Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
Lavender makes a sensational addition to mete and recurrent gardens , providing sweeping drift of color from early summertime into fall . With its silvern - fleeceable foliation , upright flower spikes , and compact bush - comparable contour , lavender is ideal for creating informal hedge . you’re able to also harvest it for fragrant floral agreement , sachet , and mixture , as well as many medicinal and culinary uses .
Although all lavender ( Lavandula ) is aboriginal to the Mediterranean , there are many different multifariousness offering a vast selection of flush times , flower physique , and sizes . And , contrary to the name , not all lavender are purple . Some hybrid fare in other endearing pastel hue such as violet blue , rise , pale pink , snowy , and even white-livered . The leaves can also variegate in shape and colouring . To extend the prime season , as well as the color palette , view planting several varieties .
COMMON TYPES OF LAVENDER
There are four primary type of lavender commonly get in home garden — each with unparalleled characteristics in efflorescence clip , bouquet , and climate permissiveness . Here ’s how they compare .
Sweet Romance , English lavender . Photo by : Proven Winners .
ENGLISH LAVENDER
botanic name : Lavandula angustifoliaZones:5 - 8Bloom time : June to AugustHeight:2 to 3 feetFlower colour : Lavender , bass blue - purple , light pink , bloodless
Despite its Mediterranean origin , English lavender was so named because it grows well in that country ’s cool climate and has long been a staple in English herb garden . The gray - green leafage and whorls of bantam flowers make this one of the most attractive lavenders in the garden . It ’s one of the most inhuman - audacious varieties and the best for culinary use because of its miserable camphor message . Learn and harvest English lavender .
Pictured : Sweet Romance ® lavenderfrom Proven Winners
Gallic lavender .
FRENCH LAVENDER
Botanical name : Lavandula dentataZones:8 - 11Bloom time : former summertime to fallHeight:36 column inch and largerFlower colors : unaccented purpleness
Also called fringed lavender , this showy variety is recognise by narrow-minded , fine - toothed leaves and compact blossom heads topped by purple bract . While the flowers have less odor than English lavender , the fleshly leaves are more fragrant , with an intoxicating rosemary - like aroma . get wind French lavender .
Spanish lavender .
SPANISH LAVENDER
Botanical name : Lavandula stoechasZones:8 - 11Bloom time : Mid to late summerHeight:18 to 24 inchesFlower colors : bass purple
This miscellany is jimmy for its strange ananas - shaped flower with colorful bracts , or “ bunny ears , ” that come out from each flower spike . Although the peak are not especially fragrant , the light - green folio are very redolent . Learn Spanish lavender .
Lavandin .
LAVANDIN
Botanical name : Lavandula ×intermediaZones:5 - 11Bloom time : Mid to late summerHeight:24 to 30 inchesFlower colors : Dark violet , blanched
This popular loan-blend combines the cold lustiness of English lavender with the heat margin of Portuguese lavender ( L. latifolia ) . It typically go blooming a few weeks later than most English lavender and features foresightful spike of highly fragrant flowers . Although not considered edible ( due to mellow camphor content ) , the blossom and foliage are often added to sachets and potpourris .
HOW TO PLANT LAVENDER
" It ’s a good choice to put right next to a vegetable garden because it pull pollinators like crazy — honey bee and butterfly — and the more pollinators we can get over to our vegetable the good harvest we ’ll have . " — Laura Leboutillier , Garden Answer
When to plant:
In the springtime after the dirt has warmed up and the threat of frost has passed . May also be plant in the fall if you give plants enough time for their roots to instal before wintertime .
Where to plant:
station these Lord’s Day lovers in a situation that receives rich sun ( at least 6 hour day by day ) . In shadowy locations , plants will bloom poorly , lack dynamism , and be less fragrant . An field that receive upright air circulation is also authoritative , specially if growing plants in a humid mood .
How to plant:
It is generally soft to grow lavender from nursery starts , since the seeds are small and run to have a slow and erratic germination rate . To ensure salutary gentle wind circulation , space plants 2 to 3 feet apart , depending on their breadth at maturity . Water right after planting and continue to water every few day until plants become establish .
Soil requirements:
Grows in force in sandy , alimental - poor , alkaline soil that provides excellent drainage . Avoid planting in ponderous clay or in grim blot prostrate to stand water . Because good drain is crucial , consider growing your plant in mounds , raised bed , or on slopes .
Growing from seed:
If need to try your handwriting at growing lavender from seed , get going the seeded player indoors in early outpouring , covering them very lightly with a sterile cum starting mix and keep on them moist but not soggy until the seedlings come out . When kept at a temperature of about 65 ° F , the cum will pullulate in 2 to 3 weeks .
Growing in containers:
Compact varieties of lavender are perfect for grow in container , which is a unspoiled pick in areas where the plant is n’t stalwart because you may move the pots indoors over wintertime . Be sure to plant in a high-pitched - caliber , tight - draining potting mix in a container with multiple drainage golf hole , so your lavender wo n’t be sitting in standing water . ascertain to produce lavender in pots .
LAVENDER PLANT CARE
lacrimation : Established lavender plants are extremely drouth liberal and only require to be watered during prolonged dry spells . To keep root bunkum and fungal disease , nullify overwatering and keep the leave wry by watering at ground level or using drip irrigation . During the winter , when plant are dormant , no supplemental tearing is needed .
Amendments and plant food : Because lavender is native to region have sandy or rocky soils with scummy birthrate , quash using amendment that enrich the soil , such as compost or other organic issue . If you have impenetrable clay filth , remedy it with inert rice hulls to improve drain .
fertilize lavender is seldom necessary and may cause a rush in foliage growth at the expense of flower output . Plants will generally be more rich when raise in poor grime that is low in nutrient .
Overwintering : In climates where temperatures dip below zero degrees Fahrenheit , isolate your industrial plant with a wintertime mulch of evergreen bough , sliced leaves , or straw , peculiarly if there ’s a want of snowfall cover . right stain drainage is also essential to found survival in area with inhuman , tone down winters .
Propagation : From seed or by fore cuttings taken from new growing in spring , before flower buds shape . * See note below on circularise or separate patent plants ( check your plant tags for the ® or ™ symbol by the plant name ) .
pest and diseases : Lavender has few cuss or disease problems , but can be susceptible to source putrefaction and powdery mould , especially in moist , humid climate . The good command mensuration are to avoid overhead watering and offer unspoilt gentle wind circulation between plant .
HOW TO PRUNE LAVENDER
Pruning lavender is essential for maintain its health and beauty . Regular pruning helps stimulate new growth , exert the plant ’s shape , and raise abundant bloom . Key pruning clock time admit :
Proper techniques involve cut back by one - third , shaping the plant into a dome , avoiding cutting into old Grant Wood , and always using sanitise creature . For more details , seeA Beginner ’s Guide to Pruning Lavender .
Deadheading Lavender:
In addition to seasonal pruning , even deadheading is another important proficiency to keep your lavender search its good and encourage uninterrupted bloom . Here are a few tips from Sean & Allison of Spoken Garden ’s video , How to Deadhead Lavender
POPULAR LAVENDER VARIETIES
Photo by : Proven winner
Sweet Romance ® —Buy Now from Proven WinnersL. angustifolia
This variety develop 12 to 18 in marvellous and flower from early summer into dip . Its gray - green foliation is top with productive purple flowers that are perfect for fresh or dried bouquets .
Phenomenal — Buy Now from Proven WinnersLavandulaxintermedia
Good drain is critical for this fragrant mid- to previous - summer bloomer . grow 24 to 30 inches marvelous and 48 to 54 inches full . practice in containers or garden beds and borders .
‘ Hidcote’L. angustifolia
This compact cultivar grows 12 to 18 inches tall and features slender flower spikes with tightly bunched dark purplish - blue flowers and aromatic silvery foliage . Because of its low visibility , you may utilise it as a kempt hedging industrial plant around herb or recurrent gardens or alongside walkways .
picture good manners : W. Atlee Burpee Company .
‘ Grosso’Lavandula’Grosso '
This democratic lavandin cross is the most fragrant and the one most often used for scenting perfumes and sachet . It produces an abundance of exceptionally big cryptical - violet blossom spikes that stand well above the mounded ash gray - green foliage . Growing to 3 foot marvellous and across-the-board , this heavy bloomer take plenteous space to accommodate its vigorous growth habit .
‘ Munstead’L. angustifolia
This early - flowering English lavender is tolerant of tough growing conditions , include heat , humidity , and drouth . It grow to a compact height of 12 to 18 inches and produce mickle of lavender blue flowers from late bound well into summertime . economic consumption as a border accent , in mass plantings , and in container .
good manners of photographer Doreen Wynja © for Monrovia .
' Provence’Lavandulaxintermedia
' Provence ' is one of the grandiloquent of the lavandin cultivar and gets its name from the sphere in southeastern France where it is commercially grown for the aroma diligence . It grows to a height of 3 feet with heavy perfumed flowers and foliage . Pale purple blooms on good stalk come out from June through August .
Photo by : Pressebereich Dehner Garten - Center / Flickr.com .
‘ Thumbelina Leigh’L. angustifolia
True to its name , ‘ Thumbelina Leigh ’ is a dwarf English lavender paragon for container , low molding , and stone gardens . It produces a cornucopia of powerfully fragrant , violet - blue bloom spike that will flower ceaselessly from early to mid summer .
exposure courtesy : Kieft Seed .
‘ Ellagance Ice’L. angustifolia
Silvery white blooms with a short - blue blush distinguish this attractive English lavender cultivar . The large aromatic flower spike bloom all summer and attract butterflies . A succinct bushy signifier makes it an splendid option for containers .
picture by : Ngordon99 | Dreamstime.com .
‘ Melissa’L. angustifolia
Here ’s an unusual pink - flowering English lavender that harmonizes beautifully with purple - flower kind . It has silvery leafage like other English lavenders but produces delicately perfumed light - pink flowers that step by step blow over to whiten . It can grow to a height of 27 inches and efflorescence from recent springiness to early summer .
picture by : HighCountryGardens.com .
' Buena Vista’L. angustifolia
This rarefied twice - blooming English lavender cultivar flush in late spring and again in September , with a few bloom spikes appearing in mid - summertime . It produces bi - slanted purple and deep blue flowers on stem that fan out around the plant , so the form is not as tidy as some other cultivar . Grows to a height of 18 to 24 column inch with a like spread .
exposure by : Matt Purciel / Alamy Stock Photo .
' Royal Velvet’L. angustifolia
' Royal Velvet ' English lavender is a real showstopper , producing velvety , richly colored navy and purple flower spikes on tall 2 to 2.5 foot stem . It blossom from late leaping to former summertime and is one of the best choice for use in dried arrangements because the flowers hold their gorgeous color .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is lavender a perennial?
While lavender is often trade as a perennial , it ’s actually an evergreen semi - arboreous shrub that will return year after yr if grown in the appropriate climate . However , some types of lavender wo n’t pull round wintertime when debunk to overly cold temperature . Gallic and Spanish lavenders are peculiarly susceptible to ice damage and should be grown as annuals north of zona 7 or in container that you could bring indoors during the winter month .
What is the best lavender for cold climates?
English lavendersand their hybrid are the salutary varieties for colder climates since they are hardy to zone 5 , where wintertime temperatures can devolve as low as -10 ° F to -20 ° F. Some of the hybrid lavandins ( L.xintermedia ) can also tolerate cold condition . If your wintertime are particularly rough , it ’s full to produce industrial plant in a protected location to prevent damage .
What is the best lavender for hot and humid climates?
BothSpanish lavenderandFrench lavenderare first-class performing artist in southern garden with super hot , humid climates . However , be sure to raise plants in well - draining soil and space them far enough aside to allow dear air circulation . Although English lavender will brave out summer heat energy , it grows poorly in climates that have extremely hot , humid summer , preferring more moderate precondition .
How do I fix leggy or woody lavender plants?
Leggy lavender works , with longsighted woody staunch and sparse growth , are often the result of improper pruning ( see “ How to Prune Lavender ” ) . However , plant can also get tall-growing if they receive insufficient sunshine or are planted in overly fertile soil . To fix their bushy appearance , start by pruning your plant in the spring , make out back to the depressed come forth bud . In midsummer , prune again to mold your industrial plant into nice , symmetric hammock , which will help keep them tidy and reduce straggly growth . Be aware that rejuvenating woody lavender can take clock time , so have patience and give your plant several calendar month to recover between prunings .
How do I harvest and preserve lavender flowers?
Cut the peak when the bud are just beginning to show colouring material , but before they fully open . If you glean the blooms when they are in early bud , they should last at least two week in a vase . This is also when the all important crude oil are at their prime .
If harvesting for dry flowers , tie the cut flower stalks into bunches and hang them upside down in a dry , well - ventilated space out of direct sunlight . Once juiceless , you could peel off the flowers to use for sachet and potpourri or make a dried bouquet by leaving the blossom on the stem and dress them upright in a vase .
DESIGN IDEAS FOR LAVENDER
Sweet Romance ® Lavender . photograph by : Proven Winners .
IDEAS FOR USING LAVENDER IN THE KITCHEN
A phallus of the mint crime syndicate , lavender has been used for centuries as a various , unexpected flavoring in both sweet and spicy food . English lavenders are the good varieties for culinary purposes , and both the buds and leaves can be used bracing or dried . Because the savour is firm , use it meagrely so it wo n’t overpower your dish . The bud are well harvest right before they fully overt , when the essential oils are most potent .
- REGARDING extension : When it fall to propagating patent plants , there are strict rules in piazza prohibiting reproduction or generation of these plant in any way . This means you ca n’t reproduce them ( even for use in your own garden ) , sell them , or land them into the res publica without permission . The natural law does not make exceptions for what some might look at minor infringements . Any wildcat use of patented plant is consider an infringement .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anne Balogh is a longtime horticulture writer and editor for Garden Design , with over 20 years of experience covering everything from container planting to landscape painting trends . She draws intake from her own Zone 5 garden in Illinois , where she experiment with hardy perennials and flowering annual .
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