What do you know about lavender? Get the scoop before Lavender Festival

Lavender Festival is almost here! What do you know about this versatile plant? Jen Trunce, horticulture manager, Chatfield Farms, shares a little insider info sure to get you excited to see the Lavender Garden in all its glory on July 16 & 17. 

Lavender is a versatile herbaceous perennial with 47 known species from the mint family, Lamiaceae. This old-world plant is native to the Mediterranean region and has been cultivated for some 2,500 years. The name lavendula probably comes from the Latin lividus (bluish) and lavare (wash). These plants are grown for essential oil production, flower bundles to dry or sell fresh, sachets, soaps and culinary purposes. 

Because it is drought-tolerant once established, lavender has become increasingly popular in our semi-arid region. Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender) and Lavandula x intermedia (commonly referred to as Lavadin) are the two types of cold hardy lavender in Colorado. Lavadin is larger in size and produces three times the amount of essential oil that English lavender does but gives off a woody aroma due to its higher camphor content. English lavender produces a higher quality essential oil with a sweeter aroma. 

Chatfield Farms installed the Lavender Garden in 2015 and then expanded it in 2018 by adding more than 1,200 plants, choosing from varieties that have performed well onsite, including six types of L. angustifolia and seven types of L. intermedia. The garden now features more than 2,000 lavender plants.

Enjoy them along with live music, food vendors, local artisans, demonstrations and more at Lavender Festival on Saturday and Sunday, July 16 and 17 at Chatfield Farms. Learn more and get tickets. Tickets must be purchased in advance. No onsite ticket sales.

Lavender information originally published in the spring 2018 issue of Inside the Gardens magazine.