I love to garden.  I have lots of herbs in my garden, but my favorite by far is Lavender.  At the moment I have about 30 varieties of L. angustifolia and lavandins out in the garden (yes, they do grow and overwinter in my Zone 4/5 garden), and another dozen or so of the tender varieties which I keep as houseplants.  This page contains links to all the lavender information I've found on the Web thus far.  More links will be added soon, as well as some pics of the plants in my garden when they bloom.  Enjoy!

Informational Sites

List of Lavender Varieties
Lavender On-Line: The Independent Lavender Industry Newsletter
Mediterranean Climate Gardening Throughout the World
The Lavender Bag Newsletter
Lavender Growers News

Mail Order Sources of Plants

The following are all places from which I have ordered lavender plants.

H & H Botanicals -- Some interesting and unusual varieties
Heronswood Nursery
Woodside Gardens
Nichols Garden Nursery
Forever Lavender
The Thyme Garden
Papa Geno's Nursery

Theatrum Botanicum -- it's an "interesting" site, so be prepared.  TONS of plants, though.  I haven't ordered from them yet.

Lavender Products and Gifts

The Lavender Fleece -- also carries fiber supplies, what luck!
The Lavender Frog -- a farm in Coeur d'Alene, ID
Sawmill Ballroom Lavender Farm
Lavender Green
Cape Cod Lavender Farm
El Dorado Lavender Farm
Matanzas Creek Winery
Lavender Farms of the Olympic Penninsula
Lavender Meadows

Lavender Recipes

LAVENDER LEMONADE

4 cups water, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh lavender leaves
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
Lavender stems

1.  Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a medium bowl; cover and steep 30 minutes.   Strain the lavender mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard lavender leaves.
2.  Combine 3 cups water and sugar in saucepan.  Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved. Combine lavender water, sugar syrup, and lemon juice in a pitcher.  Cover and chill.  Serve over ice.  Garnish lemonade with lavender stems, if desired.  Yield: 5 servings (serving size 1 cup)

LAVENDER-HONEY LOAF

1 tsp. water
1 large egg
3 Tbs. honey
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)
3/4 cup warm water (100 to 110 deg.
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided
3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh lavender leaves
3 Tbs. butter or stick margarine, melted
1 tsp. salt
cooking spray

1.  Combine 1 tsp. water and egg in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Reserve 1 Tbs. egg mixture.
2.  Dissolve honey and yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes.  Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 2 cups flour, remaining egg mixture, lavender, butter, and salt to yeast mixture; stir well.  Stir in 1 1/4 cups flour to form a stiff dough.
3.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 Tbs at a time to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).
4.  Place dough in a large oiled bowl, turning to coat top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place  until doubled in size.   Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.  Divide in half.  Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to keep from drying), roll each portion into a 12" rope on a floured surface.  Twist ropes together pinching ends to seal. Place the dough in an 8x4 inch oiled loaf pan.   Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
5.  Preheat oven to 375 deg.
6.  Uncover dough.  Gently brush the reserved egg mix over loaf.  Bake loaf at 375 for 35 min or until browned on bottom and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.  Remove loaf from pan; cool completely before cutting.

GLAZED LAVENDER TEA CAKE

CAKE
1 cup granulated sugar
5 Tbs. butter or stick margarine, sotened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh lavender leaves
Cooking spray

GLAZE
1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tsp. water
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1.  Preheat oven to 350 deg.
2.  To prepare cake beat granulated sugar, butter and 1/2 tsp. vanilla at medium speed for about 5 minutes.   Add egg and egg white, 1 at a time; beat well after each addition.   Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture.   Stir in lavender.
3.  Pour the batter into an 8" loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for 1 hr. or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
4.  To prepare glaze, combine powedered sugar and remaining ingredients. spread over hot cake.  Cook in pan 20 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.  Cool completely  before cutting.

BISCOTTI WITH LAVENDER AND ORANGE

1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbs. butter or stick margerine softened
1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh lavender leaves
1/2 tsp. grated orange rind
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbs sliced almonds, toasted
Cooking spray
1.  Preheat oven to 325 deg.
2.  Beat first 5 ingredients on medium speed until well blended.  Beat in egg whites.   Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating until blended.   Stir in almonds.
3.  Turn biscotti dough out onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  With lightly floured hands, shape the dough into a 10" long roll.  Flatten the roll to a 1" thickness.  Bake the roll at 325 deg. for 30 min.  Remove the roll from the baking sheet and cool for 10 min. on a wire rack.
4.  Cut roll diagonally into 14 (1/2") slices using a serrated knife.  Place the slices, upright, on baking sheet.  Bake the slices at 325 deg. for 15 minutes.
5.  Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack.
NOTE:  Store in an airtight container.

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