In our front garden , we have a a kind of mini - hedge of Lavender and Rosemary plant that we planted , as well as two large , now quite leggy , lavender shrub that we inherited when we moved in .
I often say that I ’d wish to replace the large , leggy plants but my married woman always stops me .
And she is right-hand to do so , because every summertime the combination of all these plants creates a fantastic aromatic spectacle that throbs and hums with one C of bees feeding on the flower .
Lavender Munstead byamandabhslateris licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Just brushing past the plants , which we have to do since they sprawl across the path , release the heady scent of lavender – lie with for its relaxing qualities .
So , if you have a warm sunny point in your garden , in my view , it is always deserving making some way to grow lavender .
Lavender flourish in cheery locating and well - drain soil , making it perfect for borders , herbaceous plant gardens , and rockeries . Lavender move well with all sort of plants and fits in with all kind of style of plants . you’re able to check it with roses , catmint orEchinacea , for representative , to sum up both optical and olfactory appeal to any garden .
Lavender Munstead byamandabhslateris licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
This clause is about English Lavender – Lavandula angustifolia .
Read our disjoined article on thedifferent type of Lavender species and change you may grow .
All about English Lavender
Lavender boast some unique characteristics , such as its drought tolerance and ability to pull pollinator like bee and butterflies .
Its compact growth habit and evergreen plant foliage make it a year - round asset in the garden .
Key Lavender facts
Lavender angustfolia care requirements
Best English Lavender cultivars
Munstead
‘ Munstead ’ is a Hellenic English lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia ) variety , developed in the former 20th century by Gertrude Jekyll at her Munstead Wood garden in Surrey , England . This summary cultivar is known for its hardiness and is often favored in cooler climates .
The plant typically grow to about 18 inch tall and wide , form a neat , rounded bush . Its foliage is characterise by narrow , grey - green leaves that provide an attractive background to the flowers . The deep purplish flower spikes are highly redolent and bloom profusely from belated outpouring to mid - summertime .
‘ Munstead ’ is a long - lived perennial , often surviving for 10 - 15 years with proper care . It ’s prize for its versatility in the garden , suitable for delimitation , rock music gardens , and even low hedge . This miscellanea is also recognise for its culinary uses and is oftentimes used in potpourris and sachets .
Hidcote
‘ Hidcote ’ is another democratic English lavender mixture , named after Hidcote Manor Garden in Gloucestershire , England , where it was developed by Major Lawrence Johnston in the 1920s . This compact cultivar is renowned for its acute violet - downhearted flowers and impenetrable ontogenesis habit .
Growing to a height of 12 - 18 inch , ‘ Hidcote ’ forms a goodly , mound shape . Its leafage is write of slender , silvery - gray leaves that contrast beautifully with the deep - colored prime . The blossom spike are shorter and more stocky than some other varieties , contribute to its neat appearance .
‘ Hidcote ’ is a long - lived variety , often flourish for 15 - 20 years in ideal circumstance . It ’s extremely valued for its dusty hardiness and drought permissiveness once established . The intense colour and compendious sizing make it an splendid alternative for formal garden , gnarl gardens , and container plantings .
Silver Mist
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‘ Silver Mist ’ is a distinctive cultivar of English lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia ) , famed for its striking silvery foliage . This variety was originate for its unique appearance , adding a different dimension to the lavender pallette .
grow to about 24 inches marvellous and wide , ‘ Silver Mist ’ form a compact , rounded bush . Its foliation is exceptionally silver , almost whitened , providing year - round interest even when the plant is not in bloom . The flowers are a mild , clean lavender color , make a beautiful contrast with the flatware farewell .
‘ Silver Mist ’ is a relatively long - exist diverseness , often lasting 10 - 15 years with proper aid . Its unequaled coloring make it an fantabulous choice for adding visual stake to gardens , especially in force when planted in groups or paired with darker foliaged plants .
Thumbelina Leigh
‘ Thumbelina Leigh ’ is a dwarf variety of English lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia ) , bred for its compact size and suitableness for container growing . This cultivar was develop in New Zealand and introduced in the early 2000s .
Growing to only about 12 inches tall and wide , ‘ Thumbelina Leigh ’ is one of the smallest lavender varieties available . Its leafage is grey - green and mould a tight , neat mound . Despite its little sizing , it produce an abundance of deep blue flowers , make a charming video display .
As a straight English lavender , ‘ Thumbelina Leigh ’ can be quite long - survive , potentially live 15 - 20 years with proper aid . Its succinct size spend a penny it ideal for small garden , stone gardens , and container planting . It ’s also well - suited for edging way of life or border in expectant garden designing .
How to grow Lavender
Soil and Feeding
Lavender prefers well - drained soil , ideally flaxen or gravelly , with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH ( 6.5 - 7.5 ) . Adding constitutive thing can better filth structure . Feeding requirements are minimum ; a dim - firing , balanced fertilizer applied in leaping can underpin growth .
Watering
Lavender is drouth - resistant and prefers wry conditions . Water deep but infrequently , allowing the ground to dry out between waterings . Overwatering or poor drainage can lead to root rot .
Pruning
Pruning lavender encourages bushy emergence and prevents the plant life from becoming woody .
Prune p.a. after flowering , cutting back about one - third of the industrial plant . I often go away the spend flowers on until late wintertime the following year . This is partly to keep some body structure but also because the seed - head keep the lovely lavender scent .
There are also usually some later flower well into Autumn , so I always think it is deserving will your pruning as long as there are blossom on the plant life and bee on the flower .
The most important point to remember when pruning lavender is that you should avoid cutting into old wood , as this may not regrow .
I cut back to the bottom of the flower stalks , but you may disregard back hard , as long as you are still issue into the mild foliage , rather than the woody stems .
Propagation
Lavender can be diffuse through seed , cut , or layering . For cutting :
Common problems and solutions
Martin Cole has been an avid plant lover and nurseryman for more than 20 years and loves to verbalise and pen about horticulture . In 2006 he was a finalist in the BBC Gardener of the Year rival . He is a member of the National dahlia Society .
He previously lived in London and Sydney , Australia , where he took a diploma course in Horticultural studies and is now base in North Berwick in Scotland . He founded GardeningStepbyStep.com in 2012 . The internet site is aim at everybody who loves plant or has been bite by the horticulture bug and wants to jazz more .
Gardening gradation by Step has beencited by Thompson and Morgan , the UK ’s largest mail order plant retailer , as a website that publishes skillful gardening content .
Lavender Munstead byamandabhslateris licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Lavandul var. Hidcote blue byIrene Grassiis licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Lavender ‘Thumbelina Leigh’ byThe Greenery Nurseryis licensed under CC BY 2.0
