Sleeping through the daytime
Morena All of the Grosso and Pacific Blue plants are now beautifully pruned and “sleeping through the (winter) daytime”. Given the upheaval over the last few months the work programme is running a late this year. The recently pruned plants, including some newly planted growing on lines, have survived some heavy frosts in June. In all another 500 young plants (mainly Pacific Blue) […]
Read more…A summer of lavender mist
Morena This month we have a look at lavender hydrosol or lavender mist. Hydrosols are the by-product of the making of essential oil. Hydrosols are also known as floral water. They contain about 1% essential oil with the remainder being infused lavender water. We always look for great data that support the effectiveness of lavender products. One recent studyhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40415-019-00518-1 looked at the […]
Read more…rain, snow, and Ray…
![Morena
It’s a late winter’s day; rain all around, snow on the hills and Ray LaMontagne oozing through the speakers.
Yesterday we finished the last of the pruning. An annual event we usually try and complete before the first frosts of Autumn. We are a little behind this year, but the older Grosso plants are capable of handling a “haircut” despite the […] Read more…](https://www.akaroaorganics.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DSC_0054-663x190.jpg "a winters day Akaroa")
Morena It’s a late winter’s day; rain all around, snow on the hills and Ray LaMontagne oozing through the speakers. Yesterday we finished the last of the pruning. An annual event we usually try and complete before the first frosts of Autumn. We are a little behind this year, but the older Grosso plants are capable of handling a “haircut” despite the […]
Read more…a few months in lavender
![A few months in lavender time have passed since we last posted!
We had a busy summer with a fantastic crop of Grosso, the oil has great scent already. Our Pacific Blue was a little less prolific but that reflects the hard pruning we gave it last year. Again the scent is already maturing and taking on some great notes, probably […] Read more…](https://www.akaroaorganics.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/guarantee1-663x568.jpg "remembering summer")
A few months in lavender time have passed since we last posted! We had a busy summer with a fantastic crop of Grosso, the oil has great scent already. Our Pacific Blue was a little less prolific but that reflects the hard pruning we gave it last year. Again the scent is already maturing and taking on some great notes, probably […]
Read more…there are gnomes and genome’s in our lavender fields
![A recent Canadian article outlines the range of genomes lurking in the lavender fields.
A team of researchers, including University British Colombia’s Soheil Mahmoud, have recently sequenced the genome of lavender.
“The best way to describe our findings is that we have built the roadmap for the discovery of the genetic elements that define lavender. Now researchers can follow our map and […] Read more…](https://www.akaroaorganics.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/pacific-blue-750x422.jpg "there are gnomes and genome’s in our lavender fields")
![A recent Canadian article outlines the range of genomes lurking in the lavender fields.
A team of researchers, including University British Colombia’s Soheil Mahmoud, have recently sequenced the genome of lavender.
“The best way to describe our findings is that we have built the roadmap for the discovery of the genetic elements that define lavender. Now researchers can follow our map and […] Read more…](https://www.akaroaorganics.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/grosso-750x422.jpg "there are gnomes and genome’s in our lavender fields")
A recent Canadian article outlines the range of genomes lurking in the lavender fields. A team of researchers, including University British Colombia’s Soheil Mahmoud, have recently sequenced the genome of lavender. “The best way to describe our findings is that we have built the roadmap for the discovery of the genetic elements that define lavender. Now researchers can follow our map and […]
Read more…Spring is slowly springing!
![It’s true, Spring is slowly springing in the lavender fields.
As I write, the first flowers are opening on some ornamental lavender we have adjacent to the house. Some of the stoechas (which originated from Europe) are well into bloom, with one variety covered in masses of long purple spikes.
Stoechas, while not producing the quality or quantity of our Pacific Blue […] Read more…](https://www.akaroaorganics.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/DSC03666-e1535854525591-750x1000.jpg "Spring is slowly springing!")
It’s true, Spring is slowly springing in the lavender fields. As I write, the first flowers are opening on some ornamental lavender we have adjacent to the house. Some of the stoechas (which originated from Europe) are well into bloom, with one variety covered in masses of long purple spikes. Stoechas, while not producing the quality or quantity of our Pacific Blue […]
Read more…the mists of time
![If we turn back the mists of time we begin to understand that lavender mist is produced at the same time as the production of essential oils. A part of the distillation process, essential oils float to the top where they are removed, leaving behind a watery distillation.
We call this lavender mist. Typically this diluted essential oil is less than […] Read more…](https://www.akaroaorganics.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Standardheader-750x94.jpg "the mists of time")
If we turn back the mists of time we begin to understand that lavender mist is produced at the same time as the production of essential oils. A part of the distillation process, essential oils float to the top where they are removed, leaving behind a watery distillation. We call this lavender mist. Typically this diluted essential oil is less than […]
Read more…the colour purple…
![It’s just past the shortest day , so time to put away your mid winter blues and replace them with mid winter “purples” and the thoughts of a lavender summer.
We thought we’d celebrate with some famous and infamous quotes and stories about lavender to reflect on over winter….
“Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed […] Read more…](https://www.akaroaorganics.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/P1010978.jpg "of summers to come")
It’s just past the shortest day , so time to put away your mid winter blues and replace them with mid winter “purples” and the thoughts of a lavender summer. We thought we’d celebrate with some famous and infamous quotes and stories about lavender to reflect on over winter…. “Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed […]
Read more…of this and that (a brief history of lavender)
This months blog outlines a brief history of lavender. Winter suddenly arrived on Banks Peninsula this week with 120km hour winds, snow on the tops and a wind chill of 3C. It’s a great time to sit in front of the fire and reflect on this and that. In ancient times lavender was used for mummification and perfume by the Egyptians, […]
Read more…Haircuts and easy shopping
![Autumn brings change and this months blog reflects that theme with haircuts (pruning), and free shipping top of mind.
The first light frost and snow on the volcanic peaks means winter is well on it’s way. We can relax a little bit knowing our lavender has been well pruned (haircuts), weeded and ready to face winter.
We prune our lavender as hard […] Read more…](https://www.akaroaorganics.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/DSC03347-663x497.jpg "Job done, Grosso pruned")
Autumn brings change and this months blog reflects that theme with haircuts (pruning), and free shipping top of mind. The first light frost and snow on the volcanic peaks means winter is well on it’s way. We can relax a little bit knowing our lavender has been well pruned (haircuts), weeded and ready to face winter. We prune our lavender as hard […]
Read more…