SMELL THE LAVENDER If you’ve experienced the aroma of lavender in a violet-dyed candle from the mall, a body wash from the drugstore, or a bottle of dishwasher detergent, you still don’t know lavender, according to medical aromatherapist Nancy Engel of Southborough.

The real stuff is distilled into special oils using a process that has been deployed in France for hundreds of years, Engel said. And for participants at her upcoming lavender workshop at Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, exposure to this distilled oil might be their first whiff of genuine lavender, free of the chemicals that strive to imitate the scent in many commercial products.

“There are so many ways to use lavender for healing,’’ said Engel about one of her favorite herbs. “It’s an antiseptic. It’s remarkable as a remedy for sleep problems, headaches, poison ivy. It’s also excellent for burns.’’ Engel frequently brings lavender oil into hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice settings to soothe patients. “Also, it leaves the room smelling wonderful,’’ she added.

And it’s not merely medicinal. Lavender is also a delicious flavoring. At the Fruitlands workshop, Engel will offer tastes of lavender cake, lavender tea, and lavender lemonade, and demonstrate how to fashion a lavender sachet or wall bunch.

The workshop takes place on Sunday, June 5, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Engel promises to dive deep into the medicinal, culinary, and other uses of the fragrant herb. Engel will also cover growing and gardening tips for those who desire their own personal lavender crop.

Admission is $35 members/$45 nonmembers. Space is limited. To register, contact programming@fruitlands.org or call 978-456-3924, ext. 239. Fruitlands Museum is at 102 Prospect Hill Road, Harvard. For more information visit www.fruitlands.org or call 978-456-3924, ext. 292.

JAZZ WITH JOY The Joy Reo Trio performs in the Village Forge Tavern at Concord’s Colonial Inn on Wednesday, June 1, from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Vocalist Joy Reo will serve up a mix of jazz, blues, and Broadway and pop tunes, accompanied by Molly Flannery on piano and vocals and Neil Kruszkowski on saxophone, percussion, and vocals. No cover charge. The restaurant offers a full bar, dinner, and lighter fare. The Colonial Inn is at 48 Monument Square, Concord. For more information, call 978-369-9200 or go to www.concordscolonialinn.com.

GARDEN PARTY The Gardens at Elm Bank in Wellesley celebrates its 20th anniversary with a Twilight Garden Party on Thursday, June 2, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Open to members, friends, and newcomers, the party will take place in the Maple Grove, among Mass Hort’s 16 acres of beautiful gardens. Guest can enjoy local beer, wine, and hors d’oeuvres. Swing music will be performed by Henry Platt’s Swing Quartet. Tickets are $85 and can be reserved by calling 617-933-4945 or online at www.masshort.org/twilightgardenparty. All proceeds support The Gardens at Elm Bank’s annual capital improvements and Mass Hort’s education programs.

RUN-OF-THE-MILL AFTERNOON On Saturday, June 4, the Old Schwamb Mill will present a lecture by John V. Goff, preservation architect and co-founder of the Tide Mill Institute, on “Tidal Mills,’’ at 2 p.m., followed by the closing reception for the art exhibit, “Six Visions: Photography and Sculpture’’ from 3 to 5 p.m. Suggested donation is $5. The Old Schwamb Mill is at 17 Mill Lane, Arlington. For more information, call 781-643-0554.

WINTER IN SPRINGTIME Youthquake Theater, a Boston-area youth theater company run entirely by children and teens, presents Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale’’ on Friday, June 3, and Saturday, June 4, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 5, at 2 p.m. at the Arlington Center for the Arts, 41 Foster St., Arlington. Tickets are $5. For information call 781-648-5579 or visit www.youthquaketheater.com.

RACE THROUGH THE CITY Fattman Productions, a strategic planning, marketing, and promotions company, hosts this year’s Newton 10K on Sunday, June 5, beginning at 8 a.m. Runners will race through Newton, covering parts of the Boston Marathon course, and winding through some of the city’s most beautiful and historic areas. The race is a community and family event for children and adults alike. Proceeds from the race will benefit Dreamfar High School Marathon. The race starts and finishes at the Horace Mann Elementary School, 687 Watertown St., Newtonville. Registration fee is $35 in advance; $40 on race day. To sign up, go to www.fattmanproductions.com/roadraces.html.

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