a simple Lavender Nosegay

Nosegay is one of those silly sounding words that back in seventh grade would have given my best friend and me the extreme giggles. During those Keiser Junior High days, everything was extraordinarily hilarious and something as simple as a funny word (such as nosegay) would often push us over the edge earning us a trip to the principal’s office for classroom disruption. I call those the Giggle Box Years. And though I may seem to be rambling, I do plan to tie all this together, you’ll see if you keep reading. Promise.

The official definition is a small bunch of flowers, typically one that is sweet-scented. Like an amuse bouche for the nose, something small and possibly unexpected that makes your nose hap-hap-happy.

So that’s what we have here. A lavender nosegay made from the lavender in my yard. I decided with so much lavender, why not enjoy it inside the house? Bringing the outside inside—that’s one of the joys of gardening. And like most flowers, harvesting promotes more blooms. A plus-plus, right?

If you don’t have lavender, use rosebuds, hydrangea blossoms, whatever flowers you have. The special thing is that with minimal effort and zero cost, you can make a simple decoration from your garden that can be given as a gift (i.e. tie to a jar of homemade preserves, use in lieu of a bow on a present, etc.) or used as a natural decoration in your home.

Simple Simon to make, for sure!

Tie a few stalks securely with a piece of twine or one of those rubber bands you are saving in your junk drawer for no particular reason.

Add a vintage button and wrap with additional string or ribbon for decoration (and for hanging/tying).

Ta-da! A lavender nosegay like something you might notice on a bookshelf in a cool antique shop and think, I could do that, but you don’t.

And now, maybe you will?

Display your lavender nosegay on a book, place it on the bathroom windowsill, or hang it from a doorknob. You’ll smell the fragrant lavender each time you walk by, even after the flowers dry.

What a simple summer decoration, and one with health benefits. Studies have shown that the smell of lavender helps us relax by decreasing our heart rate and lowering blood pressure. Another plus-plus!

And now back to those Giggle Box Years… Here’s a picture of my junior high principal and me taken a few weeks ago at the Wilson Cafe. He looks wonderful and not nearly so scary now. If I’d had a lavender nosegay with me, I’d have given him one. ?

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

“Sometimes not much is just enough.”
― John O’Callaghan

[tweetthis]Make a #lavender nosegay. An amuse bouche for the nose! #gardening #homeandgarden #keepitsimple[/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:
Van Morrison, Keep It Simple