Which lavender to plant

Strongest Scented Lavenders. Lavandula angustifolia English Lavender. Lavandula stoechas Lavender. Garden Examples. A Lovely Contemporary Garden Idea. A Charming Mediterranean Flagstone Pathway. A Lovely Mediterranean Path. Heat Zones 5 - 8 What's My Zone? Want Garden Inspiration? Related Items Garden. A Charming Mediterranean Flagstone Pathway Who wouldn't want to stroll along this beautiful flagstone Plant Family.

Lavandula angustifolia English Lavender Often associated with the famous purple fields of Provence, Pruning Lavender for Beautiful Plants While lavender is easy to grow, a few pruning rules have to Strongest Scented Lavenders Not all Lavenders are created equal!

Some varieties are Lavandula x intermedia Lavender Tough, Lavandin tends to grow larger, blooms later and Lavender Main Types Lavender Lavandula includes 39 different species, which Get garden design ideas Find your perfect garden. Find the plants that work for you Ideas for seasons and regions. Design your garden Use our interactive tools to design your dream garden.

Find your Hardiness Zone. Where are you based? Find your Climate Zone. Find your Heat Zone. My Region USA. Create New Collection. These lavenders varieties are the most widely available and are highly regarded by gardeners and commercial growers for their fragrance and because once you have the right conditions they are exceptionally easy to grow. This is generally true for most English varieties of lavender which are all far more cold hardy and versatile then the French, Spanish and Portuguese lavender varietie s which tend to require a little more maintenance especially in Winter when they may need to be taken indoors for protection from the cold.

These lavenders have been cultivated to have the best of both worlds in terms of the cold hardiness of the English lavenders USDA zones and the longer flowering seasons of the French and Portuguese lavenders. Pruning is simply a case of removing the top third of the lavenders flexible growth whilst not cutting into the woody base of the plant and aiming for a mound shaped plant as this is the best shape to help resist weather damage.

Pruning also increases the life span of lavender and stimulates new growth that will support flowers lavender only blooms on new seasons growth. Lavender of all species prefer low fertility soil as they are adapted to the nutrient poor, sandy soil of the Mediterranean. Adding fertilizer will result in excessive foliage growth at the expense of flowers, with leggy growth and foliage that does not exude as much fragrance. This will help to replicate the low to medium fertility conditions of the coastal Mediterranean region where lavenders thrive.

Sand or grit is also crucial as it increases the drainage of the soil which is appropriate for lavenders as they require dry soil that does not hold moisture, to avoid problems such as root rot. Read my article for how to create the optimal soil mix for lavenders. English lavenders are the only lavender species that can tolerate cold climates with higher levels of rainfall as long as the soil has been amended with sand or grit to increase the rate of drainage.

Both French and Spanish lavenders are more tender then the hardy English lavenders and will not tolerate freezing temperatures during Winter. French and Spanish lavender often have to be grown in Pots so that they can be brought indoors before the first frost to avoid damaging the plant. Bridgewater Greater Manchester. Science research ». Environmentally friendly gardening. Plant health. Take part in our research.

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Need more criteria? Try an advanced search. They are divided into different groups: Early flowering The species L. Later summer flowering Lavandin, L. French lavenders Easily identified by a headdress of perky sterile bracts, L. This lively lavender displays cone-shape clusters of buds that open to small, bright purple flowers topped with showy white bracts that mature to light pink.

The distinctive look of its flowers and its highly aromatic silvery foliage make it a wonderful addition to the garden. After its summer blooms peak, prune it back to ensure shorter and sturdier flower stems for the future. Fragrant, shrubby 'Van Gogh' bears soft lavender-violet flowers topped by greenish-white bracts.

The effect looks a bit like cute miniature pineapples. This variety produces bright green, linear, aromatic leaves that are densely covered in hairs, giving it a woolly appearance. Add this plant to a garden border or your favorite container to attract both bees and butterflies to your yard. An eye-catching prolific bloomer, 'Curly Top' stands out from the crowd with its clusters of deep purple flowers topped by ruffled, curly lavender bracts that bloom almost continually during the growing season.

Each bloom sits atop six-inch stems. Prune this plant regularly to maintain its shape and to encourage its abundant flowering. This pretty Spanish lavender variety supplies a steady crop of rich purple flowers on spikes topped by showy purple bracts.

The gray-green foliage accents the blooms nicely. If you're in a colder climate, you can still enjoy this plant by growing it in a container in the summer and moving it to a sheltered location during the winter. You may see French lavender grown more as an ornamental plant than an herb.

It doesn't emit the traditional fragrance that English lavenders and lavandins have. Its scent is more like camphor. Still, it is a lovely plant with clusters of purple flowers and furry, gray-green toothed leaves. It blooms all summer and fall and can bloom almost all year indoors if you have a bright window getting at least six hours of sun a day.

Unlike other lavenders, the fragrance of fernleaf lavender's foliage and flowers is lemony, with an earthy undertone. Usually grown as an annual , it features narrow spikes of fragrant bluish-purple flowers that will bloom until frost. In frost-free areas, this species will bloom almost continuously. Its lobed silvery-green leaves give it a delicate, lacy appearance.

By Sheryl Geerts Updated July 12, Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission. Save Pin FB More. Lavender field. With more than kinds of lavender to choose from, it can be overwhelming to pick the best ones for your garden.