- Common name: lavender
- Botanical name: Lavandula
- Family: mint (Lamiaceae)
- Type: evergreen shrubs
- Flowering season: summer
- Planting time: April or May
- Height: 40 to 90cm (1.3 to 3ft)
- Width: 60 to 120cm (2 to 4ft)
- Aspect: full sun
- Hardiness: H5
- Difficulty: easy
Drought-tolerant, laden with nectar, evergreen, long-flowering, and so pungent that it fills the garden with scent, lavender is deservedly popular. The late garden designer Rosemary Verey said, "You can never have too much of it in your garden". In its preferred conditions, of well-drained soil that is baked by the sun, it is easy to grow.
Aromatic lavender was used widely across the Old World, for hygiene, magic, and perfume. The Ancient Egyptians employed it for mummification, and the Romans had it in their baths (the word is thought to stem from the Latin lavare, to wash). It arrived in Britain during the Roman occupation and became a household herb, strewn across floors and stuffed under mattresses to prevent sickness and scent the house; believed to be protective and lucky, it was also hung above the door and used in ritual. Later, it became a popular medicinal tisane – Elizabeth I drank lavender tea to soothe her headaches, and Culpeper recommended it for "tremblings, faintings, and swoonings."
There are 41 species, native to the Mediterranean, Africa, Arabia, and India, but the key garden forms for scent and wildlife are Lavandula angustifolia (true lavender or English lavender) and L. x intermedia (lavandin). The latter is a cross between L. angustifolia and L. latifolia (spike lavender or Portuguese lavender). L. angustifolia produces the best oil for perfumery, but L. x intermedia is a larger plant that is preferred by bees. Both smell wonderful in the garden.
Although L. angustifolia and L. latifolia are known, respectively, as English lavender and Portuguese lavender, they are not native to those countries, but, rather, hail from Spain, Italy, and, of course, France. They are found growing wild in the aromatic limestone garrigue of Provence, in high, open, stony scrub that is warm and dry in summer. Haute Provence is also the world's main site of commercial lavender cultivation, the famous crop growing in vast purple fields that scent the region. However, in the past (especially during the 19th century), it was Surrey that supplied the world's perfumers with oil – hence the common name, English lavender.
In the garden, lavender is very versatile: happy in borders or pots and good in contemporary and traditional designs. It is great for clipping into sculptural boules and adds structure in beds of shrub roses or perennials. Most varieties are purple blue, but there are white and pink forms. Rosemary Verey planted the pink 'Rosea' in borders and used 'Hidcote' and 'Munstead' to grow purple lavender hedges. Lavender is one of the best flowering hedges to grow alongside a path . . . being robust and fragrant, it won't be damaged by foot traffic and, when legs brush past, will release that incredible scent onto the air.
Which lavenders to grow for scent and wildlife
For borders: Larger lavenders that reach 60 to 75 centimetres look good in the middle of sunny borders. 'Miss Katherine' is pink and Elizabeth is regal purple. For the front of the border, pale-purple 'Ashdown Forest' grows to 50 centimetres.
For containers: Opt for compact aromatic lavenders that reach around 45 centimetres. Plant them in pots to perfume the patio or doorways, or grow them in windowboxes, so that their fragrance floods into the house. 'Thumbelina Leigh' is purple, Little Lottie is pink, and 'Purity' is white.
For a hedge: Lavender makes a great flowering hedge that is easy to maintain. For a generous hedge to line a path, choose a variety that reaches 60 to 80 centimetres, such as 'Folgate' (purple-blue) or 'Edelweiss' (a white intermedia), or, for a low hedge to edge a border, opt for a smaller form that reaches 40 to 50-centimetres tall, such as bright-violet 'Purple Treasure'.
For bees: Lavender is one of the best plants for bees, and research by the University of Sussex has found that their preferred type is L. x intermedia, with 'Gros Bleu' their favourite variety. But bumblebees – who have the long tongues necessary to access lavender's tubular flowers – will happily visit all forms of L. angustifolia and L. x intermedia, including pink and white varieties.
How to plant lavender
Plant during April or May for the best results. If need be, September is another good time. Avoid planting in poor weather, as lavender will sulk.
In borders: Choose a very sunny site with well-drained soil (a gravel garden is ideal); dig in grit to enhance drainage, if necessary.
In containers: Choose a compact variety for pots or windowboxes, unless you are planting in large containers. Ensure the container has drainage holes; standing it on pot feet is a good idea, particularly in winter. Use a mix of multi-purpose compost and grit.
As a hedge: Choose a variety that is widely available (such as 'Hidcote'), in case you need to replace a plant further down the line. Plant in April, in very well-drained sun-baked soil, with around 45 centimetres between each plant.
How to grow lavender
- Drainage is essential - if you don't already have very well-drained soil, dig in plenty of grit before planting.
- Full sun is vital, so a south or west-facing border or patio is ideal.
- Neutral to alkaline soil is best.
- Biannual pruning keeps the plant healthy and floriferous. Without it, lavender becomes scruffy and leggy. After flowering (in August or September), give the plant a good haircut with sharp shears, ensuring you never cut below the new silver-green growth. Then, in April, give the plant a much lighter trim to create a good shape and stimulate growth. Maintain lavender hedges with the same biannual routine.
- Water plants until they are established or if they are in containers, especially if the weather is hot and dry. Once border plants are established, they shouldn't need watering.
- Feeding lavender is a bad idea. They are happy in poor or moderately fertile soil and do not appreciate fertiliser.
