This month our Royal Velvet Members are receiving two of our newest products: Rosemary Hair and Scalp Tonic and Lavender Sleep Balm. And since our Lavender of the month is Hidcote, we have included our very own “tussie mussie” dried bundle of hidcote.


“As Rosemary is to the Spirit, so Lavender is to the soul.” In early times, Rosemary was freely cultivated in kitchen gardens and came to represent the dominant influence of the house mistress. “Where Rosemary flourished, the woman ruled.” Rosemary (Rosmarius officinalis) is known to hydrate dry scalp to help relieve itch and to strengthen hair follicles. It is known to promote healthy shiny hair and is promising for conditions of mild hair loss. Rosemary is also a useful skin toner. It’s known to help prevent premature baldness. We have developed a wonderful new product we’re calling Rosemary Hair and Scalp Toner which we recommend using undiluted as a scalp tonic after or between shampoos. Developed for a prestigious hair salon in La Jolla, they can’t keep enough of it in stock. Their clients love it. Crafted with our pure organic lavender essential oil and jojoba oil (a wax carrier to keep the scent alive) and packaged in a handy 1/2 ounce jar for travel or home, Lavender Sleep Balm. is sure to become one of your “gotta have” items. Just a dab under the nose at bedtime will help you fall asleep. The lasting aromatherapy will help keep you asleep for many hours.

Our precious tussie mussie, a summer harvested and dried Hidcote Bundle, is beautiful to behold. The Hidcote flower retains its velvety purple color when dried and the fragrance will last for years. The name 'tussie-mussie' evolved from the 15th century when these bouquets were recorded as a 'tumose of flowrys or other herbys'. Elizabethan tussie-mussies included thyme, lavender, marjoram, mints, balm, rosemary for their fresh fragrance and the belief that they refreshed the head and stimulated the memory. In England in the mid-17th century, small bunches of aromatic herbs were carried to camouflage unpleasant odors. They reached their peak of popularity in Victorian England as fashionable accessories. Flowers speak their own language and even though their secret language may be outdated, tussie-mussies continue to make charming gifts. The beauty, fragrance and historical charm of flowers and herbs have long been enjoyed, but by understanding the power of scents, a tussie-mussie can become an even more potent and precious gift. The language of lavender speaks luck and forgiveness. The language of rosemary speaks remembrance. This information was extracted from a website for the Royal Horticultural Society.

History has it that Lavender Hidcote provided Napoleon & Josephine with their best-loved aphrodisiac. To keep Napoleon “interested” in her, Josephine would have him drink a concoction made from lavender and chocolate. This became his favorite drink.

Josephine Bonaparte's Aphrodisiacal Lavender Mocha
Prepare in a drip-coffee maker one part fresh ground coffee to three parts crunched up fresh lavender flowers (if using dried lavender use equal amounts coffee to lavender. Always use less dried lavender than fresh lavender). Calculate the amount by assuming approximately one tablespoon coffee & three tablespoons fresh lavender for each cup of coffee made. Prepare an equal amount of bittersweet hot cocoa separately. Mix together. For an added “perk” use a thimble or so of cocoa or coffee liquor.

And if you need even more, here is a recipe for decadent, rich, & luscious fudge.

Really Fudgy Lavender Fudge
16 oz. chocolate chips 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk 1 Tbsp. dried lavender or 3 Tbsp. fresh 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1. Grind lavender finely in a clean coffee grinder (a grinder that you use just for herbs!). 2. Melt everything together in a double boiler. Add 3 tablespoons butter. Stir until smooth and melted. 3. Pour into a pan lined with wax paper (approximately 9" x 9"). Cover with plastic wrap. Chill overnight. 4. Cut into 1" squares. Wrap like "sweets" in twists of wax paper. 5. Sprinkle fresh Lavender on top layer to decorate!

Hidcote (pronounced hid-coat or hid-cot) is a dwarf variety of lavender, a highly aromatic sub-shrub with a brilliant flower-spike of the brightest rich dark violet purple. According to the website of Hidcote Manor, (a famous Arts and Crafts garden in Gloucestershire, England), the original Hidcote lavender was brought there in the 1920’s by the proprietor and plant- hunter Lawrence Johnston. Johnston was a keen plantsman with a strong sense of artistic composition. Hedges are used to define a series of garden rooms. One room is occupied only by a circular raised pool. Others have a character deriving from their inspired planting. The standard of building craftsmanship is high and the number of plants which have the name ‘Hidcote’ point to Johnston’s expertise.

You ask, “What is an Arts and Crafts style garden?” The Arts and Crafts movement, popularized by John Ruskin and William Morris