Harvesting Lavender

Our Altabella gardens feature a lot of lavender, a very drought tolerant Mediterranean plant with a long bloom period, perfect for hot Umbrian summers. We harvest over time so our guests can enjoy this iconic aromatic all summer. In July, we cut a small amount for culinary use when the flowers are in full bloom. Fresh lavender can be infused into either salt or sugar for use in dishes like roasted meats and vegetables or sweet pastries.

The bulk of the pruning is done in August and September. Lavender requires a hard prune each year to keep the plant blooming healthily. The flower heads are trimmed from the stems and dried to stuff into pillow covers that then scent armoires and storage chests throughout the houses. That lingering light scent smells like summer, and it helps deter moths.

The lavender stems are bundled and tied with twine, then placed at every house to be used as fire starters in the fall and winter.  As the stems burn, the essential oils in the lavender perfume the air and help catch the kindling.

If you are a gardener, Il Lavandeto is a lavender and sage farm on the plain below Assisi just south of Altabella. They have events throughout the season around peak bloom and at the harvest.