To lavender or lavandin ...

The long driveway leading up to Chateau Acorn suffered some damage last month from an overzealous 18-wheeler that delivered the furniture. Mistress Margot and I declared the site in desperate need of something of the lavender variety--a commodity of which Provence has no shortage ...

A quick visit to The Lavender Museum provided us with a wealth of information about the history, cultivar, and agricultural importance of lavender to Provence. There's a special something about fine lavender, particular to Provence, and only grown in altitudes above 800 meters. The single stemmed flowers, grown from seeds, have been used for medicinal purposes and give a delicate fragrance that was sought out by perfume manufacturers over the years.

Then there's lavandin, which grows between an altitude of 0 to 800 meters all over the world. The plant has branches and grows in large round clumps. It's sterile and is reproduced through cuttings. Many of us confuse lavandin with fine lavender-- however, the smell of lavandin is stronger and cannot be used for medicinal purposes. So there, all you lavender enthusiasts. The museum has an impressive collection of stills used in lavender oil distillation too.

When we spied heather at Appy, it was a done deal. We organized a simple alternate planting of lavender and heather flanking the drive...

A nice place to rest.