Lavender

This multipurpose herb has also been used as a perfume, air freshener, antiseptic, sleep-inducer, pesticide, lice repellent and even a corpse embalmer! It is also eaten: Elizabeth I was known to prefer to eat lavender conserve with lamb above all else. On average, 100–130kg of lavender flowers are needed to produce 1kg of essence.

The name is thought to have come from the Latin lavando, part of the verb lavare, meaning to wash. Romans added the flowers to their communal baths to ease their aching limbs.