Wash and slice in half the strawberries, set aside. Place the dry biscuit ingredients and lavender in a bowl, mix until blended. Cut in the shortening with pastry cutter, 2 knives or your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Pour in the buttermilk, just mix until blended. On a floured surface roll the dough out to 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick and cut out with a large-sized cutter. Place rounds on a cookie sheet or sheet pan lined with baking paper or coated with a baking spray. Scrape the dough scraps up and repeat the rolling process. Sprinkle rounds with granulated sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Put cream in mixing bowl with whip. Whip until it begins to thicken, then add the remaining ingredients. With a knife, split the vanilla bean down the center and scrape out the seeds. Pour in bowl and continue mixing. To Assemble: Slice the biscuit in half, place the sliced strawberries and then the cream on bottom half of biscuit, and then top with the other half. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and garnish with whole strawberries. This recipe yields 10 to 12 short cakes.

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