LAVENDER ESSENTIALS

From soap to tea to ice cream, this sweet and floral perennial is a favorite addition to tons of products you probably have at home. But did you know it's super easy to grow in your AeroGarden? It not only looks great, but you can get a wonderful whiff of this relaxing scent by just running your hand across the plant as you walk by. Instant aromatherapy! Below we've compiled a few fun facts about this favorite plant. Be sure to check out our Lots of Lavender seed pod kits and start growing it at home.

• Lavender is part of the mint family. Native to the Mediterranean region, it loves lots of sun and stony soil when growing outside. The 16 hours of light it gets in your AeroGarden certainly helps it thrive!
• There are 450 named varieties of lavender, making it one of the most widely used herbs on the planet!
• There are records of lavender being used for relaxing, purifying and protective benefits going back as far as 2,500 years.
• The Latin name Lavandula has its roots in the word "lavare," to wash. This is fitting, given its use in the mummification process in ancient Egypt and the believed purification properties by ancient Romans, Greeks and Arabs.
• During the Middle Ages it was used to ward off evil spirits, and during the plague it was part of a popular solution used to ward off fleas.

Companies continue to use lavender for its relaxation and aromatherapeutic properties. What's your favorite use for lavender?