Little pillows of dried lavender to ease you off to sleep. Tall spikes of lilac-coloured blooms, covered in bees in the peak of summer. An aromatic cocktail with a dash of punchy lavender. How do you enjoy lavender?
A gorgeous garden shrub, synonymous with both France and Britain, lavender is a popular plant of which there are many different kinds. But let’s find out a bit more about the heritage of this group of plants, which originate from the Mediterranean, and why we chose the botanical for our special Dunoon Goes POP Lavender Lemonade.
Dunoon Goes POP Parisien Lavender Lemonade
Why did we choose lavender as a Dunoon Goes POP botanical flavour? The answer lies in an Anglo-Parisien designer who once had a shop on Argyll Street in Dunoon.
Our lavender lemonade is inspired by Margaret Parker (c 1847 to 1916), a local entrepreneur, dressmaker and designer who owned and ran an outfitters shop for women and children on Argyll Street, where Allsortz is now.
The POP shop is a design and enterprise facility, supporting local freelancers and entrepreneurs. Margaret Parker’s entrepreneurial spirit and design skills intrigued us! She was a businesswoman and a Royal Letters Patent holder for Anglo-Parisien dressmaking.
As all of our Dunoon Goes POP soft drinks are inspired by local people (People of Place), for a drink inspired by Margaret, we needed a botanical which is synonymous with both France and Britain. Lavender was the best-fitting option!
A favourite plant
From the lavender fields of Provence and linen cupboards the length and breadth of Britain, lavender is most popular for its aromatic flowers rather than its flavour or medicinal properties. In the garden, it enjoys soil that is not too soggy and a sunny spot, like our new raised beds in the Dunoon Goes POP garden.
In our garden, we have two different lavenders; Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hitcote Blue’ and ‘Loddon Pink’. Lavandula angustifolia is often referred to as English lavender, although it originates from the mountains of France, Spain and Italy. It is much hardier than the French lavender, Lavandula stoechas, which tends to dislike our wet and cool winters.
Fascinating history
Here at Dunoon Goes POP, we are interested in the history of the ingredients we use, in particular
where our ingredients originate from,
how our ingredients came to be used by Britain to build its Empire and what we can learn from this,
any connections the plant has with Dunoon and Cowal,
interesting food or drinks making heritage.
Here are five interesting things from our lavender research so far.
The Romans loved lavender
The Romans are touted as bringing a lot of plants to Britain, but not always correctly! It is, however, believed that they brought fragrant lavender over with them.
As we know, the Romans enjoyed a good bath. Don’t we all? Lavender was one of their bathing favourites because it helped them smell good, which is especially useful when you lead an active life trudging through the countryside! Now, lavender is a staple plant in our gardens for its aroma and aesthetics. Much like the Romans, many of us enjoy a lavender-scented bath as a relaxing end to the day.
Perfume industry
In France, farmers have grown lavender commercially since the 17th Century, mainly for the perfume industry. Provence is the lavender-growing hub and a huge tourist draw, with people standing in front of a field of purple flowers for a holiday snap. It’s a hugely profitable industry, worth around $55million, but it is under threat. Climate change, among other forces, is making lavender farmers reassess how they grow their crops in future. We may see less of the masses of fields growing only lavender and more of a polyculture approach in future!
A medicinal plant
Monastic gardens in Britain cultivated lavender for its medicinal and healing properties. Medicinally, lavender has a lot of different uses.
While we’ve traditionally used lavender for its aroma, it is also said to calm the mind, relieve anxiety and aid sleep. Unless you use too much, where it has the opposite effect!
The volatile oils in the flowers also have antiseptic and antibacterial properties, making them useful when treating cuts, rashes, burns, stings or athlete’s foot. French soldiers were treated with lavender essential oil during the First World War.
Bathing in lavender, as the Romans did, therefore has more benefits than just making you smell good!
Everything in moderation: Like all medicines, there can be side effects. Please don’t take this as medicinal advice; we’re not doctors or medicinal herbalists, just plant enthusiasts!
For baking and drinks
Flowers and leaves are used when baking treats such as shortbread or biscuits, as well as for jams, vinegars and oils. In drinks, as with everything else, it is used sparingly so that it doesn’t dominate the flavour. Used in moderation, it can elevate your baking and drinks. We think it pairs very well with lemonade!
A plant of birth, love and death
This multi-use plant has been used by us humans across the centuries. Lavender was added to the love potions of the ancient Druids or burnt as incense and an air cleanser when a woman was in childbirth. During the plague, it was used to hide the stench of death! It’s not just humans who appreciate this plant, bees and butterflies rely on the plant as food to keep their next generations going!
Inspired by local people and plants
Our Dunoon Goes POP flavours are inspired by local people (People of Place) and plants.
POP inspiration: Margaret Parker, local designer, dressmaker and entrepreneur.
Dunoon Goes POP flavour: Parisien Lavender Lemonade.
Our references
Hidden Histories: Herbs by K Hurst (2015) and published by Timber Press.
Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier (2016) and published by DK.
The Gardener’s Companion to Medicinal Plants by Monique Simmonds, Melanie-Jayne Howes and Jason Irving (2016) for Kew Gardens and published by Frances Lincoln.
National Geographic article, How Provence’s Lavender Fields are Transforming for Survival.