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Plant Highlight: Lavender

A favorite, Lavandula angustifolia

I have often enough written about my lavender hedge, and about the sublime sweetness of lavender paired with purple petunias, elsewhere. So now it is time to give lavender its due with a highlight of the many ways this versatile and demure perennial can grace a garden. As an old favorite of herbal gardens, and a venerable cottage garden plant, this plant has a long history and renown as a fragrant and useful plant, but it is very beautiful and long blooming which makes it a welcome addition in ornamental gardens of all sorts. It comes in numerous varieties: English, Munstead, Hidcote, Hidcote Pink, Jean Davis, Sarah, and Vera.

[The look] Lavender Its fresh flower color which the plant lends its name to, and the gray- green foliage create a soft blended look. The flower heads are a spike form, but the plant grows thickly, so it is like a mound punctuated with light purple spikes directing the eye outward. It grows in a bush form, and looks best in its first couple of years, after that it can get woody and grow in an odd shape due to winter losses. There are other flower colors besides the purple shades, such as white and pink, but I think they tend to look insipid; while the deeper the purple color the more attractive the plant seems.

[The needs] Sunshine, good drainage in a loose friable soil, with a near neutral to alkaline pH is best. Plant it in the spring for best results. Lavender is drought tolerant once established, but appreciates normal watering. However, wet roots in wintertime will lead to lavender's demise.

Prune after flowering by cutting back the flower stem and about a third of the gray-leaved stems. This will extend the life of the plant. However if you cut too far back into the woody part of the stems you risk that the stems may not rejuvenate with new growth. Lavenders have varying hardiness, so be sure to check the hardiness zones for the types best for your climate. Types such as ‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead’ are more hardy.

[Propagation] Most lavenders are started from cuttings, they are more difficult to grow from seed. If you do wish to try it their seeds need light, so cover lightly when sowing. They germinate in temperatures around 70 degrees.

[Fun Facts] In the Language of Flowers, lavender means devotion and faithfulness, but sometimes "distrust".
In ancient times it was commonly called nard.
Smelling the fragrance of Lavender is said to soothe the nerves. It is widely used in aromatherapy and cosmetics. Essential oil of lavender has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Grosso lavender ( Lavandin or Lavender x intermedia) is preferred for crafts.

Books for you:

Health uses of Lavender | Lavender,Farm and Garden | Willowfields growing lavender in the Midwest

Follow the above links for more on lavender.

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