Bright colours, overwhelming smell, swaying movements. What are we talking about? The flowering of lavender.
Lavender is a rustic plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family and owes its name to the Latin gerund 'lavare' : in the Middle Ages it was used to cleanse the body. Lavender flowers are used in phytotherapy and herbal medicine for their numerous properties due to the presence of essential oil, tannins, ursolic acid, flavonoids and bitter substances. These active ingredients give the plant a sedative and calming action on the nervous system, to be used in cases of anxiety, nervousness, headaches and stress and insomnia, and to combat gastrointestinal manifestations related to agitation. Lavender's benefits also include its balsamic action on the respiratory tract, making it an excellent remedy for colds such as flu, coughs, colds and excessive phlegm.
Read on to find out more!
Podere Lemniscata is located a few kilometres from Florence, in the municipality of Montespertoli, an area famous for the production of Chianti wine. The owner Manuela Andreetta knows very well the countless properties of this plant and every day she tries to make her guests discover them.
Let's take a look at some of the activities that Manuela proposes:
One of the activities offered by the farm is the harvesting of lavender to obtain essential oils. You will be guided through this process: you will be explained how to cut the leaves so as not to kill the plant and obtain a very good essential oil.
At the end of the harvest you will deposit the lavender in containers and watch the extraction live. The magical moment will be accompanied by the unmistakable smell of this plant that evokes an unparalleled feeling of freshness and cleanliness.
Lavender essential oil helps to restore calm and serenity, eliminating stress and nervousness. Just a few drops in the diffuser are enough to purify the air and bring balance and harmony to the environment. Mixed with a carrier oil (e.g. sweet almond oil) it can be used for massages and to loosen muscle contractures or soothe burns.
After toiling in the lavender fields, what could be better than a refreshing aperitif and a sublime dinner?
The signature cocktail of the Lemniscata farm is their lavender spritz: we cannot describe the goodness and freshness of this drink, you must try it!
Our advice is to also stop for dinner: the completely cruelty-free menu will satisfy all your senses. Don't miss dessert!
If you have read this far your interest in lavender is strong! You are curious to try essential oil extraction and cocktails! But what about attending a live concert while sitting comfortably among the rows of lavender? Or how about doing a meditation cycle with crystals to discover the 4 elements?
Podere Lemniscata offers this kind of activity every month, check their website or their Facebook page to stay up to date.
