kimberly and I have a passion for flowers (a former florist) and flour (a former pizzeria owner) and many things in between! Especially rusty and herby items!
I love to share all the things I have learned over the years. Sometimes I tell stories about my life. Other times, I will share a craft or a recipe. I hope you enjoy your thyme here today and learn at least one thing during your visit! Let’s get ready to learn how to easily incorporate the language of flowers into your Spring Celebration!
The Language of Herbs & Flowers – Brief Introduction
The language of flowers is very interesting topic. The language of herbs and flowers has been used in Europe for centuries, but it reached its height of popularity during the reign of Queen Victoria. The first floral dictionary was assembled in France in 1819. This work became the basis for several floral dictionaries that were published in later years.
Every plant had a different meaning. Sometimes a single plant could have different meanings depending on how the plant was used or grown. Certain plants had religious significance as well. The language of herbs and flowers is called floriography.
Lavender often represents purity, grace, and calmness. Its delicate purple hue is associated with royalty and elegance, while its soothing fragrance evokes a sense of peace and tranquility. Lavender is frequently used in wedding ceremonies to symbolize love and devotion, its gentle presence a reminder of the tender emotions that bind people together. This romantic connotation makes lavender a popular choice for bridal bouquets and floral arrangements.
I used herbal symbolism in my wedding. My bouquet included a combination of herbs and flowers. White roses to symbolize love, lavender for devotion, rosemary for remembrance, ivy for fidelity and scented geraniums for preference. I also incorporated rosemary and lavender with scented geranium leaves for the men’s boutonnieres.
Tussie Mussies and the Language of Flowers
The emotional and spiritual significance of lavender extends to its role in fostering love and compassion. The flower’s delicate beauty and gentle fragrance evoke feelings of warmth and tenderness, making it a popular choice for expressing affection and care. Lavender’s presence in romantic gestures, such as bouquets and love letters, symbolizes the purity and sincerity of one’s feelings. In friendships, lavender can represent loyalty and trust, reinforcing the bonds that connect people. The multifaceted emotional and spiritual meanings of lavender reflect its ability to touch the heart and soul, making it a timeless symbol of love, peace, and harmony.
How to Incorporate Lavender into Your Mother’s Day Celebration
Lavender’s versatility makes it a great addition to your Mother’s Day or Spring celebration. Lavender can be used in recipes, grown in the garden and used in craft and home decor projects.
Growing and Caring for Lavender Plants
Established lavender plants can be used a table decoration for your celebration and then given to your Mom or other guests to take home and enjoy.
By gifting your Mom with a lavender plant, she will be able to experience the beauty and fragrance of this remarkable flower firsthand. With the right conditions and care, lavender can thrive and bring joy to her garden or indoor space. The satisfaction of nurturing lavender plants and watching them bloom is a testament to the plant’s resilience and grace.
Growing lavender at home can be a rewarding and therapeutic experience. Lavender plants are relatively easy to care for, making them a great addition to any garden or indoor space. Here are a few helpful tips: If planting the lavender into the ground, choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil, as lavender thrives in bright light and dry conditions. Ensure that the soil is not too compacted, as this can lead to root rot. Adding sand or gravel to the soil can improve drainage and create a more hospitable environment for your lavender plants.
When planting lavender, space the plants about 12 to 18 inches apart to allow for proper air circulation. This helps prevent fungal diseases and encourages healthy growth. Water the plants sparingly, as lavender prefers dry conditions and can suffer from overwatering. It’s best to water deeply but infrequently, allowing the soil to dry out between watering sessions. During the growing season, you can fertilize lavender with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer to promote vigorous growth and abundant blooms.
Pruning is an essential part of lavender care, as it helps maintain the plant’s shape and encourages new growth. Prune your lavender plants in the spring, cutting back about one-third of the plant’s height. This will stimulate the production of new stems and flowers. After the first bloom, you can also perform a light pruning to remove spent flowers and encourage a second round of blooming. With proper care and attention, your lavender plants will reward you with beautiful, fragrant blooms that can be enjoyed throughout the season.
Lavender can also be grown in pots. To learn more about that, please click the link under the photo!
Recipes Featuring Lavender
If you are planning a special meal for your Mom, consider adding some recipes featuring lavender. In the culinary world, lavender’s unique flavor profile has made it a cherished ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes. Culinary lavender is used to infuse desserts, beverages, and even meats with its distinctive floral notes. Lavender honey, lavender-infused lemonade, and lavender shortbread cookies are just a few examples of how this versatile herb can enhance culinary creations. Chefs and home cooks alike appreciate lavender for its ability to add a touch of elegance and sophistication to their dishes, making it a favorite in gourmet cuisine.
One popular culinary use of lavender is in baking. Lavender-infused shortbread cookies are a classic treat that combines the buttery goodness of shortbread with the subtle floral notes of lavender. To make these cookies, simply add a tablespoon of dried culinary lavender to your favorite shortbread recipe. The result is a delicate, aromatic dessert that’s perfect for afternoon tea or special occasions.
In addition to serving the cookies at your event, you can also package some up in craft paper cones and send them home with your guests.
Lavender can also be used to create refreshing beverages. Lavender lemonade is a delightful twist on a classic drink, offering a hint of floral sweetness that pairs perfectly with the tartness of lemons. To make lavender lemonade, steep a few sprigs of fresh lavender in hot water to create a lavender syrup, then mix it with freshly squeezed lemon juice and cold water. Add ice and a few sprigs of lavender for garnish, and you have a refreshing, aromatic beverage that’s perfect for spring and summer gatherings.
For even more ideas for using herbs in your culinary creations, there are links to several of my posts at the end of this one!
Crafts & Decor Ideas Featuring Lavender
Lavender’s aesthetic appeal extends to home decor, where it is used to create a serene and inviting atmosphere. Dried lavender bundles and sachets can be placed in closets and drawers to impart a pleasant fragrance while repelling insects. Lavender wreaths and arrangements add a touch of rustic charm to any space, while lavender-scented candles and diffusers create a calming ambiance. The use of lavender in home decor reflects its ability to transform environments into havens of peace and tranquility.
Lavender can be used to create a variety of handmade items that bring its calming fragrance into your home. Lavender sachets are a simple yet charming project that involves sewing small fabric pouches and filling them with dried lavender flowers. These sachets can be placed in closets, drawers, or under pillows to impart a soothing scent. Lavender candles are another popular craft, combining the relaxing aroma of lavender with the warm glow of candlelight. To make lavender candles, simply add a few drops of lavender essential oil to melted wax and pour it into candle molds. The result is a beautiful, fragrant candle that can be enjoyed during moments of relaxation and self-care.
For your Mother’s Day celebration, a few dried herb springs can be tucked into a napkin ring to add a herbal touch to your place settings. Bundles of dried herbs can be wrapped in craft paper and used to decorate the table. Or simply display bundles of dried lavender in a wooden dough bowl to make a simple centerpiece!
There are many ways to incorporate lavender into your celebration. I hope these ideas help spark your creativity!
Next on the tour is a candle making project from MaryJo at Masterpieces of My Life. This would make a great gift for someone special!
Celebrate the Holiday – Springtime Celebrations
Shop at Blu – Spring Succulent Planter
Creative Culinary Ideas For Using Herbs from Your Garden
From using them to make herbal condiments to crafting your own tea blends, there are so many ways to use the herbs you have grown and harvested!
Learn how to make herbal honeys, sugars and vinegars!
Lavender sugar is so simple to make! All you need is dried lavender and some sugar!
A delicious salsa! This has to be the prettiest dish I have ever made!
A refreshing way to introduce fresh herbs in to your Iced Tea!
A flavorful blend of dried herbs
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Kim, as always, you’ve incorporated my favorite things into a fabulous post. Pinned!
I love this post Kimberly! So much great information here. I love lavender and have it in our yard. I’ve done many of your suggestions but you also gave me some new ideas. Fun sharing with you today. XO- MaryJo
This is the sweetest post! I love learning about lavender and the meaning behind it as well as how you can use it in home decorating. And your wedding photo is priceless! Beautiful bride!
What a beautiful wedding photo! Thank you for all the lavender tips. I planted several plants last year so I pinned for when they bloom. Have a wonderful week.
What a beautiful wedding photo, Kimberly! Thank you sharing your tips on lavender. I’m a lavender lover too, so I’ll definitely be trying out your tips!
Kimberly, what fabulous information about lavender and the language of flowers. We have grown lavender as it does well in our Texas heat. I love the scent of lavender and thank you for sharing the how-to’s of using it. Great post!!